June 2006 by MERCI

A MONTHLY DIGEST TO ENLIGHTEN AND INFORM MEETING AND EVENT PLANNERS VOL. 4 ISSUE 5

June 2006 Edition

Successful networking is easy with today’s tools BY MARK MCGREGOR

lank clank clank! It should bring a smile to remember those old days when we had to use a typewriter to type business letters and sales correspondence. Overnight, it seems, our typewriters morphed into bullet-speed word processors. Business networking tools have also evolved in recent years to offer us new and improved opportunities to greet and meet new prospects, keep in touch with clients and organize our contact lists. Let’s take a look at some of these new and widely used networking tools A computer is a must for most businesses. Specialized contact management programs assist in several networking areas making prospecting and contact follow-up easier. Programs such as ACT!, Goldmine, Maximizer, and Outlook have various features that store and organize our contact’s records and can help organize our networking schedules. Personally, I have used ACT! faithfully for the last seven years. I simply load the networking contact’s business card information into the ACT! program once I return from a networking event. ACT! automatically sounds the schedule alarm when I am required to send my networking contact a letter, call, or meet with them. Other tools used by the new-age networker include PDAs – Personal Digital Assistants – such as Palm devices and Blackberries. Use these tools to review saved notes containing detailed information about people you network with.

It is possible to synchronize the notes and contact records that are stored in some PDAs with the contact management software used on your desktop computer. An example would be ACT! This program will update your PDA with the latest records installed and the PDA will do the same for your computer. It’s as simple as a click of a button! This technology could be used to tighten a relationship with a contact at networking event who has forgotten your name. With the aid of a PDA, you can quickly search for that contact’s name and a detailed note about who they are, so that you can make the first move with confidence. It is also possible to set appointments and check schedules instantly at a networking event with the help of a PDA. No matter how many space-age gadgets and tools we use to help with our networking, we should be very clear about the significance of one tool in particular. This tool is called trust and it is the core and foundation of networking. Use all of your networking tools to help build trust because without it, there is really no relationship at all. Discover and embrace today’s tools that are designed to help networkers become more successful. Use them to gain trust so that you can get the most from all of your networking activities. ••• Mark McGregor is a professional speaker and trainer for corporations and associations. He replaces stress with success. Visit his Web site at www.keynotetrainer.com and call him at: (905) 297-0805.

F.Y.I. Careful, it could be a stroke

• The date and place where you had the procedure • What radioisotope was used • How long it may still be active for in the body • A contact person who can verify the information if required

If you suspect someone is having a stroke, ask the person to do three things: Smile, raise their arms and speak a simple sentence coherently while keeping their arms up. If the person struggles with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately. This quick test was presented at the International Stroke Conference earlier this year. It aims at identifying facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems which often occur with stroke. Other symptoms include experiencing confusion, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, difficulty walking, leg weakness or numbness, dizziness, loss of balance or a sudden severe headache – even if these symptoms only last a few minutes.

Don’t take kava In case you are wondering what kava is, it is a herbal relaxant and anti-anxiety supplement. A recent study from the University of California at San Francisco found that it was no more effective against anxiety than a placebo. More important, cases of severe liver damage have been linked to kava use in Europe, where several countries have taken it off the market. Kava can also cause dizziness, serious nausea and impair your ability to perform tasks that require alertness, like driving. Like most intoxicants, combining it with alcohol increases the adverse effects. Kava is banned in Canada.

Radioisotopes procedure Don’t be alarmed if you set off the radiation alarms at airports and other security checkpoints. It could be the medical procedure you had involving radioisotopes in the last 30 days. According to The Lancet, millions of such procedures – including thyroid and bone scans, myocardial perfusion scans, and iodine therapy – are done every year. Several people have been detained by security personnel as a result. It may happen more often as increasingly sensitive detectors are being used for heightened security. If you’ve had such a test or treatment and plan to fly soon, ask your doctor or medical professional for a card that includes the following:

Striped mints can soothe your stomach Feeling a little queasy? Look for the striped mints found at the front of many restaurants for relief. According to some dieticians, peppermint is more than just a breath mint. It is packed with menthol, which acts as a mild anesthetic on the stomach lining. Either peppermint or spearmint can facilitate the digestive process and help settle an upset tummy. Ginger, which contains two chemicals that help to neutralize stomach acid, is also recommended.

Bolster your immunity A lean cut of beef, such as loin or round, may just be what you need to boost your immunity while traveling. Red meat is a great source of zinc, which stimulates the production of infection-fighting white blood cells. Vitamin C will also boost your immune system as studies show it can lessen the severity and duration of a cold or flu, so indulge in fresh fruit juices and citrus fruits. If you love garlic, you’ll be glad to know that it also helps fight infection because it contains a healthy dose of the antimicrobial agent allicin.

Aging and sleeping Studies suggest that the body’s need for sleep does not decrease with age, despite popular claims to the contrary. While it appears the natural urge to rest grows weaker with age, experts say that is not the case. Instead, the composition of sleep changes as people gradually spend less and less time in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. There is also more likelihood sleep will be disrupted by chronic illness, pain or some other discomfort. An article in The Globe and Mail reported that, as a result, you end up with fewer hours of sleep each night and subsequently need to make up for that loss during the day. Further supporting this claim is a 1992 published study in The Journal of the American Geriatric Society which compared a group of healthy adults over 78 years-old with a similar group between 20 and 30 years of age. 2

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F.Y.I. To determine whether there is a link between low air pressure and reduced oxygen, as found in air travel, researchers in Britain put people in two different environments: A hyperbaric chamber that simulated the environment of an airplane, and a chamber with normal air pressure and oxygen levels. Blood samples where taken from the participants and analyzed. “Essentially, we found no difference between the low pressure and the normal pressure exposures, “ said Dr. William Toff, a lecturer in cardiology at the University of Leicester in Britain. Travellers on long journeys should make sure they move their legs regularly to increase blood flow by contracting the leg muscles periodically, extending and flexing the ankle and knee, and walking whenever possible, Dr. Toff advises. People with cardiovascular conditions should consider wearing compression stockings to encourage blood flow, and seek additional advice from their doctor prior to taking long journeys requiring sitting for long periods.

The researchers found that in a typical night, the older group experienced more waking episodes, more disordered breathing and more periodic movements than the younger group. The study revealed the older group napped more during the day, and contained a greater number of people who experienced sleep disruptions at night.

Prolonged sitting can cause clots Lack of leg movement during long flights is more likely to cause deep vein thrombosis than the previously-believed culprits such as reduced cabin pressure and low oxygen. Researchers hypothesize the condition likely arises because passengers sit for long periods without moving their legs causing blood to pool in the lower extremities. There it becomes thicker, slower to circulate and more apt to clot, according to a recent article in The Globe And Mail. Prolonged sitting, researchers say, is the factor that is common to air, road and rail travel. All often involve long journeys which are associated with an increased risk of forming a blood clot. Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a leg vein. While there is no way of knowing, the ankle or leg may become swollen and painful. It becomes alarming when the clot moves into the heart and from there into a lung. This creates a condition known as a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal if the clot blocks blood flow. Symptoms may include breathlessness and chest pain.

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Correction In the May edition in the “Venues with a view article” on page 14, the Atlantis Pavilions (www.atlantispavilions.com) was incorrectly listed as the Atlantic Pavilions. The Planner regrets the error.

In this issue

ED. NOTE

FYI for your busy worklife has arrived

The Independent Meeting Planners Association of Canada celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Our Jyl Ashton Cunningham looks back at a great decade.

onference and meeting participants turn to planners for just about everything from confirming a flight to finding a doctor. For this reason, The Planner gives you a wealth of information that you have an idea about and can call up when in need. This month, we are adding a new column simply called FYI (for your info) and it’s exactly that: Small tidbits of information that can help you in all facets of your work and life. Let me know what you think of this new column. I remember hearing once that you know you have arrived when people of all types ask you for your opinion on things. Judging by the numerous requests we have for information of all kinds, I think we can say The Planner has definitely arrived. One of my favourite aspects of working with the magazine is the symbiotic nature of working with meeting planners. Because they tend to be natural multi-taskers, they tend to know something about a lot of subjects, somewhat akin to journalists. Sure, there are specialists as in any field, but most planners I have spoken with have solid knowledge in just about everything ranging from caterers to ROI. Some might say that is the nature of the world today – you need to be well-versed in many fields to survive as a planner. While this may be true to an extent, I believe meeting planning draws talented and detail-oriented people to it as a vocation. A good number of planners have said it for years: It is not just something anyone can do. It takes skill, know-how, patience and determination to get the job done. I think they are right.

The Planner uses 30% recycled post-consumer paper Poste-publication No. 40934013

Getting along Columnist Stacey Hanke provides planners with eight ways for achieving better communication at work and at home.

Are you a smart woman? Having trouble overcoming your fears and achieving your dreams? Harriet Wezena reviews a book that might just help you get over the hump.

Planner survey We polled planners on whether they start meetings on time or not. The results were surprising.

Published by:

The Planner is a monthly publication distributed to professional meeting planners across Canada and the U.S.

Finding pictures in the sky The ability to see patterns, where animals might see only chaos, is a sign of human intelligence. Peter De Jager explains what this means.

Editor: Leo Gervais – lgervais@theplanner.ca Associate Editor: Camille Lay – clay@theplanner.ca Associate Editor: Jyl Ashton Cunningham – jashton@theplanner.ca Sales: James Paulson – jpaulson@theplanner.ca Administration: Patrick Galvin, Julie Boisvert, Tania Joanis, Patricia Lemus Proofreader: Keith Motton Contributors: Mike Auctor, Anne Biarritz, Peter De Jager, Robert Ferguson, Allison Martens, Mark McGregor, Denise McDonald, Matt Riopel, Stacey Robinson, Barry Siskind, Harriet Wezena, Michael Wolfe, Louise Villemaire

New money, new demands: Pt. II No one knows how tight money is in today’s market more than fundraisers. Experts Michael Wolfe and Robert Ferguson explain the new breed of donor.

