MODULE 3: LESSON PROPER

Meaning of MICE Planner

Individuals or groups who sponsor meetings usually appoint a single individual or
committee to coordinate the meeting. The person coordinating the meeting is called several
names-MICE planner, meeting planner, meeting manager, coordinator, meeting director, and
professional congress organizer (PCO).

Characteristics and Responsibilities of MICE Planners

MICE planners must possess strong administrative and leadership qualities. In a study
conducted by Strick and Montgomery, the following are the 10 personality characteristics of
success ful MICE planners:
1. Organized
2. Efficient
3. Responsive
4. Attentive
5. Intelligent
6. Prompt
7. Courteous
8. Hardworking
9. Friendly
10. Hospitable
 Majority of association and corporate meeting planners are between the ages of 35 and
55. More than 50 percent are women and 66 percent have a college education. Most of them
have more than four years of experience in the field.

Responsibilities of MICE Planners

In general, MICE planners are responsible for the following:

Pre-meeting Activities:
1. Plan the agenda of the meeting
Before a MICE planner can start planning the meeting, he or she must know why
the meeting is being held. Meetings and conventions are often held for several reasons-
training, problem-solving, brainstorming, planning, networking, team building, etc.

2. Establish the objectives of the meeting

The meeting agenda provides the basis for the establishment of objectives. The
meeting objectives, in turn, will provide the groundwork for the budget, the site selection,
and the site facility.

3. Predict the attendance

Attendance determines the success of a meeting or convention. To solicit
attendance, the MICE planner should develop a marketing plan. To develop a marketing plan,
the MICE planner must know what he or she and the sponsoring organization are marketing
and who are the prospective attendees are. The work of the MICE planner is easier if he or
she has a list of attendees has demographic, psychographic, and historical data regarding
past meeting [Link] the MICE planner is not familiar with the potential attendees,
that person should develop a profile of them through discussions with the executive directors
of the association or corporation. The planner must develop questionnaires too determine
the needs, desires, and expectations of the group. These questionnaires should be
administered before the event.

4. Set the budget of the meeting

Setting a budget for the meeting is a difficult task. It is successful if the MICE
planner is consulted before the budget is finalized. A working budget should be established
and used as a guideline in making decisions.
 Income for a meeting, convention, or exposition could include the following:
a. Registration fees
b. Exhibitor fees
c. Company or sponsoring organization money revenues
d. Advertising revenues
e. Revenues from the sale of educational materials
f. Event sponsor contributions
g. Registration fee interest
h. Grants or contributions

Expenses for a meeting, convention or exposition could include the following:

a. Meeting planner fees
b. Marketing expenses
c. Printing and copying expenses
d. Mailing
e. Shipping
f. Support supplies such as office supplies
g. Support staff
h. Audiovisual equipment
i. Signage
j. Speaker fees, honorarium, and expenses
k. Mementos for guests and attendees
l. Tours
m. Ground transportation
n. Spousal programs
o. Food and beverage events
p. Gratuities
q. Interpreter
r. On-site personnel
s. Rental fees for meeting and exposition space

5. Select the site of the meeting

The success of a meeting, convention, or exposition depends on the site and
facilities chosen. When selecting a host city, the following are the questions that should be
answered:
a. Have you used the site before?
b. Is the site easily accessible for the majority of your participants?
c. Does the geographic area lend itself to pre and post- meeting or conference
excursions?
 d. Is the ground transportation appropriate for the group?
e. What is the reputation of the site?
f. Is the climate acceptable to your participants?
g. Are there enough meeting places and sleeping rooms available to accommodate
you group during the desired period?

