All that glitters...

It  may be a sign of the times, but why is it that some conference centres rely so much on unnecessary ‘bells and whistles’ such as golf courses, swimming pools and fitness centres to sell their venues rather than concentrating on their core product – fulfilling the business needs of their clients?

As far as I am concerned, simple is best.  What’s the point of trying to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse by dressing up your product with unnecessary extras?  If you have a quality product the venue will sell itself.  What the customer wants is excellent service at a value for money price. No more, no less.



Good food isn’t a bolt-on it’s a right.  Delegates expect a consistently high standard of catering which shouldn’t depend on the number of awards the chef has won.  Flexibility, service, variety and quality are the ingredients that matter.  Customers don’t expect school dinners, but it doesn’t have to be over engineered either, just well thought out appropriate menus and appetising fresh food!

Some venues seem to have forgotten that delegates are there to work, not improve their golf handicap.  Shouldn’t we all be offering a quiet environment, conducive to learning, friendly helpful staff who understand the specific needs of business customers and full technical support, as standard?

Increasingly budgets are being squeezed so clients are looking for best value, not just for facilities but also with delegate packages.  Once upon a time all venues offered fully inclusive packages and clients were able to see exactly what they were getting, with no hidden extras.  This meant they could choose their venue on a like for like basis.

It may be a result of the economic climate but this is not always the case.  To make themselves look more financially attractive, some venues have started to headline room hire rate only.  On the face of it seems a better deal, but once all the extras are added on, the customer can end up paying much more than for the all in package!  I may be a traditionalist but in my book this is questionable practice and doesn’t allow venues to compete on a level playing field.  Not only that, but it gives us all a bad name, so why not be open and honest?  Along with other reputable venues, we at Chartridge Conference Company believe in transparent pricing, so if we can do it so should all venues.

We have to remember that when clients book a venue for a business meeting, that’s what they want.  It shouldn’t be confused with reward for good performance or a motivational tool, so I fail to see the point of offering these add-ons to attract meetings business.

And here’s another thought.  Even if you don’t include the cost of golf within the package but promote the facility as a carrot, what image does this portray of your venue?  Those not attending may well view the booking as just another excuse for a ‘jolly’ for the lucky few rather than a bona fide training course.  We all want repeat business but you’re hardly likely to achieve it if the main comment on the venue was the quality of the golf course!

As dedicated professional conference centres our core business is providing a venue for learning, training and personal development. 

When you are putting your business plans in place take a long hard look at your venue and strip away those unnecessary extras and frills.  Remember your core product - quality - doesn’t need glitter.  It stands alone. And let’s keep golf for the weekend.

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