– Leo Gervais

2105 rue de la Montagne, suite 100 • Montreal, Quebec • H3G 1Z8 Telephone: (514) 849-6841 ext. 333 • Fax: (514) 284-2282 WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS: info@theplanner.ca

IMPAC turns 10

Stacey & Denise Having a meeting with a theme can be beneficial. S & D give us the ins and outs of good motivational meetings.

Visiting the Côte d’Azur The beaches in southern France have always drawn vacationers. But the Côte d’Azur is becoming popular for another reason: Business tourism.

Executive floors They’ve been around for a while, but most planners don’t use them. Ed. note: This article replaces Hotel of the Month for June.

IMPAC looks ahead after 10 years Although suppliers are not allowed to be members of IMPAC, they are highly respected partners who in turn hold IMPAC in high esteem. Biback recalls IMPAC being originally thought of as a bit of a nuisance by suppliers, but now events such as The Supplier Showcase, Annual Golf Tournament and Annual Conference all include high-profile sponsorship opportunities that definitely give them the edge. It wasn’t always an easy road to success, and one of the biggest challenges IMPAC has consistently faced has been how to accommodate its out-of-town members. Although some attempts have been made to set up IMPAC chapters outside of Ontario, Toronto continues to be the main hub of activity. Karen Eluck, the current president of IMPAC, stresses the importance of including out-of-town members in as many association activities as possible. A recent IMPAC initiative – monthly conference calls known as Executive Chats – is one way of doing this. These are lead by an expert on a pre-determined industry topic and are limited to 10 people per call to give participants time to learn and share information. Also, IMPAC’s bi-monthly newsletter offers valuable support and knowledge and gives partners a chance to advertise and members the opportunity to contribute experiences and articles. By far the most successful initiative to create national awareness and involve out-of-town members is the annual IMPAC Conference, the highlight of the year. The conference traditionally alternates between an Ontario location and another province. Quebec City welcomed IMPAC in 2005 at the beautiful Loews le Concorde. This year, the tenth anniversary (7th Annual Conference) will be celebrated in London, Ontario at the Delta London Armouries, a stunning remodeling of a historic landmark. A delegation of local representatives including Tourism London, the London Convention Centre and Spencer Conference Centre (Dolce) made the announcement at the 2004 IMPAC Conference in Windsor, Ontario. “We cannot wait until the IMPAC group is here! We’re looking forward to working with the innovative and creative individuals of IMPAC. With our own creative Meeting Maestros program, hosting the tenth anniversary of the IMPAC group will

BY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM he Independent Meeting Planners Association of Canada (IMPAC) celebrates its tenth anniversary this year – another milestone in a decade of triumphs, tragedies, successes and “learning curves.” Joy Fox, founder of IMPAC in 1996, has great insight into how IMPAC gained momentum in the meeting planning industry. Now living in Victoria, B.C., Fox originally hails from Oakville, Ontario. In 1996 she wrote a letter to the MPI Toronto Chapter newsletter asking if anyone was interested in meeting to discuss issues common to independent planners. Fox recalls Sandy Biback as being the first to respond, with Ian Bold, Ellen Maracle Benton, Vicki Nash-Moore and Joan Balinson soon following. Fox said the purpose of the group was to share information, to help each other with their events, to educate themselves and to make people aware of what independents did for a living. She distinctly remembers that the Westin Harbour Castle hosted the first official meeting of IMPAC, with 27 attendees. IMPAC’s mandate was to support the suppliers who supported them, so a site visit of subsequent hosting facilities became a part of each meeting, a tradition that still takes place today. Fox’s most vivid memory of her days with IMPAC is that monthly meetings were always very buoyant and the high point of each month, as independents finally had the opportunity to network with peers, exchange experiences and receive or offer support. Sandy Biback has a slightly different memory of her response to Joy’s initial suggestion of independents getting together. She describes driving to Oakville from downtown Toronto to meet what were essentially competitors while thinking she should really be in her office, looking for more business or concentrating on her MPI volunteerism. Looking back over the last 10 years, she is so glad she made that drive and describes the evolution of IMPAC as “amazing.” She discussed the way the association has developed, while still managing to maintain a “planner-only” membership.

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Competitors and allies work together be the cornerstone of events to come to our hotel and to London,” said Gerry Champagne, Delta Armouries London General Manager. The IMPAC Conference is organized to the finest detail with a committee that works all year round to ensure its success. Education is always a key factor but there is still time to have fun and games, as well as attend a consistently sold-out Supplier Showcase. Subsidized air travel and easy access to the venue are keys to the success of the Annual Conference, which is always well attended by members from across Canada. For the first time in 2005, supplier partners were invited to attend some of the education sessions, an initiative that was well received.

Why is IMPAC different? So what sets IMPAC apart from other associations? Karen Eluck describes the membership as “very unique in their willingness to support other members and share ideas and knowledge – friendly competitors who often become strong allies.” Eluck has seen the industry grow and develop positively during her career. She believes industry designations will soon be required by those who wish to rise to senior-level positions within it. IMPAC has been directly responsible for many radical changes in the way the meeting industry is perceived by suppliers and corporations. The Accessibility Manual, originally compiled by Sandy Biback in the early ’90s and revamped last year by four IMPAC members, is perhaps the most tangible evidence of this. It is a wealth of information for planners and suppliers alike, offering valuable insight into accommodating physically challenged people at meetings and conventions. The manual is available at www.impaccanada.com. One person who has definitely had a huge influence on the way IMPAC has evolved is Doug Bolger of www.iLearn2.com. He personally started facilitating the IMPAC Board retreats more than five years ago, and witnessed first hand the evolution of the association. “When we started working with IMPAC, the board consisted of a group of highly-committed individuals who would stop at nothing to build the association. And they have (built it up)!” Bolger said in a recent interview. “Since then, IMPAC has added new services and benefits each year and improved on the existing offerings. I’m impressed by the commitment to bringing value to each other and the membership – IMPAC deserves the growth they are experiencing. IMPAC is one of the best-kept secrets in the industry.” Where do IMPAC members see the association 10 years from now? The board of directors and membership recently approved a new portfolio of Vice President, Marketing, which will be tasked with educating the industry on the importance of the independent planner. Karen Eluck explains: “In the last ten years we have gained a lot of recognition in the market place and laid the groundwork for this very dynamic association of people who get the job done!

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Pictured are IMPAC presidents – past and present – who attended the 10th anniversary party at LUX in downtown Toronto last February. Back, left to right: Karen Eluck, CMP, CSEP (2004 – 2006), Vicki Nash-Moore (1997/1998), Ellen Maracle-Benton (1999/2000), Ingrid Norrish (1998/1999) Centre: Connie Tinney, CMP (2001/2002) Front, left to right: Gale Gingrich, CMP (2003/2004), Connie Sandy Biback, CMP, CMM (2002/2003)

Over the next 10 years we will see growth in membership numbers and strength. As an independent, your voice is small. But as an association of professionals we are gaining more credibility and positioning ourselves very favourably and rapidly in the industry.” “It still gives me a tingle when I think about the start, not knowing where it would go, but knowing that it had to go somewhere and the only way was up,” Joy Fox said. “I was really just a small part of it, but the dedication of people who took over and molded IMPAC into what it is today was and is truly marvellous.” ••• For more details on how to join IMPAC or for partnership opportunities, visit www.impaccanada.com. 7

New money, new demands: Part II

The decline in a sense of community BY MICHAEL WOLFE AND ROBERT FERGUSON

e live in a wealthy society with a booming economy, so one would expect charitable donation to be high. Predictably, per capita donations in the United States have almost doubled, from US$280 to US$522 since 1960. Even though Canadians have a traditional reliance on government – meaning there is less perceived need for private philanthropy – giving in Canada rose 46 per cent, from $4 billion to $5.82 billion between 1991 and 1998. However, our spending on others has actually lagged behind our spending on ourselves. In the last four decades, per capita American spending on all recreational goods and services (everything from flowers to Disney World to toys to T.V. repairs) nearly quadrupled. Many families have made a habit of annual giving. But often, the newly wealthy seem more concerned with spending money on the trappings of personal luxury than on culture. Perhaps they want to reward themselves first before they think of others, which is

quite understandable. But part of the problem may be that they don’t realize how desperately funding is needed. There is growing competition for donors’ money. Religious organizations, health, education, social services, and advocacy causes all get more money than arts and culture, which is the lowest category, receiving just four percent of donors money in Canada and just six percent in the United States. Obviously museums have to do something. Philanthropy is dependent on an organization’s ability to engage the public, and the declining sense of community can have serious negative consequences for museums. If we are right to assume that newly wealthy potential donors have no idea what is needed or what is expected of them, then we must engage their interests.

