NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2014) — IACC
IACC-Americas introduced a new workshop — “Innovative Conference Centre Design” at the 2014 IACC-Americas Annual Conference and is being touted as one of the most successful — ever.
According to workshop moderator, John Potterton (University Operations Manager, FMC Technologies Learning Center), “The aim of this new workshop was to find a way to present and highlight some of the incredible innovations introduced by IACC members worldwide and to share these ideas, services, and new products with fellow members. Everyone wants to come away from a conference with that ‘golden nugget’ and delegates who attended the IACC-Americas conference in Los Angeles, told of how this workshop justified their attendance!”
This new workshop consisted of a series of five-minute case studies, where members spoke of the issue or the opportunity they identified, explained the solution they found and the impact it had on customers or staff. Contributions were submitted from IACC members who attended the conference from Japan, US, Canada, UK, Denmark and France with topics that included:
Innovating the welcome experience
Innovating the audio-visual experience
Innovating the food and beverage experience
Innovating operations efficiencies
Innovating the learning experience
Innovating the meeting room environment
Innovating the conference centre experience
Innovating the concierge experience
Innovating the meeting experience
The workshop demonstrated the many advantages of being a part of an active global association: no sales, no product placement, just a mutual sharing of proven ideas with a common goal to help colleagues innovate in their own businesses globally.
A new concept for managing your meeting room’s audio visual equipment from your smartphone was demonstrated by FLIK Conference Centers, as a new feature they incorporated in their conference centres throughout the US.
IACC’s Japanese member, Benchmark Conference Centres Japan, demonstrated how they use LED technology to create colour-changing effects in their lobby areas and how they create exhibition packages that are popular with clients, appreciating simple inclusive packaged solutions.
Innovating the Learning Experience was another feature of this popular workshop and IACC member FMC Technologies shared a solution they had discovered by providing simple coloured pipe cleaners, which, when mixed with delegates imagination, led to many creative models being made!
Meeting Room Design, presented by IACC European Member Chateauform’, revealed transformed several spaces to stimulate thought, creativity and discussions; IACC member Kapellerput Conference Centre in The Netherlands presented a case study on their tree house meeting room concept (“kaban”). Members were treated to views of radical meeting room design for the future.
A concept for the workshop originated from a Swedish member, Sigtunahojden Conference Centre, near Stockholm. Lotta Boman, CEO and Owner shared her experience about how they literally and figuratively broke down the barriers of the reception desk that traditionally stands between staff and customer. The reception area was physically transformed and the welcome evolved into a considerably more personable experience as a result of completely reconfiguring the lobby.
Mark Cooper, IACC CEO commented “In 2015, IACC will continue the theme of the successful workshop and look to provide an Innovations Hub within the exhibition area of the conference, as the association seeks new ways to provide delegates with more of those golden nuggets to help them transform their businesses”.
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The IACC Mission Statement: The International Association of Conference Centres is the thought leader on the meeting experience. IACC represents its members by defining and promoting the IACC Meeting Concept and providing learning opportunities.
The IACC Vision: “IACC is a community of passionate people and organisations delivering innovative and exceptional meeting experiences.
”Founded in 1981, the International Association of Conference Centres is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference centre industry and to giving member properties the tools necessary to provide an exceptional IACC meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent Quality Standards and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Kenya, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland, The Netherlands, Germany and the Philippines. For more information, visit the website at https://www.iacconline.org. “There are meetings and then there are IACC meetings.”
CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact: James M. Mahon
e-mail: JMMahon@AOL.com
