Whether you’ve been a planner for days or decades, it never hurts to get the inside scoop from an expert. That’s why we’re excited to have industry veteran Ed Svitak, Director of Sales and Marketing at Grand Geneva Resort + Spa and Timber Ridge Lodge + Waterpark in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin share his considerable expertise with mp readers this month. We think he might just know a thing or two about putting on the ideal meeting or event.
Q. Tell me about your venues and who you can accommodate.
A. Grand Geneva Resort + Spa is a AAA Four Diamond resort offering 355 guest rooms and suites, 62,000 square feet of meeting space, two championship golf courses, spa and fitness center, horseback riding – all on a beautiful 1,300 acre campus. Grand Geneva can accommodate groups of 10 to 1500 people in a group setting. Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark offers 225 one and two-bedroom suites and can accommodate as many as 150 people in a group setting. It is located on the same 1,300 acre as Grand Geneva.
Q. When planning an event, who is the best person for a planner to contact?
A. It is best to start with the sales department and allow them to determine the appropriate individual to speak with. Hotels deploy sales managers in a variety of ways (i.e. market segment, regionally, corporate SIC code, etc).
Q. What are the best questions to ask when booking a hotel for an event?
A. When formulating questions to ask at the outset, planners should have their objectives in mind. They need to know ahead of time the following: budgetary concerns, flexibility in dates, function space needs, and whether quality and service outweigh value in their overall selection process.
For example, if they’re booking for a small meeting, they may want to ask if there are inclusive packages available to handle all their needs, such as group rates, food, audio visual equipment and meeting rooms.
For larger events, they should be addressing as many objectives as possible up front with their sales representative. In the initial search stages, they may not have all the details of their event; however, they should make inquiries about basic averages on pricing for menus, whether the facility can accommodate the size of their group for meeting /break out rooms and if the venue can remain within their budget.
Most importantly, planners want a venue that’s committed to taking care of them quickly and efficiently while understanding the nuances of what they may need.
Q. What should a planner look for in a hotel or venue?
A. Ask for references from similar groups by size or within the same industry. For example, if your group is in the IT industry, ask the hotel if they’ve ever carried out an event for a telecommunications group. If so, were they able to handle their IT needs such as wireless internet, projectors and more? Technology capabilities are critical these days and some places still don’t have wireless internet. Additionally, look for flexibility. But remember, a planner should try to be flexible as well. Being too rigid about event dates will only prove frustrating. If a planner can be flexible with rates, dates or space, it will always help when it comes time for negotiations or pricing.
