Challenge

• Demonstrate consolidated savings and maximise budget spend on meetings and events
• Develop a smart meetings programme incorporating a venues portal with capacity for regular enhancements.

Solution

• Establish a venue sourcing team to identify and register the client’s bookers and preferred venues
• Launch the smart meeting programme in the UK with presentations and training sessions to staff and hoteliers
• Train support staff to use the booking tool by providing services such as over-the-phone training and regular system updates
• Measure spend accurately, including invoice consolidation, reconciliation and consolidated reporting
• Use a system that could be continually monitored by the client to analyse event booking lifecycle from procurement to tracking spend and savings
• Improve the terms and conditions of the contracts already in place and negotiate with new suppliers to achieve savings.

Results

• In year one over £7.5 million spend was managed for the client
• 32% savings against published rates.