How do we engage potential donors? Americans excel at creating marketing opportunities that make a difference and at maintaining the personal relationships that are so crucial to philanthropy over

time. Still, the head of Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, William Thorsell, recently commented in The Globe and Mail: “There is a shortage of compelling, inspiring objects for philanthropy that are sustained by long-term relationships.” Fundraising appeals must be relevant to donors’ interests. And to appeal to their interests, we need tools that offer donors a worthwhile experience. Customers must be convinced that their association with the museum has value and benefit. Managing our relationships with customers – working systematically to retain them and interact and build a community – must be at the centre of our strategy. This simple measurement – compelling, inspiring objects, sustained by long-term relationships – should be the litmus test to which plans are subjected. Why do we need this kind of measurement? If potential donors see their money used wisely and in an engaging, beneficial manner, they will become involved with our programs, visit our institutions, subscribe to our magazines and even buy our books. And they will donate. Being market-driven will enable us to deliver value so we can better compete for donations in this era of intensifying competition. This doesn’t automatically mean museums have to revert to the Disneyfication of the museum experience – that may be one part of the marketing mix, but just one. Moreover, it only produces short-term benefits that are otherwise expensive to produce and neglectful of other important features at the museum. Nor should we be satisfied with dull exhibits and lifeless publishing. Instead, of choosing between elitist programs targeted at a narrow audience or endless, media-driven mega-exhibits that appeal to the lowest common denominator, we need to blend accessibility and durability. To effectively demonstrate the museum’s relevance we have to think about how we communicate. A museum generates durability and sustainability when it promotes its intellectual capital. A museum is capable of being the ultimate “learning organization.” But communicating how we know seems basic that we often overlook great “little” opportunities to tell our stories.

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The Big Question: What does my development team need? Building community and projecting identity is a long-term process of raising awareness. To raise awareness we must make better, more extensive use of our content. Content, the product of our great knowledge resource, is any museum’s strength. But it has to be systematically mined and integrated through the Web, books, newsletters, magazines, seminars, traveling exhibits, public programs and more. Whether these books are used for raising, to expand learning, or to attract visitors, they all have a marketing function. As fund raisers we always have to ask ourselves: What does my development team need? Where can we most effectively invest to reduce customer acquisition costs and enhance the rate of return? Developing communication tools, building relationships, and recruiting donors is expensive. Direct mail is relatively easy, and it introduces potential donors to the “donor pyramid.” But on its own, direct mail doesn’t produce major gifts, multi-year pledges, or capital funds, and it doesn’t build a sense of community or project identity. We’re far better off, for example, developing a base of members who actually want our information. Members are committee; they’re a club around which you can develop a franchise by tailoring information for specific groups. The reality of the Internet Age is that customers want interaction. Consequently, museums need to engage in conversation with the public- our clients. A museum’s long-term prosperity actually depends on its ability to leverage the hidden value of its knowledge. In short, knowledge resources will be the key enabler in the effort to communicate with potential donors and achieve fund-raising goals.

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A strategy of marketing these knowledge resources indelibly links communication to superior “customer-perceived” value, creates competitive advantage, and enhances financial performance. In fact, at the heart of the museum’s strategy we’ll see a strategically focused organization that knows its customers, constantly benefits by generating high levels of donor retention. The end result will be a community whose members are convinced they get good value from their museum and are happy to pay for services and make repeat donations.

Conclusion The venture philanthropy trend is influencing the way museums think about fundraising. Donors want to make their money count, and we must consider their goals and objectives. We have to convince all donors that museums are capable, properly run organizations, that we think strategically, that we think about differentiation and marketing, and, above all else, that we are devoted to customer services. Museums must be proactive and make strategic choices and look for ways to project their identity and role in society as learned, vibrant, and relevant group worthy of support. We can do that best by creating more durable tools that build community and involve a bread segment of the public in our programs. Though we should also look for engagements that build the organization’s resume, we must be cautious when engaging donors on their terms. Ed. Note: Michael Wolfe and Robert Ferguson were formerly involved in fundraising for several Canadian museums.

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Finding pictures in the sky BY PETER DE JAGER

ur ability to recognize and take advantage of patterns is a symptom of our intelligence. In addition, the ability to see pattern, where animals might see only chaos, gives us the ability to predict and modify the future. Let’s start this discussion with a little test. What’s the next number in the following series? a) 3, 3, 5, 4, 4, 3, 5, 5, 4, 3, ? b) 1, 1, 2, 4, 7, ?

sheaf of possibilities. We might then rank these according to desirability, probability, or most easily achievable through some visible, subtle or covert manipulation. It’s in the manipulation part where things get interesting. What must change in order for ‘X’ to happen? I predicted we would never see flying cars as they were envisioned in science fiction magazines. My thesis is that while we will get the technology right, people will never allow hundreds of flying cars a minute to fly above their homes. ••• © Peter de Jager – Peter is a renowned futurist and management consultant. Contact him at: pdejager@technobility.com

These tests are used frequently on IQ tests to determine our intelligence. As such, they pose a few complications. First, there is the issue of cultural blindness. The first series is a very good example of a culturally biased test. If you think in any language other than English, then your chances of solving this problem are significantly reduced. The next number in this series is 6. I’ll leave it to the reader to determine why. Of course there are other problems with these types of tests. Some people will even claim that the first series is a bit of a cheat because it’s not dealing with numbers per se, but with other objects which are ‘converted’ to numbers. The other series is more typical of these types of tests. One answer is ‘11’. Why? Think of differences and simple counting. But – and here’s the catch – the answer could also be ‘1’, or ‘b’ or ‘10’. For it to be ‘1’, I’d need to add in a modulo 10 function to the process; For it to be ‘b’ I could use hexadecimal notation; and for ‘10’, I need to use base ‘11’. It is possible for different people to assign wildly different patterns to the same situation. Which of these is the right one? Which of the discovered patterns is the most useful, or the most appropriate. How about the most insightful? In the movie A Beautiful Mind, this ability to see patterns invisible to others is brilliantly used to demonstrate both John Nash’s genius and his madness. In one scene, he is able to see randomly named objects in the stars. In another he sees secret messages in newspaper text and magazines. The question arises: At what point does seeing a pattern become proof of insanity or of genius? Or, does that line flutter and float from one side to the other? Of course, if after repeated exposure we become aware of a pattern, then we can use that knowledge to predict the future. For example, ‘Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning’ means get the flock into shelter early before it rains! Or if you lived on the Nile and noticed when the floods came each year, then you’d know both when to plant and when to reap. Our examples have at least one more lesson to teach us. When we see a pattern, and then attempt to extend that pattern into the future to suggest what might happen tomorrow, next year or a lifetime from today, we err if we only consider one possible outcome. Just as the next element of our number series might be ‘11’, ‘1’, ‘b’ or a ‘10’, any vision of the future should consist of a

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Words, thoughts and deeds It is impossible not to have them

effect of refining our thoughts, or of suggesting new avenues of thought to follow. In this way language serves not only as a carrier but as a generator of ideas. To the extent that we think in language, our thoughts are restricted by the number of words at our command and by our sensitivity to their meaning. It follows that to exercise our mental powers fully and to enhance our understanding of life, we should expand and sharpen our vocabularies. Yet no matter how extensive our knowledge of words, we should be aware that we can never exercise complete control over them. Words are active, changing, slippery things that do not lend themselves to machine-like precision. That is why philosophers like Alfred North Whitehead, whose first discipline was mathematics, have insisted that objective truths cannot be expressed in verbal terms. Even the unexpressed words we keep in our heads have emotional connotations that can distort our viewpoint. For example, newspapers used to ask celebrities to make lists of the 10 most beautiful words in the language. In these “mother,” “home,” “children,” and “love” consistently ranked high, not because they sounded particularly beautiful in themselves, but because of the things for which they stood. When such words occur in their thoughts, people susceptible to their emotional appeal are less likely to think matters through in a systematic and objective way than to form opinions out of sentiment. The case of a mother who committed a crime for the love of her children and in defence of her home might be decided in the jurors' minds before they ever go to court. If words are not trustworthy in the privacy of our heads, they are even less so when they are converted to speech or writing. The French philosopher Montaigne observed that every word is composed of two parts, belonging equally to the speaker and the listener. The dual nature of language makes it necessary for participants in any serious discussion to watch carefully the words both they and the other party choose. “If you wish to converse with me, define your terms,” said Voltaire. In The Story of Philosophy , Will Durant commented: “How many a debate would have been deflated into a paragraph if the disputants had dared to define their terms! This is the alpha and omega of logic, the heart and soul of it,

Ed. Note: This is the first of two parts in a series of articles. anguage has been called the most powerful drug known to humanity. The words we hear and speak can have a distorting effect on our points of view. If we do not want others to take over our minds, we should watch words closely. And never mistake their rhetoric for our own ideas... Some years ago, two schools of psychological theory engaged in one of those academic disputes that are as intriguing as they are irresolvable. The issue was whether human thought is formed in words, or whether people “feel” their way to ideas, unconsciously choosing words to describe their thoughts as they go along. One side contended that it is impossible to do any reasoning without using language. The other argued that animals are capable of rudimentary reasoning even though they are incapable of speech. The debate was still underway when somebody pointed out that, for all practical purposes, it was irrelevant. Human beings might or might not think in words, but without words, their thoughts might as well never have been conceived. As the authors of the composition textbook Writing and Thinking put it, “thinking is no better or useful than the thinker's ability to use words to communicate. A scientist who knew the cure for cancer but couldn't explain it to doctors would be of little comfort to cancer patients , and of no use to the medical profession. A college student who says he knows the answer to a question but can't express it gets just as low a grade as the student who frankly says he doesn't know it.” Though language may not be the basis of thinking of every kind, it is clearly essential to the kind most of us do normally. This consists of asking questions to ourselves and trying to arrive at answers that are reasonably clear in our own minds. If we go on to share with other people the conclusions we have reached, we must then arrange words in logical order in the hope that the others can understand us. Often the act of putting ideas into sentences for outside consumption has the

