This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
Name: Alan Kleinfeld
Company Name: Arrive Conference Solutions
Job Title: Problem Solver
Years of Experience: 25
How do you think you are positioned, after months of persevering with the pandemic, to take advantage of our new and disrupted meetings/events landscape?
We have been fortunate enough, with our background in meeting safety and security, to respond to what has happened in the last few years. It was in no small part with our assistance that clients were able to meet in-person as early as the fall of 2020. We have the capacity to stay current in a rapidly-changing environment and that allows us to adapt and reposition to the needs of our clients.
As our community moves forward with planning in-person meetings, what new technologies or processes are you implementing that you may have not looked at before?
Regarding the last few years, it would be apps and technologies allowing for confirmation of vaccinations and/or testing. With Illnesses like monkeypox and polio making the news cycle, maybe these types of technologies could remain useful.
As we see virtual meetings transition back to face-to-face, hybrid meetings are beginning to be the vehicle to return to normalcy. What are your thoughts on hybrid meetings versus traditional fully in-person meetings?
Our company focuses primarily on in-person meetings. However, there were times during the pandemic when hybrid was appropriate. It really was like planning two separate events, both with financial and staffing needs. There is a place for hybrid events. I still participate in them. However, the experience is more rewarding in my opinion than face-to-face meetings.
In your opinion, what do you think the biggest value for your attendees is in regards to returning to live events?
The biggest value of attending live events is attending live events. Online technologies may provide convenience and, in some cases, results. But what you get from attending face-to-face conferences can't be duplicated in a virtual environment, at least not yet.
As the pandemic fades away and we return to face-to-face events what do you hope changes, either for planners or hoteliers, in the traditional RFP and proposal process as a result of all of the learnings from the last 20+ months?
I hope we don't get complacent with meeting safety. We have gotten complacent with so many other things: September 11, The Great Recession, and active shooters. It goes on and on. The pandemic is not fading away. It's merely changing, becoming endemic. We as an industry need to keep that in mind and include safety and security (for healthcare, physical safety, cyber security, climate change, etc.) in RFPs and proposals. For instance, polio has been confirmed as re-introduced into the US by an international traveler and it is continuing to be found in wastewater. Polio inoculation is how we prevent the spread and I hope the politicization of vaccinations doesn't make us less safe. Lastly, even as Covid becomes a part of regular life, the remnants of Covid in the form of behavioral health and acts of violence will be our next big challenge.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
