…
The challenge is to beat the “Been there, Seen it, Done it” syndrome. Remember incentive travel must be an extraordinary experience for the participants and the programme must be original and exciting. The DMC must continuously invest in creating new programmes and tailor-make them every time to fit the particular needs of the clients. Theme parties, theme excursions, outdoor events, unusual and classic entertainment, character figures, and surprise elements should be the tools of the trade for the DMC.
Creativity is also important for Conferences. The specifications of the meeting industry are far more complicated and require creativity for overcoming logistic problems which usually arise from unavailability of space and a far bigger number of participants.
However it is not possible for a DMC to create an original programme without a proper briefing from the client. Unfortunately often the buyers or planners do not give enough information about their customers’ profile and budget. In this case the DMC should call the planner and try to fill in the gaps with as much information as possible and show how seriously the request is being dealt with.
Some of the information the DMC should try to obtain are:
- What is the nature of business of the corporate client?
- Which destinations were used in the past?
- What is the theme of the incentive campaign?
- What particular elements were used or will be used for the incentive promotion?
- Is this a ‘Sales” or “non-sales incentive”?
- Who are the participants? Dealers, distributors, employees, own sales force, etc.
- Are the participants accompanied by spouses or not?
- What is the average age? Is it a sportive group or not?
- Do the participants know each other? Have they been together before?
- Where have they been travelling the previous years?
- What type of activities have they had before? In what hotels have they stayed?
- What is the budget per person or what was the budget the year before?
- What budget was allocated for hotels, excursions, banqueting, and entertainment?
- Is the corporate a regular client of the IH or did they propose him for first time?
- How many destinations are proposed?
- How many DMC’s compete within the same destination?
- What is the deadline for the DMC’s presentation?
- When will the IH make his presentation? When will a decision be made?
For sure the DMC consultant will not get a reply to all these question but the more answers he gets the better he will be able to present a good and original programme. If the incentive or meeting planner can not reply to any of these questions, maybe the DMC should consider if it is worth while to make a presentation…
Simultaneous offers
DMC’s who have built an excellent international reputation often are faced with a particular problem. Two or three IH’s are in competition for the same Corporate account and they all ask the same DMC for an offer for the same program.
This is a very delicate, sensitive and ethical issue which might cause the DMC the loss of all these clients at the same time. What is the DMC supposed to do in this case? Should he favour the most important IH? Should he make an offer to all clients without telling them anything? How can he satisfy all clients without losing the business?
Depending on the circumstances the following options are open for the DMC:
1. Client A has requested and received from the DMC a proposal several days before Client B makes his request. The DMC can inform Client B that he has already made an offer to another client for the same programme and decline to make a similar offer. The DMC can propose an alternative offer based on another theme.
- Client A and B both request an offer at about the same time, requesting that the DMC make suggestions for the programme. The DMC informs both clients that they are in competition (without giving names) and that he will make two different offers.
- Both Clients A and B request at the same time the same programme with all the same components. The DMC advises both clients that they are in competition (again without giving names), and that he made them exactly the same offer and at the same rates.
- Client A has received his offer several weeks after Client B enters into the competition sending the DMC a copy of A’s programme and requesting the same offer. The DMC explains to B that he has already made on offer for this programme and declines to make an offer.
- In a simultaneous request the DMC gives all necessary information and same rates to both clients, but leaves the initiative to them to develop their own programme based on their creativity.
These are only some examples among many possibilities and combinations. What is important is that both clients are treated fairly in the same way and given the same possibilities of competing for the business. Every DMC facing such cases should have in mind the Article XII of Site’s Code of Ethics and operate accordingly.
“Unless privileged relations or agreements already exist, suppliers asked to quote on the same business by different customers shall treat all customers equally, with confidentiality, offering the same conditions and giving them the opportunity to compete on equal terms.”
At the next issue: The parts of a structured proposal
© Tasso Pappas CITE
Tasso Pappas was President of the SITE Greek Chapter 2006-2010 and served as President of SITE Intl. in 2000. This article is an extract from his book “To be or not to be a DMC” which he wrote in 1996 as his thesis for the certification as CITE (Certified Incentive Travel Executive). More information about Tasso Pappas you can find at http://sites.google.com/site/tassopappasconsultancy/
Contact: tassopappas@otenet.gr
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