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Are your attitudes thinking for you? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

some of the world's most dictatorial jurisdictions, such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Generations of absolute tyrants have claimed to be defending democracy as they lined up their opponents in front of firing squads. “Political” words can also mean drastically different things to people according to where they stand. To the Northern abolitionists in the American Civil War, the words “liberty” and “freedom” meant liberty and freedom for the slaves in the breakaway states of the Confederacy. To the Confederates, they meant the liberty and freedom to secede from the federal union and to maintain slavery. When it comes to language, the world of politics is like the world of Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. In it he tells Carroll’s heroine Alice that when he uses a word, it means just what he chooses it to mean. “The question is,” says Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” Humpty Dumpty's reply is pure realpolitik : “The question is which is to be master – that’s all.” In his novel 1984 , George Orwell presented a picture of a

that every important term in serious discourse shall be subject to strictest scrutiny and definition.” The definition of words has an effect not only on what we think, but on how we think. In Explorations in Awareness, J. Samuel Bois described how, in translating French to English, he found that there was no English equivalent of fleuve, for a great river running into the sea. English-speakers had to make do with the same word to describe the mighty St. Lawrence and a stream one could throw a stone across. In a later translation job, however, Bois learned that French could accommodate no distinction among the English words “giggle,” “titter,”and “chuckle.” In French, they all were ricaner . “The moral of the story,” he wrote, “is that I don't see the same things, I don’t observe the same events when I change my English for my French thinking tool. Changing my language changes me as an observer. It changes my world at the same time.” Much is suggested by those words that are included in a national vocabulary and those that are left out. For instance, according to the expatriate Soviet writer and scholar Azary

There is no point showing your products and services to people who don’t care. Messerer, “there is no such word as privacy in the modern Russian language. The latest and most comprehensive EnglishRussian dictionary, edited by Professor I. Galperin, translates ‘privacy’ as ‘loneliness, intimacy , or secrecy’ but says nothing about the right to live free from interference in one's private life.” In noting this omission, Messerer was making an ideological point, contrasting the collectivism of the old-line Communists with the individualism of the western democracies. His bias towards the latter brings up one of the basic rules of general semantics: that, as S.I. Haywakawa wrote, “It is important to sort out from any utterance the information given from the speaker's feeling toward that information.” Doing so helps us to prevent others from manipulating our thoughts. Even when we are thinking on our own, however, we would do well to remember that political terms are exceptionally tricky. Take the word “democracy,” of which the American writer Bernard Smith observed: “The words men fight and die for are the coins of politics, where by much usage they are soiled and by much manipulating debased. That evidently has been the fate of the word “democracy.” It has come to mean what anyone wants it to mean.” True enough. Democracy has cropped up in the names of

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bizarre society in which the “Ministry of Truth” dispenses words that mean just what the dictator, Big Brother, wants them to mean. The state language, Newspeak, turns logic inside-out in brazen contempt for the public intelligence. Hence the universal slogan, “War is Peace.” Orwell wrote his cautionary tale in 1948, reversing the last two digits of the year to indicate some time late in the century. Writing in et cetera, the journal of general semantics, in the actual year 1984, communications professor Terence P. Moran drew attention to how much the use of language in American politics had come to resemble Orwell's speculations: “In which 1984 do we call the MX nuclear missile ‘the Peacekeeper?’“ he asked. Professor Moran noted that, when then-President Ronald Reagan ordered the withdrawal of U. S. Marines from Lebanon after they had suffered heavy casualties, he called it a “redeployment.” “This bit of newspeak inspired such historical revisions as ‘Napoleon's Redeployment from Moscow’ and ‘Custer's Last Redeployment,’” Moran wrote. ••• Reprinted with permission from the Royal Bank of Canada. Visit their website: www.royalbank.com

Why can’t we all just get along? Eight strategies for enhancing communication

confrontation, includes a focused response and lets you bridge to benefits at the end of your response to emphasize the positive nature of your solution. a. Acknowledge – When your listener is hostile or challenging your decisions, actions, solutions, etc. you need to diffuse their hostility. Acknowledging their concern or emotion(s) will allow them to focus on the solution verses on how they feel. As a result, you’ll minimize their reaction and increase the chances they’ll begin to listen to your message. For example, let’s say your team member asks you, “How can you possibly justify the expense of this project compared to what our return on investment will be?” If you respond immediately with your answer you may be perceived as aggressively defending your position. Try acknowledging first by saying, “I can see the concern you have with ROI. With our conservative budget we need to be strategic in where we invest.” This acknowledgement takes only seconds and communicates to your listener that you understand their concern. As a result, they’re more willing to listen. b. Respond – Avoid rambling and losing focus of the issues at hand. Avoid taking your listener’s question as an opportunity to go on and on about a subject simply because you think they’re showing an interest. Only address the key points and solutions that address their question. c. Connect to benefits – You want to continuously communicate to your listener that your information, recommendation or solution is beneficial to them. When you find yourself in a

BY STACEY HANKE

ho would have known these famous seven words my mother said to my sisters and I would come back to haunt me years later? We experience it every day: miscommunication, irritated co-workers and an uncomfortable interaction. Some of us even avoid certain individuals unless we absolutely need to speak with them. The key is to know how to communicate with our listeners to prevent the breakdown of you and your organization’s productivity. When we’re upset, we want one or all of the following: • Someone to listen and understand why we’re upset • A quick and effective solution • Respect The challenge is that when the heat is on, we feel like a target and we’ll make one of two decisions: To avoid the situation or turn it into a hostile confrontation. Try these eight strategies for reaching agreement and understanding. 1. Begin with the A.R.C. Model – acknowledge, respond and connect to benefits. This model allows you to diffuse the

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We can unlearn certain behaviours if we try situation that is challenging or hostile, you want to respond with the appropriate specific information and then bridge to a positive benefit of your response. Let’s revisit the example we used above: “How can you possibly justify the expense of this project compared to what our return on investment will be?” Your response could be, “I can see the concern you have with ROI. With our conservative budget we need to be strategic in where we invest. Therefore, we have conducted extensive research, customer satisfaction surveys and closely examined our return on investment for this project. We have also created a step-by-step process for rolling this project out to our customers with their needs and expectations in mind. Not only will you see a return of investment within the first year, but you’ll also have a sense of accomplishment knowing you have managed a high-quality product that saves time and money for our customers.” 2. Non-verbal Behaviour – The A.R.C. model is only effective when your non-verbal language matches your message. Listen to the sound of your voice and your body language. Do you speak loudly, or show limited emotion through your facial expressions? Are you direct and to the point? This communication style may come across as aggressive with someone who is soft-spoken or who responds to a message with positive nonverbal cues. Consider someone who you feel is a good communicator. Pay attention to their body language, tone of voice and word choice. Consider the longterm impact of your words, tone, and body language. Recognize any baggage you may be bringing with you so that you can get rid of it. This will have an impact on future conversations. If you’ve said something inappropriate, go back to the person immediately to apologize and explain that you expressed your bad attitude through your communication.

with a driver – someone who moves quickly, is direct and to the point–avoid the small talk and focus your communication on clear, concise points. 4. Build Rapport – To build rapport and trust with others during a conversation, try to match your non-verbal and verbal styles. For example, if your coworker speaks with direct answers or prefers maintaining space between you and them, follow suit. If they speak slower than you do, follow their rate of speech. If you speak too fast, they’ll miss your message and avoid listening to you. 5. Communication Medium – Ask your co-worker how they prefer to communicate: face-to-face, e-mail and voicemail, or all of the above. Do they work best in a group or analyzing a situation alone before responding to a team? Do they do their best brainstorming and problem solving in the morning, afternoon or evening hours? Responding to their input will help get your conversation off on the right foot. 6. Communication Relevance – Consider the relevance and level of importance of your co-worker. How much information do they need to

3. Adjust your style to that of your listener – If you’re speaking to someone who is analytical and processes information using data, facts or numbers, provide these items when explaining an idea or process (in the response phase of the A.R.C. model). If you’re communicating

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know? Is the topic relevant to their work or do they just need a basic awareness of it? Less sometimes is more! 7. Goals – Consider what you want to accomplish before initiating the conversation. Focus on your goal and the message. If you need to address a challenge, make sure you consider your word choice and body language without making it a personal battle. 8. Language – Consider language differences and your co-worker’s familiarity with the topic of discussion. Are you using jargon that they’re not familiar with or talking over their head? We all learned how to communicate when we were younger; we can unlearn certain behaviors to enhance our relationships with others. We get stuck in a communication rut because it’s comfortable and easy. If we all communicate in the same way, we’d be bored with each other and never have opportunities to grow personally and professionally. Stacey Hanke is an executive consultant, author, coach and speaker with 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. Contact her at: (773) 209-5970 or via e-mail at: staceyhanke@ameritech.net.

In-booth education is a great tool In a larger booth, where you have the luxury of space, you can consider more elaborate audio-visual equipment and chairs. However, don’t set out too many chairs. It is better to have all the chairs filled with extra visitors standing. This creates the look of a crowded, popular seminar. You may consider offering an incentive for visitors who watch the whole presentation. This could be a T-shirt, ball cap, samples of your product, or an opportunity to enter a draw. At one show, the exhibitor offered a crisp, new US$100 bill. As you can imagine, every seat was filled. In-booth seminars work. However, it is very disheartening to see a speaker talking to an all but empty booth. The key to a successful seminar, according to Barbara Siskind (yes, she is related), author of Seminars to Build Your Business, is in your marketing. “Marketing your seminar is probably the most important stage in your planning activities. Without a good marketing plan, nothing else happens.” You can publicize your in-booth seminar through newspapers and magazines, in the show guide, on your Web site, by posting notices around the show (if the show manager agrees), mailing invitations to specific visitors before the show, including a flyer in the delegates’ kit, or placing a sign in your booth indicating the times and topics of your seminars. Booth seminars are a powerful way to attract attention to your exhibit. And, once the seminar is over, your booth staff must be ready to approach visitors to offer any further assistance they need.

