Let’s get our Meetings Started!! What will it be…..

As we have never before in our lifetime experienced anything that has crushed our Meetings Industry, we are definitely in new uncharted waters! 

More than ever, we want to bring back our meetings & events industry but we are still in a phase of what will that look like?

As industry partners our relationships are more important than ever and we need to do this together and do it right, for our clients, staff and each other!

So what will our new reality be? No one knows but here is some information that might help.

Food & Beverage

Safety & health – 1^st priority

• Buffets
  • Maybe we’ll see several staff behind plexiglass serving the guests plate
  • Servers might be moving along the buffet line with the client
  • One person touching & serving 1 plate
  • One guest at a time
  • Boxed breakfasts and lunches will probably the way to start
• Lots of prep work will be required before hand for the kitchen and staff
• Strick guidelines for safety requirements from the public health authorities
• Coffee
  • May need to be pre portioned cups with cream, milk & sugar stir stick on the same plate
  • No self-serve stations - servers may have to pour coffee
• Plated meals
  • 4 people to a table positioned 2 meters apart
  • Plates touched only by the chef & the server
  • Same servers at same table from the beginning to the end

Contracting:

We already know clients are looking for:

• Flexibility in cut off dates
• Flexibility with previously signed contracts
• Changes for F&B and room revenue minimums
• New floor plans and capacities that take into consideration the new realities
• Hybrid meetings
• Strong relationship and good discussions
• Reviews of cut off dates, deposit dates and payment structures
• Flexible cancellation options
• Enhanced/modified Force Majeure clauses that take into consideration WHO, municipal, provincial and national requirements
• Updated cancellation clauses that include a pandemic

 

Technology

Hybrid / Virtual within meetings and events will be the way of the future. PSAV and their family of companies are coming together differently for their clients and working very hard on developing a set of MEETSAFE guidelines. These guidelines look at all aspects of meeting and events from new structures that could be implemented to address how to reduce risk and increase confidence to promoting health within the meeting space. Offering us a glimpse into the future and what’s to come.

We don’t know what the future will look like but we will work with clients, our technology providers, and other stakeholders in the meetings and event industry to design meetings around the clients’ needs and achieve their business objectives.

Sustainability

This is no longer a top priority – safety is 1^st. For the time being we will be going backwards a bit when it comes to sustainability, water stations will need to go back to bottled water. On the other side, we might see attendees bringing your own cutlery, sippy cup and straw – this could be interesting!

Hotel Arrivals:

What will the “new” guest experience look like?

• Arrivals
  • Guests arriving wearing masks and gloves
  • Temperatures being taken upon arrival
  • Front desks and concierge desks with plexiglass in place between all staff and guests
• Guest Rooms
  • Cleaning policies and procedures
  • Will rooms need to be vacant for 24 hours between guests?
  • Daily housekeeping may not be an option
  • Will guests be provided with their own garbage bag upon arrival?
  • Should you need garbage or towels changed will you need to put the items outside your room and the room attendant will make the change and replace just inside the door to avoid entering your room.
• Spa, pools, amenities
  • Will all have new regulations and not 100% sure how this will look
• Valet parking and baggage handling
  • Will this still be available?

Although we are not 100% sure how meetings will look and feel as we move forward, I am 100% confident that WE can do this together and bring back our Industry! 

Let’s chat! Please reach out to me as I am always interested in learning from you about your thoughts and concerns! I can be reached at 613-822-1248 or via email cindy.gascon@fairmont.com

Let’s meet! Let’s Be SAFE! Let’s do this together!

 Article written by: Cindy Gascon, Fairmont Hotels Quebec Resorts

Article edited by Cynthia Beaudin, Canada Foundation for Innovation