Last month, I was able to participate in my first Familiarization Trip, more commonly referred to as a FAM Trip. Now, I had participated in many FAMs before, but always as a host at a venue. This time around, I was a potential client and was on the receiving end of many meals and amenities.  I think I gained about  pounds during my trip. You’ll be reading more about this FAM trip in a future post.

After having a site visit and lunch with one of the facilities on the the tour, one of the other FAM trip attendees commented that everything seemed flawless and very well done. My reaction was that they are trying to impress us in hopes of doing business with us and that everything should be perfect. If it wasn’t perfect, I would be very worried. Seriously, if a venue can’t get it right during a site visit designed to impress, would you trust them with your event?

On the flight back home, I recalled the following joke and it really drives the point home.  Again, I wish I knew who was the original author of this piece, but it is a classic.

One day, a meeting planner dies. She goes to Heaven and is greeted by St. Peter. St. Peter says, “Things are a bit overcrowded here, so God is letting everyone make up there mind to either stay here or to stay in Hell. Tomorrow you get to visit Hell, and the next day you will visit Heaven. After your visits, you can have a day to make up your mind as to where you wish to spend eternity.”

The meeting planner agreed.

The next day, she was off to visit Hell. She was picked up in Purgatory by a Hummer stretch limo, greeted by a hunk of a man wearing nothing but a tight pair of jeans and whisked away. In the limo, there was every type of alcohol available, chocolates, the finest food, and a place to get a pedicure. She was impressed! Upon arriving in Hell, she had the red carpet rolled out for her, carried into her hotel as if she was Cleopatra, and the room was covered in roses. She thought to herself, this is AMAZING!! That night, she was treated to the finest food, wine and music, and danced with all the hot men in Hell. She was draped in furs, Vera Wang clothing and Ferragamo shoes. She never wanted to leave.

She awoke the next morning in Purgatory, and there was a black Lincoln town car there to pick her up to take her to Heaven. Once there, the door was opened, and an angel showed her around. She thought to herself, “This place is BORING! Who would want to stay here? It’s clean and quiet, but forever being this quiet?” After her tour, St. Peter walked up to her and asked, “We’ll be having dinner at 5PM over at the Angel cafeteria.  What do you think of Heaven so far?”  The meeting planner said, “Can I go ahead and make up my mind now?”  St. Peter replied, “Why, yes.  But I really think you need a night to sleep on it; this is a very big decision.” The meeting planner replied, “Yes, and Heaven is very…heavenly.  But I have decided I would like to go back to Hell.”  St. Peter let out a grunt in disgust and said, “So it shall be.”  And with a blink of his eyes, she was back in Hell.

This time, it was filthy, hot, smelly, and she was in rags. Everyone was crying or screaming.  She was frightened and scared. She walked up to one of the head Spawns there, and said, “What happened? When I was here, it was beautiful, paradise! Now, it stinks, and it’s hot, and I’m wearing rags! What happened?” The Spawn replied, “Yesterday was the site inspection, and today you signed the contract!”

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I was doing a little self-reflection about what has happened in my life during the last 6 months and how lucky I am compared to others in this world. During one of these deep thoughts, I remembered a friend of mine from LinkedIn – Calum Maclean. Earlier this year, Calum walked away from a lucrative marketing career with some properties in the Midwest to work for Clean the World, an non-profit group that recycles used soap and shampoo products from hotels and distributes them to people in impoverished countries and homeless shelters in the States.

I’ve done quite a bit of travelling these last 6 months and have been amazed at how hotels keep changing out the soap and shampoo products I was using daily when they could have lasted my entire stay. What a waste. In addition, for the last 18 months, I have been working part time at a hotel in the Baltimore area to gain some additional hospitality experience, and have seen huge containers of slightly used soap, shampoo and conditioner being collected. I am unable to lift these containers they are so full.

I would imagine that these two scenes are being replayed daily through out our country and in the process millions of pounds of these products are finding their way to landfills. Meanwhile, thousands of people around the world are sick and dying because they do not have access to soap. This is so needless and sad.

During the past five years, “green” meetings have become the rage.  Meeting planners were demanding that meeting venues implement recycling programs and institute sustainable purchasing practices among other things. Rarely, if ever, have I heard any meeting planner talk about how they wanted their room blocks at hotels to have the soap products recycled. During my times at both a meetings venue and the hotel, I have seen numerous surveys from planners asking about green policies, but have NEVER seen a question about the soap products.

This seems like a no-brainer to me. Planners, please start demanding that the hotels you use for your events to implement a program to recycle these products through a charity like Clean the World or at the very least with local homeless shelters in their community. So much good can be accomplished by what seems a fairly simple act.

Take a few minutes to check out Clean the World‘s site and while you are at it, check out Calum’s blog.  He’s a good guy and he is helping to make a difference with the assistance of the hospitality industry.

Last month, I submitted my renewal application for my Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation with the Convention Industry Council.  I earned my designation in 2005 and was up for my 5 year renewal.  For those that earned their CMP designation in 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990 and 1985, there is still time to submit your renewal, albeit at a higher rate.

