No digital expertise? Never mind!
Society is becoming increasingly digital. Goods are ordered online and more and more services are being booked online. What does this mean for the job of an event manager? How can sales teams in hotels keep up when the entire industry is racing from one innovation to the next? How can every member of the team keep pace without neglecting the day-to-day business?
Lack of expertise and resources
Fachkräftemangel im Eventmanagement und in der Hotellerie
The hunt for the best talent does not stop at the event industry. Event venues are looking for the best salespeople, hotels need top event managers in order not to lose out on the tough competition.
An event manager must be a true multi-talent: they must be able to advise the customer in the best possible way and read their every wish from their lips. He must be familiar with catering, technical equipment, be a top logistician and, on top of that, a master of the venue regulations. Of course, he is no stranger to new event formats and is a fast and accurate calculator.
But what is the reality? Do team members feel increasingly stressed or even overwhelmed by their tasks? Time pressure is constantly increasing and new challenges are constantly being added. How is a normal event manager supposed to find the energy to deal with new digital possibilities? How great is the risk that they will block out rather than embrace new things?
Digital skills in the MICE industry
When digital skills are only moderately widespread among the population as a whole, the MICE industry is probably no better off. What conclusions should hotels, event venues and all MICE providers draw from this?nbieter hieraus ziehen?
The initial situation with regard to certain digital skills allows conclusions to be drawn.
Assessment of certain digital skills - the skills were determined in each case by means of a self-assessment by the respondents:
Knowing, using and balancing digital skills
Competence #1 - Research & Internet searches
Almost all companies are now dependent on being found on the Internet. This certainly applies to event venues, conference hotels and seminar houses.
More than half of internet users consider themselves highly competent in finding information on the internet. However, even if many potential customers consider themselves to be competent in Internet research, this usually does not go beyond the first hit page.
Digital visibility must therefore be at the top of the priority list. A strong digital presence is essential for all MICE providers in order to differentiate themselves from other “search results”.
Competence #2 - Calculations
The more competitive the market is, the more important it is to have convincing quotes. It is not only the cheapest price that decides which conference hotel or event location a customer chooses. However, exact calculation and transparency of the quote are also decisive.
Only a third of those surveyed consider themselves to be highly competent in the section of calculations and costings. Just under half do not consider themselves capable of doing so. Event calculations can be time-consuming: Tiered and dynamic pricing, countless trades and items, changes at short notice. A lack of time and inappropriate gut feeling contribute to poor quotes.
If calculation expertise lags behind requirements, this must be compensated for by smart MICE tools.
Competence #3 - Presentations
Potential customers also have to contend with the flood of information. After all, they are the ones who have to filter out the right provider from the many quotes and documents when they book a conference, event or seminar. The first impression of a website or quote can be decisive if there is not enough time to deal with all the details.
Customers want to be wooed in an ever shorter time. Prospective customers do not just compare the providers they are looking for. Rather, they compare each provider with the best they see every day on all channels. Providers who do not present themselves perfectly quickly lose out. More than half of those surveyed admit that they are unable to create good presentations.
In order to stand out from the competition, the external presentation must be consistently outstanding. This can also be automated. This means that quote documents are always perfectly designed - and another burden is lifted from event sales.
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