BY BARRY SISKIND

isitors attend shows for a variety of reasons. One of the strongest is for education. Exhibitions are an ideal way for them to learn about new products and services, see new applications, or find out about new technologies and methods of increasing their own productivity. The same holds true at a consumer show where visitors have an opportunity to learn about new products that will improve the quality of their lives. With this in mind, astute exhibitors have a unique opportunity. Whether you are exhibiting in a small booth or have a large one, there is always an opportunity to provide in-booth education in the form of a seminar. The presentation itself has to be first-rate. Make sure it is not perceived as a sales pitch. Seminars are considered most valuable when the visitor gains relevant, applicable information. A CEIR study reports that 63 per cent of all visitors attending inbooth seminars stated that attending seminars strongly influenced their buying decision. Seminars are different than demonstrations. The focus of a demonstration is to whet the attendee’s appetite for a product or service. The focus of a seminar is to give the attendee information that will help them improve their productivity. Presenters need to be well prepared and rehearsed. If they give a sloppy, less than professional presentation, it will reflect on your entire organization. Setting up an in-booth seminar should be done with care. In a smaller booth, you can get by with a couple of chairs. Your presenter will need a flip chart or overhead projector.

“I read The Planner cover to cover...” “Excellent and informative...”

Reprinted with kind permission from the author. Barry Siskind is North America’s foremost trade and consumer show expert, president of International Training and Management Company, and the author of several books. Visit his website: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at: barry@siskindtraining.com.

Planners see us. Don’t you need them to see you? To advertise, call (514) 849-6841 ext. 328

“I always take time to read The Planner...”

JUNE ’06

How to Sudoku Sudoku (which loosely means “single number” in Japanese) is a deceptively simple yet addictive game of logic that consists of a nine-by-nine square grid, broken into three-by-three square cells. The object: Fill each square with a number from 1 to 9 so that every number appears only once in each row, column and cell.

LEVEL: EASY

Solution, page 34.

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

Trends For intense and fruity, press 7 Love good wine? Then your days of buying bad wine are over. With the launch of Robert Parker Mobile, you can consult with the wine critic’s advice anytime, anywhere by cell phone. The service will deliver Parker’s wine-tasting notes and ratings from The Wine Advocate to any Sprint Nextel phone for US$4.99 per month, plus Internet charges. Subscribers can get Wine of the Day suggestions and special buying opportunities from Parker’s newsletter, or can search by keyword or category using their phone’s numeric pads and arrow keys.

Do you need a built-in scale suitcase? You weighed your luggage on your bathroom scale at home before leaving for the airport on your vacation and that was great. Now you are in a hotel thousands of miles away from the convenience of that scale and you need to weigh your luggage to make sure you are within the ever-shrinking pounds one is allowed on board. Where do you find that scale? The answer: Ricardo Beverly Hills Solutions Luggage, with a built-in luggage scale. Lift it by the carry handle and the display on the top tells you the weight of the bag and its contents, up to 100 lbs. For more information, visit www.ricardobeverlyhills.com.

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Solution, page 34.

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BOOK REVIEW

Smart women take risks by Helene Lerner BY HARRIET WEZENA

re you terrified to take the leap that will help you achieve your dreams? You have to face your fear, identify your goal, analyze the situation and take a smart risk through a carefully thoughtout process. Helene Lerner, CEO of Creative Expansions Inc. and Emmy Award-winning executive producer has designed a six-step formula in her book, Smart Women Take Risks: 6 Steps for Conquering Your Fears and Making the Leap to Success, to help every woman determine the right risk to take regarding a business or personal goal. It was inspired by her personal experience. In step one, she encourages you identify your goal, one that makes “… your blood go racing in your veins…” She quotes Barbara Cowden, Executive Vice President at State Farm Insurance who advises, “Look to align your talents with what you are doing. Passion is a great motivator. If you are not making headway, a change may be in order.” You have to commit to a goal that is attainable by prioritizing your career vision, being confident it is what you really want to do and move out of your comfort zone to take the risk.

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Calculating your risk quotient is what step two helps you to do. Here Lerner outlines three types of risks : “Best Bet,” a risk that is worth taking, “No Go,” one that will probably fail and “Not Now,” one not worth taking now, but later. While she believes in taking that extra mile to realize your full potential, she points out women have to know the level of risk involved. This brings us to analyzing your goal’s pros and cons, the timing and your priorities, and listening to your gut sense – what your instincts are telling you. This exercise at the end gives you a clearer picture of your goal and what to do. Noting the essence of networking, and being ultimately able to take the plunge to make your goal a reality, Lerner devotes steps three and four to tips on how to build a network of supporters with skills that will complement their talents, how to take initiative and have the strength, courage and wisdom to persevere. You are bound to meet bumps on the way and be traumatized, but “We have great resources within us, as well as the resiliency to spring back no matter what consequences result from the actions we take,” she writes. In the last two steps “Claim Victory –

You’ve Earned It,” and “Don’t Stop – Success Breeds Success” focus on acknowledging that you are a success no matter the outcome. You are a winner even if you failed, because you learned a lot through the journey of taking the risk in the attempt to see your dream come true. Lerner entreats every woman to tap into her inner strength for perseverance, courage and creativity to get her where she desires to be. The 208-page hardcover book is laced with a good dose of inspirational paragraphs about “first” women (first at MIT, first track and field gold medalist, first war correspondent) and women of great accomplishment that sustains your interest in reading it. A lot of women will find it very helpful in rejuvenating their desire to take risks that they’ve never had the guts to. So be confident that anything is possible, because it is. Carla Cooper, Senior Vice President at PepsiCo, is quoted in the book as saying, “It’s when we set our goals below our capabilities that we fall short of the big, high-impact power positions.” You simply have to start believing in yourself. Book: Smart Women Take Risks: 6 Steps for Conquering Your Fears and Making the Leap to Success Author: Helene Lerner Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition, 2006 Pages: 208 ISBN: 0071467548 Price: $20.73 on www.chapters.ca •••

A Planner Survey T

he results of the latest Planner survey were quite surprising. Fully half of respondents are willing to delay the start of a meeting for a variety of reasons. Below are some of the reasons stated by respondents for delaying the start of a meeting: • Late arrival of MC or speaker • Usually waiting for one or two crucial participants • Five-minute grace period (even for the boss)

Do you start your meetings on time no matter what? Total surveys sent via e-mail Responses Response rate Yes No Total

65 66 131

• Meetings seem to start late when you call the time on the hour. So we try and start them at 8:20 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., for example. • Only if the boss (or someone in a superior position) is the one who is late . Otherwise people can get caught up at the coffee break or at the end of the meeting.

7811 131 1.68%

• Audio-visual related problems caused by presenters arriving just in time for the meeting And here are some reasons why meetings DO start on time: • Some find it rude and disrespectful to participants to start late

49.62% 50.38% 100.00%

• The majority of people have arrived so they start on time Here’s an idea: Anyone who is late pays $1 per minute, and the money is given annually to charity.

JUNE ’06

Hurricane season ramps up BY THE PLANNER STAFF

s the 2006 hurricane season officially opens this month, Canadian and U.S. forecasters predict another “very active” hurricane season with 13 to 16 named Atlantic tropical storms, with as many as 10 of those expected to reach hurricane strength. Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warn two to four hurricanes are expected to roar ashore in the Caribbean or the United States by the end of November, with winds of at least 111 mph. The only good news, scientists say, is that it will not be as devastating as 2005, the most destructive storm season recorded in history with 27 named storms and 15 hurricanes with seven Category 3 or higher. Scientists attribute the unusually active storm season partly to the warm temperatures of the Atlantic Ocean sea surface and relatively low wind shear, which when stronger makes it harder for storms to form and strengthen. Dave Phillips of Environment Canada wonders if this is global warming and whether we will see only active hurricane seasons from now on. While there is no scientific proof that the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is breeding more hurricanes, Phillips doesn’t rule out the possibility that it could be contributing to the unusual power of these big storms.

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Hurricane survey

Hurricanes are becoming more frequent.

With these predictions, vacationers are already hesitant to plan their getaways with fresh memories of evacuations and being stranded in emergency shelters, airports and battered hotels. The hospitality industry has registered its concern as some resorts, hotels and real estate agents have launched discounted packages aimed at enticing travelers to ignore their hurricane worries. Carnival Cruise Lines is cutting prices by as much as 20 per cent. Caribbean cruises of five days or less start at US$229 a person and weeklong trips at US$449.

With hurricane season approaching, what is your sentiment on holding meetings on the United States southeastern coast or gulf coasts between August and November of this year? 10 %

I have no choice but to hold a meeting in that region over those months

52%

I would plan a meeting in that region over those months, but negotiate the contract’s terms of cancellation

38%

I will not consider holding meetings in that region during those months

SOURCE:

WWW.MIMEGASITE.COM

The businessman A young businessman had just started his own firm. He rented a beautiful office and had it furnished with antiques. Sitting there, he saw a man come into the outer office. Wishing to appear the hot shot, the businessman picked up the phone and started to pretend he had a big deal working. He threw huge figures around and made giant commitments. Finally, he hung up and asked the visitor, “Can I help you?” The man said, “Yeah, I've come to activate your phone lines.” •••

Top 10 excuses for falling asleep on the job 1. They told me at the blood bank this might happen. 2. I wasn’t sleeping, I was trying to pick up a contact lens without hands. 3. I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm! 4. This is just a 15-minute powernap like the one they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to. 5. Whew! Guess I left the top off the liquid paper too long. 6. I was doing a highly specific yoga exercise to relieve work related stress. 7. This is one of those seven habits of highly effective people! 8. Boy, that cold medicine I took last night just won't wear off!

9. Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem. 10. I just wanted to see if anybody was paying attention. •••

Differences between you and your boss When you take a long time, you're slow. When your boss takes a long time, he's thorough. When you don’t do it, you're lazy. When your boss doesn’t do it, he’s too busy. When you make a mistake, you’re an idiot. When your boss makes a mistake, he’s only human. When doing something without being told, you’re overstepping your authority. When your boss does the same thing, that’s initiative. When you overlook a rule of etiquette, you’re being rude. When your boss skips a few rules, he’s being original. When you take a stand, you’re being pig-headed. When your boss does it, he’s being firm. When you’re out of the office, you’re wandering around. When your boss is out of the office, he’s on business. When you’re on a day off sick, you’re always sick. When your boss has a day off sick, he must be very ill.

Just Quote Me There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. - Henry Ford Nothing will work unless you do. - Maya Angelou Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever. - Anonymous Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work. - Peter F. Drucker You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage her. - Anonymous Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison The following are from poet Ogden Nash: Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long. People who work sitting down get paid more than people who work standing up. People who have what they want are fond of telling people who haven’t what they want that they really don’t want it. •••

JUNE ’06

iPod: A great tool in so many ways BY LEO GERVAIS

ou’ve seen them on the bus, in cars, on airplanes and walking around – oblivious to everything around them. They are the poders – people using iPods – and they sure seem like a happy lot. And why shouldn’t they be? Apple Computer’s extremely popular music player has now morphed into so many other things than just something to play Michael Bublé’s digital music files it can make your head spin like a turntable.

Many of these new uses are very useful for meeting planners. Here are a few examples of the iPod’s versatility: 1. Audio books. Planner Mike Auctor says he has books on tape (actually mp3 files) for his iPod for those long plane rides. He also has a car adapter and a small speaker that recharges and is useable worldwide. 2. Podguides. These combinations of maps with numbered dots and a series of audio tracks (mp3s) can be downloaded and used as an audio tour of, say, the London Bridge. You download the podguide as one zipped file. Check out www.podguides.net for the latest free podguides for the world or www.soundwalk.com for a good pay site. Could be ideal for concierges – lend out an iPod with the podguides already loaded for your guests.. 3. Address book. iPods have a lot of memory space, so you can easily store all your contacts, addresses, phone numbers and e-dresses and view them while listening to that new Cher song you got from iTunes. 4. iRon. Amazing but true – U.S. company Gear4 has created a portable iron that attaches to your iPod, using its battery as a power source. It apparently lets of steam blasts to the beat of the songs being played on the iPod. On the Web: www.gear4.com So, consider an iPod for its amazing plethora of uses. This little music player has, in a short time, become a tool for the ages. On the Web: www.apple.com/ipod

update J

ust over a month to go until the annual Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress (WEC). The annual conference offers a multitude of education crucial to enhancing skills to position meeting professionals as leaders and strategic assets to their organization. This year’s WEC takes place in Dallas, Texas from July 9-11. For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org... MPI’s International Board of Directors has approved the charter for the MPI Atlantic Canada Chapter, bringing MPI’s total to 68 chapters/clubs worldwide. This new chapter formation comes on the heels of the approval of the MPI Spain Chapter in March of 2006, reinforcing MPI’s influence on a global basis. In December 2005, a core team organized an executive committee to form the Atlantic Canada Chapter, aiming to consolidate the active MPI members in the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, while at the same time spreading the word about MPI and its goals to actively recruit new members in these provinces. To date, the Chapter has 51 active members, and another 50 members pending paperwork and potential membership. The Atlantic Canada Chapter is the first new Canadian chapter since 1992-1993, bringing the total number of chapters in Canada to eight.

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A motivational meeting M

eeting themes can help define the focus of a meeting, and there are many ways in which a theme can be chosen: 1. Through the location of a meeting 2. Through a specific city 3. Through specific topical issues and messages

Try to stay away from themes that have no significance to your meeting messages, ones that are just popular, such as: Mission Possible Fly Like an Eagle Roll with the Changes Nothing's Better Than More Themes also start everyone thinking about plenary speakers who would make excellent presenters for a particular meeting. Motivation is a big part of sales meeting themes. Saying thanks and giving praise are the most commonly overlooked and under-estimated ways of motivating people. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so easy. Saying thanks is best said naturally and from the heart, so if your intentions are right you will not go wrong. When you look someone in the eye and thank them sincerely it means a lot. In front of other people even more so. The key words are the ones which say thanks and well done for doing a great job, especially where the words recognize each person's own special ability, quality, contribution, effort, and so forth. People always appreciate sincere thanks, and they appreciate being valued as an individual even more. When you next have the chance to thank your team or an individual team member, take the time to find out a special thing that each person has done and make a point of mentioning these things. Doing this, the praise tends to carry even greater meaning and motivational effect. As you consider possible meeting themes for your sales meetings, make it more thrilling than new product rollouts and sales training du jour. Use a fresh approach to help the audience understand what the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals are and the positive effect it will have on them. We look forward to your comments and questions.

JUNE â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06

Trends Fewer flight attendants – will it affect service? In the not-too-distant future, you may see fewer flight attendants onboard domestic airlines for all Canadian departures, a move by the federal government critics warn will jeopardize safety. With this move, airlines would be allowed to choose the minimum number of flight attendants for each flight based on calculations of the aircraft’s total number of seats, or the number of tickets sold. Canadian Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said he expects to be able to put forth new regulations for flight attendant ratios in the near future and added “we’re looking at a series of options,” reported The Globe and Mail in a recent article. Airlines want the flexibility to apply the per-seat formula that is used safely and successfully in Europe and the United States. However, the flight attendants’ union warns that reducing the number of flight attendants could put passengers at risk if there were an evacuation. “You need that extra margin of safety,” said Richard Balnis, researcher for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The current rules state that airlines must have one flight attendants for every 40 passengers, except when flying smaller regional jets. For the 50-seat regional jets, the airlines are allowed to use a ratio of one attendant for every 50 available seats, the crew formula they’d like extended as an option for all flights. Fred Gaspar, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association of Canada, which represents Canada’s airlines, said in era of increasing competition in the skies, his group’s members need to be as efficient as possible. Reports suggest that Transport Canada officials have had mixed views on the issue over the years. According to a 2004 document, Transport Canada rejected three informal WestJet requests for a change to the formula “as a result of failing to ensure an equivalent level of safety.”

Shorter waits in airport security-screening lines If it is taking you 20 minutes or more to get through airport security screening, did you know you could make it through in less than five minutes through the out-of-way screening checkpoints at many terminals? Here are some tips to help cut your waiting time by 70 per cent: At most airports, the farthest edges of terminals tend to have shorter waits; find a security station on a separate level – some airports for instance have lesser-used security checkpoints downstairs near the baggage claims.

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Group picnics need to be planned • Consider making bite-sized portions which are easier to handle. Nobody wants to end up with a slab of ham in his or her lap. • Food safety is paramount: Foods that need refrigeration should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Group the cold foods together and wrap them in newspaper to insulate. Use cold packs or make your own ice pack using sealable plastic storage bags or bottles of water. The ice water will slowly melt, both chilling the food and providing cold water to drink. • Coolers are the best option for keeping food cold, but an insulated tote bag with long shoulder straps is not bad if you only need to keep food cold for a short time and it will be easier on the back. • Bring a few rolls of paper towels for cleanup and baby wipes or napkins for sticky fingers. Also, be sure to bring some trash bags for all the garbage.

BY THE PLANNER STAFF

ust because you’re eating outside doesn’t mean it’s a picnic. A little foresight will go a long way to making sure the food is right, the bugs don’t bite and that you don’t leave the bottle opener in the SUV after hiking a mile to your perfect spot. A checklist is a simple and effective tool to use and you should get in the habit of using one, just like caterers do. Here are some points to follow to make sure your outdoor event works well: • Make a list of all the food, drinks, utensils and containers you’ll need. • Provide everyone with a map to the location and list contacts with phone numbers, etc. for reference. • Do a site visit of the location in advance and determine exactly where you want to set up your picnic. Many picnic areas have tables, or consider bringing your own. • An area with shade is imperative. Remember to bring sunscreen and umbrellas. Buy a small first-aid kit for bug bites. Also, the use of citronella and mosquito coils can be effective to ward off insects. • Use proper tableware; just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you have to use paper plates and plastic utensils that have no panache. Try to find reusable, lightweight and durable plastic plates, knives, forks and spoons – they’ll make a better table and are more environmentally friendly.

Finally, remember the Golden Rule: Take photographs and leave only footprints.

Fortune favours the prepared mind. Anonymous

JUNE ’06

Airline Industry Trends Customer service reaches a five-year low at American carriers Who ranked lower than the cable television, health care and food service industries in a recent study? U.S. airline companies, that’s who. According to a University of Michigan index that ranks customer satisfaction, U.S. airlines during the first quarter this year ranked lower than at any other point during the past five years. “It becomes more difficult to provide good service when you don’t have the resources,” said Claes Fornell, a professor with the University of Michigan’s business school. Among the U.S. airlines, Northwest Airlines Corp., now bankrupt, ranked lowest. Its rating fell 4.7 per cent from the first quarter of last year. Tied for next worse were AMR Corp.’s American Airlines, which saw its ranking fall 3.1 percent from a year earlier, and U.S. Airways Group Inc., which the study said improved the most, by 8.8 per cent. The largest U.S. airlines have been shedding employees and capacity as they try to stem the US$40 billion in losses they’ve incurred since 2000. The U.S. airline industry employed 5.4 per cent fewer people in March, 2006 than a year earlier, according to the latest U.S. Transportation Department statistics. March was the 15th monthly decline in airline employment. “The unfortunate thing is it’s hard to see how things can get much better, at least in the short term,” Fornell said. “We do have more passengers flying, and it’s just going to get more crowded,” further stretching airlines’ already scarce resources.

