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: Melissa Falendysz, CMP
Company Name: National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)
Job Title: Meeting and Event Planner
Years of Experience: 10
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?
Since people haven't attended in-person for over a year, it's a compelling time for in-person events to make their come back. The long break in-between events of the past and seeing them ramp up again, is giving planners a chance to revamp their program(s) and try new things. Over the past several months, companies have been able to reassess their growth opportunities and reevaluate what we want our attendee's experience to be like when they return. It's an exciting time for all!
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?
Over the past year, we switched our in-person events to virtual offerings. It allowed us to reach a broader audience and analyze our attendee's preferred learning style. Although we're hosting in-person events during Q4 this year, we're still offering some virtual opportunities to those that are still hesitant about travel. Hopefully, somewhere down the line, we'll add hybrid capabilities and capitalize on the opportunity to link the learning styles together for the entire audience.
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?
I'm 100% for hybrid meetings if you have the budget for it. The attendees onsite are able to network and catch up with their colleagues, however, those at home will get a sneak peek of the event's excitement and possibly register for the next in-person.
In your opinion, what do you think the biggest value for your attendees is in regards to returning to live events?
The camaraderie of being with like-minded people and seeing friends again. Since they're from different regions of the country, it may be the only time they get together every year.
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?
How people feel about their environment is top of mind more than ever. Whether that be health, safety or being in emergency situations. Hotelier/planner transparency needs to be present during the RFP process through post-event. Each party can provide the health and safety protocols from their end and be able to collaborate efforts to ensure the safety of the guests.
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.
