Global Conference: Connections
CSEA utilizes the services of Connections Housing, an event planning company that assists with site selection and ongoing communication with the hotel, both pre-event and on-site to ensure a positive experience for the hotel and CSEA.
Pre-event
- Initiate adjustments or addendums needed to conference hotel contract. Work with the Executive Director to approve all changes.
- Facilitate hotel reservation process. Establish a web link to add to the conference web site for individuals to book their rooms within the block. If needed, liaise with attendees to assist with their hotel bookings.
- Oversee room reservations to ensure there is a stay-through pattern available to guests in order to maximize pickup and thus groups’ concessions.
- Monitor pickup to ensure group does not fall into an attrition situation. Provide the Executive Director with regular updates about pickup.
- Create marketing campaigns to those “registered, no hotel” to encourage them to book within the block.
- Should group fulfill their block, or if conference hotel cannot extend cutoff, coordinate an overflow hotel option for late registrations requiring housing as needed.
- Work with the hotel to ensure conference policies are followed with regards to employers and vendors hosting outside events.
- Serve as primary liaison to the hotel regarding food and beverage selections, room selections and A/V needs. Along with the Executive Director, select food and beverage menu.
- Obtain the following information from the hotel well in advance, to assist with planning:
- Full layout of the Exhibit Hall, including space allocated for tables. Note: an 8 x 8 foot area is required for each exhibitor.
- Food and beverage menus
- A/V prices
- Information needed for signage, including easel size and quantity and digital signage specs (including word count for each session display).
- Shipping information
- Participate on Committee Conference calls as needed (most critical at the beginning of the conference planning, and in the spring when efforts ramp up).
- Coordinate on or off-site A/V vendor.
- Coordinate and help approve hotel billing.
- Negotiate food and beverage and A/V costs with hotel to maximize CSEA budget.
- Schedule on-site meetings with the hotel, including walk-through and pre-conference meeting with Connections and the Executive Director.
- Along with the Executive Director, review overall conference schedule to ensure the best utilization of time and space.
- Along with the Executive Director, review the banquet event order (BEO) for accuracy.
- Remind hotel not to throw away any items from the vendor hall (or leftover conference items) - also address in pre-con.
On-site
- Assist with review of hotel contracts (BEO’s, etc.).
- Attend hotel Pre-Conference meeting, Committee meetings, and participates in walk-throughs.
- Assist exhibitors and presenters with room set-up.
- Verify rooms and A/V are set-up as instructed, including working closely with Program Committee to perform walk through with all keynote speakers including stage set up and audio visual testing
- Assist with check-in process.
- Monitor food and beverage at events.
- Obtain head counts for all food functions.
- Assist with A/V checks for speakers as needed.
- Assist A/V team in main ballroom with music cues.
- Move easels from room to room for sponsor signage, as needed.
- Distribute flip charts and wireless clickers to rooms as needed.
- Initiate chimes to serve as a warning five minutes before each session (note: the hotel will sometimes do this on our behalf).
- Obtain head counts from the hotel for plenary sessions, including Opening Reception, breakfasts and lunches.
Post-event assistance
- Review final hotel bill for accuracy.
- Obtain final hotel room pickup report and provide it to the Executive Director.
- Provide head counts for plenary sessions to the Executive Director for historical tracking.