Why flying is a safe bet The call is made for you to board your flight. You may be thinking of the risks involved in flying: Hijackings, terrorist attacks and plane crashes, to name a few. At the end you board regardless, because according to statistics, air travel has never been more reliable and is 21 times safer than driving to the airport. Airclaims, a Heathrow-based consultancy and claims management specialist, noted in its end-of-year bulletin for 2005 that even though the past 12 months had been disappointing with 19 fatal accidents worldwide, it was the fourth safest year

JUNE ’06

since 1946. And 2004 was the most accident-free on record with 347 fatalities – 60 per cent lower than the average in the 1990s when passenger numbers were far less. U.K. airlines, for example, between 1995 and 2004, carried 926 million passengers, with four accidents occurring and total loss of 20 lives. Likewise, U.S. airlines flew 1.9 billion passengers between 2002-2004 and recorded just 34 fatalities. European and AsiaPacific airlines are also doing great in terms of safety standards. If the spate of accidents in August and September in 2005 are anything to go by, lots of people are on the edge regarding aviation safety. The media has registered its concern on the subject, as have some European politicians, according to Airclaims. “There is talk of banning ‘dangerous airlines` from European airspace…and compiling blacklists,” says Paul Hayes, director of air safety at Airclaims as reported on www.oag.com. However, there are not yet criteria to determine what constitutes a “dangerous airline” as opposed to merely an “unlucky” one, he added. It is generally assumed that the distribution of accidents over time is random and may not be an accurate indicator of air safety. The crux of the argument seems to be aircraft maintenance, although the chances of a mishap due to mechanical problems is statistically low as ever-improving technology combines with strict servicing practices in the hangar. Rather, the article stressed, the cause of an accident is more likely to be human error, which airlines are taking every precaution against in the air and on the ground. British Airways spent US$1.5 billion maintaining its fleet of 292 aircraft, with an average age of nine years, in 2005. Aircraft manufacturers are studying technologies to enhance the flight crew’s situational awareness. These include displays that show the descent profile and surrounding terrain. Another monitors all ground traffic as the aircraft taxis to the gate. They are also working on diagnostic systems that predict developing problems and give early warning of possible failures. If you are concerned about air safety, you might consider that in 1996 commercial airlines had a fatal accident rate of 0.026 for every 100,000 hours in the sky. Statistically, this means a passenger would have to travel 24 hours a day for 400 years before being involved in an accident.

Hotel News

The situation doesn’t get better with hotel managers requiring longer hours. Twice as many hoteliers now expect their employees to work longer hours - rather than decrease - the highest since the survey was introduced. The survey of almost 1,200 businesses, mostly hotels, was conducted in April. The Hotel Association of Canada estimated that the lodging industry generated revenues of $12.6 billion in 2004, with about 270,000 people employed directly or indirectly. Total salaries and wages in the industry were estimated at $6 billion.

you need to know

A FLURRY OF NEW HOTELS The hotel industry is expected to experience a 45 per cent growth in construction of new rooms this year, the highest level since 2000. It is expected that 119,8000 new rooms will start construction in the U.S. this year, according to Pricewaterhouse forecast. Last year’s slower growth was due to high construction costs that led hoteliers to start building only 82,625 rooms. The fact that hotels have been able to charge increasingly higher rates, boosting profits for hotel companies accounts for the growth. In 2005, revenue per room showed its biggest increase since 1981, 8.5 per cent. That number is expected to rise, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

FOUR SEASONS PROFIT DOUBLES Four Seasons Hotels Inc. stock rose as much as 10 per cent in May, after it reported first-quarter profit that doubled, topped analyst consensus targets and raised its sales forecast. Deutsche Bank analyst Marc Falcone, who has a “hold” on the company shares, attributed the stock’s gains to “what appears to be a clean beat vs. Street expectation’s following several challenging quarters,” in The Globe and Mail article last month. Four Seasons attributed the strong quarter to a rebound in travel demand. Revenue per available room or RevPAR, a combination of rate and occupancy that is an important financial measure for hotel companies, rose 11.7 per cent. Hotel management fees climbed 23.1 per cent in the first quarter, while base fees rose 12.3 per cent. Incentive fees jumped 50.3. per cent. William Truelove, USB Securities analyst, who has a “buy” recommendation on the stock wrote in the report last month, the company has improved its disclosure considerably and reorganized its income statement into a more coherent and logical pattern. Four Seasons which reported a 28.2-million loss last year, said that if the travel trends it experienced in the recent quarter continue, it expects RevPAR to increase to between 9 and 11 per cent in 2006, from 8 per cent to 10 per cent.

DROP IN HOTEL STAFF CONTINUES

MOST EXPENSIVE RESORTS 2006 Now more people are willing to pay an extra more than the normal rates to entreat themselves to one of those exclusive-use resorts, which have become normal in recent years than a novelty. In the 1980s, when billionaire Richard Branson turned Necter Island, a private island playground in the British Virgin Islands, into an exclusive-use resort priced at US$5,500 per night, such a thing was almost ridiculous. Today, Necker Island, which accommodates up to 26 people, is in such demand that rates start at US$30,000 per night. Necker’s highly visible success has enticed others on board. For example, The Rania Experience, an exclusive-use Island resort in the Maldives that opened in 2005, offers group0s of up to nine a private chef, unlimited spa treatments and use of an 86-foot yacht, all for US$13,000 per night – pricier per person than Necker. According to industry professionals, there was a shift in travel experience after 9/11. Whereas most travel had been canceled for a good year after that, they saw a huge rise in the private island experience. Travelers in the wealthy marketplace have become more discerning and sophisticated, so they are less likely to shy away than non-frequent travelers. These exclusive-use resorts tend to be apolitical areas in the world, therefore low risk for terrorist attacks and easy to secure.

Nearly one

in three Canadian hoteliers are experiencing a shortage of unskilled labour, more than double the level last year, Statistics Canada said. And about one in four hotel operators reported a shortage of skilled labour, Statscan’s business conditions survey revealed. According to Statscan, the recruitment difficulties may stem from low wages typically paid in the industry. Accommodation and food services are the lowest-paid industries in Canada, with weekly earnings of $334.60 as of February, 2006.

Trust everybody, but cut the cards. Finley Peter Dunne

JUNE ’06

EXECUTIVE

FLOORS... Why planners should consider them

ou may have heard of them, but executive or club floors are one of the best kept secrets in the hotel business despite being around since the mid-1980s. Typically available in the large chain hotels, these executive floors offer an upgrade over the typical room a planner might book for a guest, with a host of amenities and services that greatly enhance a visit to any hotel such as continental breakfast, meeting rooms and other things included in a turnkey service. Montreal’s Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is a good example of this. The Executive Level located on the third floor of the hotel presents a unique concept. Completely separate from the Convention Level, it offers a luxurious business complex which includes: private concierge service, 44 deluxe rooms, seven multi-functional meeting rooms covering 4,000 sq. ft. each able to accommodate between 10 and 80 people and equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology. Joanne Papineau, Regional Director of Public Relations for the Quebec Region at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, says there are several reasons why it is a good choice for the discriminating meeting planner. “The floor has a private check-in and concierge and it is ideal for intimacy and

JUNE ’06

An Executive Level meeting room at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal.

privacy. It has been used by companies in labour relations and for many product launches in the pharmaceutical industry. It has been used so often for the latter that we sometimes refer to it as the ‘Pfizer Floor’ (after the world-famous Montreal pharmaceutical company that created Viagra). Obviously, when reserved it is a place with no competitors who might want to see your product.”

Robbie Bishop, Area Director of Sales & Marketing for Le Royal Meridien King Edward in Toronto, has a similar view of why people love the concept at his hotel. “They love the intimacy of a hotel within a hotel concept with the Royal Club Lounge from the extensive breakfast buffet to the complimentary cocktails and canapés in the evening,” he said. “Another hit is the boardroom for up to eight people which is offered for up to three hours on a complimentary basis to Royal Club guests which makes the ideal setting for interviews or small meetings.” Stewart Rubin, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Hôtel Inter-Continental Montréal says customers love the private boardrooms, lounge and other amenities they offer with their 37 rooms rooms on the Club floors (24, 25 and 26). “If you’re a small group, it’s like a boutique style hotel in a large hotel. It’s a great added value for a small investment,” he said. The Hilton Toronto also has an excellent executive floor (see Hotel of the Month, April 2006 Planner). On the Web: www.fairmont.com, www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien http://montreal.intercontinental.com www.hilton.com - LEO GERVAIS

1001 good reasons to choose the Côte d’Azur as a planner destination For the same reason, some decide not to choose our region because its image is more leisure than workoriented or because it appears expensive and elitist.” Spangberg is similarly adamant about the need for unified approach to promoting the destination. “Monaco, Nice and Cannes need to combine their strengths and work together towards a single strategy for the Côte d’Azur,” he said.

BY THE CÔTE D’AZUR CONVENTION BUREAU

aving always been popular as a holiday destination, Europe’s Côte d’Azur (often called the French Riviera in English) has discovered a new talent for business tourism over recent decades. Following the construction of the Exhibition Centre in 1950, towns have continued to develop their infrastructure to meet the needs of this new clientele who work hard but love to do so in comfort and style. Some hotels were retrofitted with new technology, others built from scratch. In 1978, Monaco opened its auditorium and in 1982 the Cannes Conference Centre replaced the old Festival Hall. Two years later the Acropolis Palace in Nice and in 2000, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco followed. Today, as an ideal destination for conferences, lectures, exhibitions and other incentive events, the Côte d’Azur has an excellent track record: • 9.2 million tourists from abroad every year, 1.5 million of whom were business clients in 2004 • 35,000 hotel rooms, with 10,000 in four-star establishments • 14 casinos • 19 golf courses • 9 conference and exhibition centres • Almost 140,000 sq. metres of conference and exhibition space (excl. hotels) • No. 1 cruise destination in France • Airport infrastructure at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport which attracts more than 9 million passengers a year with flights to 69 regular destinations; • Cannes-Mandelieu Airport is the second most important business airport in France • Business tourists spend between 150 and 200 euros each during a conference.