Earlier this year, the CMP Board of Directors made modifications to the renewal process.  Folks that are re-certifying in 2010 have the option of using the prior renewal form or using the new version.  I chose to go with the newer version.  For those renewing in 2011 and beyond, the new rules will be your guidelines to follow.  Let’s compare to see how the two versions are different:

Under the old format, a CMP needed a minimum of 60 points from four sections on his application to re-certify.  Work Experience required a minimum of 12 points and had a maximum 0f 50 points.  A CMP would need to calculate the number of months worked, recalculate it to create a yearly value and depending upon the area they worked get additional points.  Folks in Sales would not earn as many points as folks working in Catering or Convention Services, for example.  Sixty points could be earned in Continuing Education, and a minimum 0f 5 points had to be earned in this area.  Five points would be given for each Membership held in Industry Associations, but this maxed out at 10 points.  Lastly, 40 points could be earned under the Professional Contributions area.   All points had to be earned in the prior 60 months prior to renewal!

So, if your were a Convention Services Manager employed for the last 5 years who belonged to PCMA and had 5 hours of continuing education, you had basically earned your renewal!Going forward, it seems to be much more straight forward to calculate your renewal.

Work experience is still required, and a CMP must have been employed 36 out of the last 60 months.  There are no longer points assigned for job descriptions, so Sales Managers are treated as equals with Convention Services Managers, which is a change I wholeheartedly agree with.  I also like that I no longer have to do math to come up with percentages!

That is the first part of the renewal process.  There are three options that CMPs can use to complete their renewal application:

(1) Earn a bachelor’s degree or higher in the last 60 months.  Area of study is not relevant, so if you went back to school and earned a MBA, you have completed the CMP renewal process.

(2) Complete 15 hours of continuing education and have three professional contributions to the industry.  What are professional contributions – industry association memberships, leadership roles in industry associations, write industry-related articles, speak at industry events, or volunteer for CMP related projects like study groups and booth staffing.  I belong to MPI, IAEE and PCMA – right there are my 3 professional contributions.  You can mix and match any of these items to go with your 15 hours of continuing education.

(3) Complete 25 hours of continuing education.

Choose one of those three options, submit documentation for your attendance or memberships, and you are ready to submit your renewal application.

I like the changes, but what do you think?  For me, the paperwork is streamlined and easier to follow.  I like the fact that most people will now need more continuing education than the 5 hours required in the past.  It encourages folks to become more active in our industry and then rewards them by requiring fewer continuing education hours.   In my opinion, the redesign is also allowing CMPs outside of North America with a easier renewal process.

That’s my opinion – what are your thoughts on the new CMP renewal process?

During my time as a Convention Services Manager, I received a few requests that seemed to defy the laws of time and space to accommodate the event’s needs.  I’m sure most of us, at one time or another, have received emails joking about our jobs.  The following is one of my favorites (I wish I knew who wrote this!), and I am sure that many of us who have worked at venues can appreciate the following monologue.  For you planners out there, don’t try these things with your contact at the hotel or convention center!

I am an event coordinator.

I have unlimited resources at my disposal.

I always keep at least ten meeting rooms under my desk, as it is policy here to automatically make reservations and tee-times for your Board of Directors when you sign the contract.

I can make any meeting rooms larger or smaller, depending on your needs.  I naturally remove my supporting pillars from your meeting space and will install windows in every room as needed.  The “Ocean View” is not scheduled to arrive until the second day of your program for which I most sincerely apologize – however we will move the convention center two feet to the left to accommodate your request by the end of your session today.

I can only throw myself on your mercy and grovel at your feet – I completely agree that it is inconceivable that we should have any other groups booked into our facility during your program – your additional breakout rooms that you added this morning should be built no later than Wednesday.

Naturally, it will be no problem to turn your plenary session for 600-classroom style into a hollow square for 130 with rear-screen projection, simultaneous Japanese translation and satellite hook-up during your 15-minute coffee break.  Unfortunately, however, due to space constraints, and the fact that your final program bears no resemblance whatsoever to your contracted space, we will have to suspend your lunch buffet from the ceiling above your plenary session, then suck the gravity out of the ballroom.

We have located the boxes that you sent last month, under your mother’s maiden name to the hotel down the street, and again, apologize for not having found them sooner.

In answer to all your questions, it is of course, understood that I am telepathically aware of all your speakers’ requirements and will set up an overhead, LCD panel, dual slide projectors, two screens, laser pointer, podium microphones, two tabletop microphones, podium knock-out switch, timer, and blue M&Ms in each room, at no charge, just in case.  Additionally, it goes without saying that an AV tech, engineer, baby-sitter, and I will be underneath your head table for the duration of your event in case you need anything else.

Finally, two more things you might want to share with your group: (1) The ladies’ room is the one with the ladies on the sign. The men’s room is the – well, you get the point.  (2) We will automatically adjust the temperature in the room every 15 minutes so please don’t bother asking. In addition, at this time let me thank you for choosing our convention center.

It has been great to work with you and I can’t wait to see you again…in HELL!!!