6. Select the meeting facility and the hotel

When choosing the meeting facility and the hotel, service is the first priority. MICE
planners must provide a level of service that makes the guests feel at home, well cared for,
and anxious to return. Along with the service attitude of the staff, MICE planners are also
looking for a higher level of services for their special attendees-the physically handicapped
and those with special dietary needs.
Another important area to be considered is the ability to meet the needs of their
international attendees. The facilities, services, and amenities that have to be provided are
multilingual staff, easy exchange of currency, interpreters, international codes and symbols
on guest information and signage, and the ability to accommodate special dietary
considerations.
When choosing the meeting facilities, the specific questions to be asked are:
a. Have you stayed in the facility?
b. What have you heard from other groups with regard to this facility?
c. Is the facility accessible from the airport?
d. Is the physical appearance appealing?
e. Is the facility kept in good repair?
f. What kind of first impression does the facility make?
g. Does the facility have the needed space available?
h. What are the number, size, and caliber of meeting rooms and guest rooms?
i. Does the facility provide VIP accommodations?
j. Are nonsmoking rooms available?
k. Does the facility provide appropriate food and beverage services?
l. Does the facility provide appropriate recreational opportunities?
m. What time is check-in?
n. Can special arrangements be made for early check-in and late check-out?
o. Can special rates apply before the meeting and after the meeting in case the
participants would like to arrive early or stay late?
p. What are the check-in and check-out procedures?
q. Are staff members appropriately dressed, knowledgeable, and courteous?
r. Does the facility provide the support staff the group will need to successfully host
the meeting, convention, or exposition?
s. Is the signage appropriate?
t. What is the proximity of the facility to shopping, dining, and entertainment
facilities?
 u. Is the room rate appropriate for the group?
v. What kind of deposit is required?
w. What is the guarantee and cancellation policy?
x. What other groups will be on-site during your meeting?
y. What kind of room block will they provide?
z. Are the safety and security features working and up-to-date?

7. Negotiate contracts
The person in charge of site should never sign a contract with a facility unit after just one
site visit. It is suggested that the MICE planner makes two visits to the site-one announced
and one unannounced. After completing the two site visitation, the planner can negotiate
and sign the contract.

8. Plan exhibition
After the site has been selected, the actual meeting, conference, or exhibition can be
planned. A detailed agenda can be made which will include meeting rooms and recreational
activities.

9. Prepare the exhibitor correspondence and packet

10. Create a marketing plan

In corporate training meeting, the marketing may only be a flier or memo
discussing the time, date, place, and agenda. If the event is a major convention, marketing
starts one year before the event. In general, the convention is marketed in the registration
packet of the previous year’s [Link] type of information that should be included in
the marketing piece should be dates, places, and general overview of the theme.

11. Plan travel to and from the site

12. Arrange ground transportation

13. Organize shipping

14. Organize audiovisual needs

On-site Activities:
1. Conduct pre-event briefing
During the pre-event briefing, the participants will brief each other
regarding the changes that have been taken since the event guide was developed. Each
department head will discuss the arrangements he or she has made to service the [Link]
MICE planner should arrive at least one hour before the event in the case of a single meeting. In
case of a major convention or exposition, the MICE planner should arrive several days before the
event to oversee the move-in activities.

2. Prepare executive plan

In order to execute the plan properly, it is necessary to have a thorough event
guide and maintain open lines of communication between the sponsoring organization and the
host venue.

3. Move people in/out

4. Troubleshoot

5. Approve invoices
Another important function of MICE planner is to approve all invoices. It is the practice of
host venues to present an invoice at the end of each major food and beverage function. It is
the responsibility of the planner to check the accuracy of these invoices and to make the
necessary changes, if any.

The MICE planner should arrive at least one hour before the event in the case of a single
meeting. In case of a major convention or exposition, the MICE planner should arrive several days
before the event to oversee the move-in activities.

Post-meeting Activities
1. Debrief
The aim of the debriefing is to allow all those involved to discuss openly their
perceptions about the meeting. At this time, the items of contention will be discussed and
resolved.
2. Evaluate
The MICE planner is also responsible for administering the evaluation. This can be
done in a number of ways. The sponsoring organization may place evaluation information in every
session so that it can evaluate the perception of the attendees for each event. An evaluation form
may also be encouraged to complete the evaluation form before they leave the site. The
evaluation may also be mailed to the attendees once they leave the meeting. A summary of the
evaluation should be compiled and used in the planning of future events.

3. Provide recognition and appreciation

4. Arrange shipping
5. Plan for the next year

These responsibilities may vary due to the nature of the association, corporation, or group
that the planner is representing. In general, the association and corporate planners are
responsible for all aspects of the meeting, including the agenda, while the independent meeting
planner may only be responsible for certain aspects of the meeting, such as site selection, agenda
planning, budgetary matters, and negotiations.