The Côte d’Azur: what do companies look for in a Mediterranean paradise? It is important to emphasize what the region has to offer in relation to current patterns of demand for business tourism by companies. Firstly, its accessibility is unquestioned. It occupies a strategic position in the middle of Europe, now the top criterium for companies when choosing a destination. Next are considerations such as geographic location, size of conference rooms, capacity in all categories of hotel and additional activities – all of which are amply met by the region’s businesses. Indeed, the Riviera’s geographic make-up and quality amenities mean it is capable of meeting demand from companies in terms of both the work plan and additional activities with informed professionals who can tailor events to ensure complete satisfaction for their clients. The Côte d’Azur is also an ideal setting for different types of events. Its conference centres provide a wide variety of options in terms of size and requirements for staging events, while hotels offer different possibilities for using some of their facilities or having complete privacy. The region is particularly suitable for incentive events. Aquatic sports, mountain and relaxation activities, introductions to art and gourmet food, games… you can get away from it all in so many different ways on the Côte d’Azur. As one event organizer from Paris put it: “The Côte d’Azur offers multiple possibilities for reward seminars without having to go to the ends of the earth.” One event that has become particularly popular in the region is the car launch. “The mild climate is complemented by the varied terrain and slopes, perfect for test drives, and a conference infrastructure that is ideal for all forms of exhibition and presentation,“ said Lenny Spangberg, who is “getting more and more contracts with automobile companies.” The Côte d’Azur’s rich artistic and architectural history means it is full of magical, spectacular and unusual locations endowed with state-of-the-art technology.

Through thick and thin Though it spans France and Monaco, the Côte d’Azur is a unified destination, made one by dynamic professionals and all the energy and drive of the Côte d’Azur Convention Bureau. What is on offer between the sea and the mountains is developing and becoming more professional as each day passes. Competitiveness and enduring technical infrastructures are top priorities. Local players are playing their part in promoting the region, trying to escape from a stereotypical image which often differs from reality. With its palaces and legends of the stars, its architectural heritage and idyllic scenery, one’s image of the Côte d’Azur is the epitome of glamour and luxury. This image may serve the region well but it has its drawbacks too at times. When asked about this, Lenny Spangberg, Director of the LSO Agency said, “Companies who choose the Côte d’Azur do so because of its image.

For more information, www.frenchriviera-cb.com.

visit

www.guideriviera.com

JUNE ’06

Websites of interest

DATEBOOK

Getting cheesed off www.artisanalcheese.com

Upcoming Events

Not sure if you should have white wine or champagne with that ripe blue cheese? Then check Artisanal Premium Cheese to find the answer. This outfit specializes in affinage, the ancient practice where experts nurture cheeses to optimal ripeness and peak flavor. You can order the world’s finest cheeses and accessories available at this fine site.

June 24 – Quebec, St-Jean Baptiste (observed June 23) JULY 9-11 Meeting Planners International, World Education Congress, Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, Tex. Contact: (972) 702-3000, www.mpiweb.org

Uncensored hotel reviews www.hotelchatter.com This Web site is compendium of hotel reviews from all over the world. Numerous uncensored reviews with a tabloid tinge, this site has sections on hotel heaven as well, and even some celebrity dish. We highly recommend this site.

JULY 16-19 National Business Travel Association, International Convention & Exposition, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. Contact: (703) 684-0836, www.nbta.org. JULY 25-27 Trade Show Exhibitors Association, TS2 Tradeshow, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. Contact: (800) 687-7469, www.tsea.org/ts2

Insurance information www.infoassurance.ca The infoassurance.ca site is operated jointly by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA). It offers a plethora of information about the types of insurance for businesses, home and property and vehicles. The FAQ (frequently asked questions) section is particularly good in that it provides answers for common questions like “How long do I have to submit a claim?”

August 7 – Ontario, Civic Holiday August 4-8 International Association of Assembly Managers, Annual Conference & Tradeshow, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Tex. Contact: (972) 906-7441, www.iaam.org. August 19-22 American Society of Association Executives & the Center for Association Leadership, Annual Meeting & Exposition, boston Convention & Exposition Center. Contact: (888) 950-2723, www.asaeannualmeeting.org.

••• Do you have a website you want to share with other planners? Email us at: info@theplanner.ca. For more great websites, check out: www.theplanner.ca

Jargon Buster Techno babble demystified sponsored by Avtec Professional A/V Services

What is GPS?

GPS: Since 1993, the American military-controlled Global Positioning System (GPS) has become a public good and is relied on by industry and individuals alike. The GPS uses a constellation of at least 24 active satellites that allow users to determine their location e.g. in a car or on a ship. The satellites send a radio signal with the precise time, as measured by their cesium or rubidium atomic clocks, status messages and the approximate position of every other active GPS satellite. GPS receivers on the ground use the information, and a mathematical procedure called trilateration, to work out latitude, longitude and elevation. The GPS service is divided into a publicly available signal and an encrypted signal accessible only to the U.S. military and a few others. The European Union is developing Galileo, a civilian-controlled system to compete with the GPS, set to be operational in 2010. Source: Courtesy of Martin Stoch/Tech Talk

JUNE ’06

Lost luggage Ed. note: This excerpt is from The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation by Laura Lee.

BOOK EXCERPT

distant airport. Then there was the case of the Texas couple who routinely walked into the Dallas Fort Worth airport and took random bags off the claim carousels so they could sell the contents at a flea market. With computer tracking, in most cases, travelers are reunited with their luggage within 24 hours. Often the airline knows the bag was misrouted before you do. Gate agents, baggage agents and customer service representatives can check a piece of luggage with a hand-held terminal to make sure it is on route. If it’s not where it’s supposed to be, they can call ahead to your destination airport and have you paged. You won’t have your stuff, but you’ll know where it is. If the bag has been more seriously misplaced, the airlines search for it with an international tracer system to which 275 airlines subscribe. If the bag doesn’t show up in the system within five days, the luggage is declared untraceable, but it usually isn’t considered irretrievably lost for 30 days. At that point (or if a mangled bag turns up in the meantime), the airline will settle with you. In December 2000, thee airlines increased the cap for lost or damaged luggage to $2,500 from $1,250. There is no law requiring compensation for temporarily lost bags. When all else fails, bags without identification are opened and airline personnel search for something inside – personal documents, prescriptions, library books – to let them know whom the suitcase belongs to. When all that fails, the bags are kept for a period of time. Air Canada’s Central Baggage Tracing Office, for example, keeps lost bags for six months. Then where do they go? They are sold. In America, they end up in Scottsboro, Alabama. In Canada, bounty can be found at The Unclaimed Luggage and Goods Store in Ottawa. The prices airlines charge these dealers vary; some charge per bag, others by the pound. The U.S. store features 7,000 new items a day. Its online storefront, www.unclaimedbaggage.com, is updated with 200 items a day. If you would prefer to keep your clothes and accessories out of the hands of the bargain hunters here are a few tips – invest in a bag that has a slide-in-window for ID cards. If the handle comes off, your contact information will still be there. Be sure the contact information on your bags is up to date and include a card with your address and phone number inside the suitcase.

flight to Paris. That’s what your luggage got. Unfortunately, your flight was to Idaho. You stood there watching the bags circle on the baggage claim conveyor until the selection was down to one purple suitcase - not yours. To be fair to the airlines, most bags end up where they’re supposed to. Only half a percent to one percent of bags are mishandled or misrouted according to the Department of Transportation. When you consider the number of passengers who fly each day, though, one percent adds up. About 10,000 to 20,000 bags are mishandled each day. Department of Transport records show that United Airlines has the worst track record when it comes to mishandled bags. “It’s not that the bag is lost,” a United Airlines spokesman once said, “it fails to make a flight.” There are many factors that can cause your bag to have a different final destination than you do. Often bags don’t show up because the traveler arrived late and just made it on the plane. The suitcase wasn’t as fast. Weather can tie up traffic at major hubs and cause confusion for baggage handlers. Sometimes bags get damaged. A handle can come off taking its destination tag with it, or a tag can come off leaving a bag unidentified. Occasionally the culprit is human error. Someone can type in a wrong letter at check-in producing a code for a

••• Reprinted with permission from The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation by Laura Lee, originally published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. On the Web: www.bdlev.com/ Price on www.amazon.com: US$10.

It is better to be wise than to seem wise. Origen 32

JUNE ’06

Hand sanitizers work

Air Canada’s Go Discount

Do you know the effectiveness of the hand sanitizer you are buying? If no, check for this ingredient, the alcohol level. It must contain between 60 and 80 per cent alcohol, says Brandon Zargorski, an epidemiologist at Toronto’s Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. According to experts, you need to apply enough gel to make your hands wet and rub them together vigorously for at least 30 seconds.

The Go Discount fare deal offers $20 off Air Canada’s Tango round-trip fares for those who don’t make any changes to the booked itinerary and who fly with carry-on baggage (no checked luggage). Tango fares are available on all flights within the continental U.S. and Canada. On the other hand, baggage in excess of the carry-on allowance will be checked at a rate of CAD $105-$175 per bag based on weight and dimension. On the Web: www.aircanada.com.

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Check out our revamped website! www.theplanner.ca

JUNE ’06