New Guide from ESPA Highlights Value of Event Service Teams
August 14, 2019
Everyone who works within the trade show and meetings industry recognizes the value that events — and all the individuals involved with helping to make them successful — bring to the table. But sometimes, those outside the industry don’t understand this quite as well. To remedy that, Event Service Professionals Association has launched a guide that showcases the expertise that event service professionals provide.
Consider “ROI of the Event Service Professional: ESPA’s Guide to Showcasing the Impact and Value of Event Service” the latest tool in your arsenal for demonstrating the value of, as well as the breadth of, event services that can be shared with management and stakeholders.
“Research has shown that event service professionals have a significant impact on event success, but prior to now, most of us struggled with how to show and prove that value,” said Julie Brakenbury, director of services for the Greater Raleigh CVB who led development of the guide. “Showing our value is very important to ensure we have the budget and resources to do our jobs well.”
She continued, “Organizations, venues and hotels all spend significant money marketing and selling to book events. If those events aren’t serviced well, they don’t return, and then those same entities go about spending even more money to market and sell and book more events.”
Event services managers at hotels, convention centers and CVBs work hard to manage all the logistics on an event, essentially bringing to life what the sales team has sold. They handle everything from coordinating F&B, audiovisual and outside vendors to connecting with local resources, providing expertise and coming up with creative solutions to logistical problems. They also put in long hours on-site, working closely with meeting planners to ensure the events run smoothly.
Often, that all can be easier said than done — and in that respect, these event services teams have a huge impact on meeting planner satisfaction, which ultimately impacts revenue and growth for their respective organization.
“The measurement of our work improves the services we provide and the results we bring to the organization and the event,” said Jamie Huckleberry, ESPA president and director of event services at David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. “It helps to identify if we are staffed appropriately and recognizes the work being done.”
She added, “I have always considered us the on-site salesman in services. If the event doesn’t run well, the group won’t want to return. This all has an economic impact on the city and improving event services improves that impact.”
To download the free guide and learn more, go here.
Image credit: ESPA, showing Julie Brakenbury at left.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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