June 2008

Porter to fly to Newark on weekends Mind over Mozart “Music hath charms to soothe a savage beast…” or so the saying goes. But will it relax an overworked meeting planner? A recent study says that half an hour of music a day may significantly lower blood pressure.

The research study, reported at the American Society of Hypertension in New Orleans recently, found that people with mild hypertension (high blood pressure) who listened to classical, Celtic or Indian (raga) music for just 30 minutes a day for one month had significant reductions in their blood pressure.

“Listening to music is soothing and has often been associated with controlling patient-reported pain or anxiety and acutely reducing blood pressure,” study investigator Pietro A. Modesti of the University of Florence in Italy noted in a written statement.

“It is reassuring to consider that something as simple, easy and enjoyable as daily music listening, combined with slow abdominal breathing, may help people naturally lower their blood pressure,” he concluded.

“We tend to forget who pays our salaries. It’s the customer.”

Lars Nyberg, NCR Corp.

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Porter Airlines Inc. said recently that it will be boosting weekend service between Toronto and Newark, N.J., after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered it to cancel four daily prime-time flights during the week.

The upstart carrier’s business plan originally called for it to target business travellers on weekdays, but Porter is shifting part of its strategy to bolster weekend leisure traffic.

In addition, they’re also in a position to improve their Montreal service at a time when passenger levels are growing substantially, according to Porter president Robert Deluce.

Porter, with home base at Toronto City Centre Airport (a.k.a. Island Airport), recently said that the U.S.-Canada open skies pact stresses the importance of allowing more aircraft to fly to new destinations, and that the marketplace should dictate “the level of service, fares and competition in the U.S.-Canada markets.”

But the FAA said its “final order” on Newark will take effect this summer. Porter had previously said the new rules could effectively restrict it to operating at Newark between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. But in fact, the company now says its new schedule will feature six return flights every weekday, three return flights Saturday and five return flights Sunday. Total flights per week change from 38 to 40.

Toronto’s Island Airport has an 11 p.m. curfew, making it unworkable to fly out of New Jersey late at night, Porter emphasized.

On the Web: www.flyporter.com

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THE INTERNATIONAL EDITION

In this Issue

6 Hunters and fishers > Exhibit expert Barry Siskind uses the

analogy of hunters and fishers to help planners develop a better exhibit program by learning how to profile your “quarry” and focus on visitors worth spending your time with.

Trust in business = speed Speed happens when people trust each other. You can’t have success without trust. The word trust embodies almost everything you can strive for that will help you to succeed. Technology is important, but adding trust is the issue of the decade, and maybe since business began.

When you trust a supplier it is easier to make a decision based on the information they have supplied you, that’s why people are so hesitant to buy on the Internet — there is no trust in cyberspace. Half the information on the Internet is seemingly fraudulent, or at least inaccurate, and certainly not trustworthy. In fact, people only buy on the Internet when it is a lot cheaper and therefore seemingly worth taking a chance or when they trust who they are doing business with. Distrust is very expensive – in fact it probably doubles the cost of doing business.

Trust affects the quality of every relationship, every communication and every work project. But trust is something you can do something about. In fact you create it.

The moment there is suspicion about a person’s motives, everything he does becomes tainted. – Mahatma Gandhi Have your suppliers been banking your trust? – If they have, the coming months/year will pay dividends.

So now that the economy is literally slowly heading south (see the stats on page 13) all those suppliers who have gained your trust over the years will benefit. From businesses that are ETDBW (see what businesses planners recommend on page 20) to suppliers that have delivered as advertised, you’ll note that almost all conflict is a result of violated expectations. So remember, in the end, all you have is your reputation!

— Leo Gervais

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The Planner is a monthly publication distributed to professional meeting and event planners across Canada.

M ANAGING E DITOR

A SSOCIATE E DITORS G RAPHIC A RTIST S ALES C IRCULATION EXECUTIVE

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C ONTRIBUTORS

maybe not so easy. Sure, even planners take vacation but the summer is an ideal time to refocus our work energy and take a look at what has happened during the first six months of the year. Associate Editor Jyl Ashton Cunningham examines some ways to do this successfully while you “relax.”

10 It’s all in the voice > Your voice is your greatest asset yet most of us do not know how to use it.

Vocal projection has nothing to do with yelling. It is the realization that you need to use different volume levels so that your voice reaches everyone in the room. This might seem obvious but as columnist Stacey Hanke reveals, many of us could use some vox

14 Being appreciated > Everyone wants to feel appreciated for the hard work they do. Sharon Worsley gives examples of ways you can show your employees appreciation that won’t break your pocketbook. The key is finding what they value and acting upon it.

16 Catch up on reading > As usual, our wonderful readers have

18 Summer wines > Marcel Morgenstern of Pillitteri Estates Winery takes a fresh look at a variety of summer wines and what they pair well with.

2105 de la Montagne, suite 100 Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Z8 Telephone: (514) 849-6841 ext. 315 Fax: (514) 284-2282 We welcome your comments: info@theplanner.ca The Planner uses 30% recycled post-consumer paper.

Poste-publication No. 40934013 THE

> Summertime, and the living is easy… well,

recommended a litany of books to let you enjoy the summer hours on the beach or at the cottage.

Leo Gervais lgervais@theplanner.ca Camille Lay clay@theplanner.ca Jyl Ashton Cunningham jashton@theplanner.ca Matt Riopel James Paulson jpaulson@theplanner.ca Tania Joanis, Patricia Lemus Debbie Barlow Stacey Hanke, Marcel Morgenstern, Barry Siskind, Sharon Worsley

Cover photo: Design by Matt Riopel

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20 ETDBW contest > Our readers had plenty to say about suppliers they find Easy To Do Business With.

Read who they recommend as suppliers.

June ’08

Are you a hunter or a fisher?

BY BARRY SISKIND hat is the difference between a hunter and a fisher?

A hunter knows ahead of time what he is chasing; deer, pheasant or rabbits. A fisher, on the other hand casts a large net hoping that what is caught is of use. When the net is pulled in there may be some fish that are eatable and quite tasty but there will also be lots of things that simply get thrown back. The result for the fisher is lots of wasted resources and lost opportunities.

The same analysis holds true for your exhibit program. If you are a hunter you have carefully determined the profile of your quarry. If you are a fisher you end up simply hoping for the best.

Turning your program from fishing to hunting requires careful attention. You want to properly focus on the show visitors who will most likely help you achieve your exhibiting objectives. Rarely will you want to talk to every visitor who walks past your booth. The trick is to clearly identify who you want to spend your time with.

Defining your customer’s profile requires time and skill but once you have it, it will affect every part of your exhibit plan from choosing the right show to post show follow-up. The greater depth you put into your profiles the easier it is to focus your exhibit plans. Here are four typical tools that exhibit managers use to define their customers.

Demographics answer the question: Who is my customer? Some examples of information in this

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category include: Industry, Gender, Marital status, Geography, Age, Profession, Wealth or Lifestyle.

Psychographics answers the question: What do they do? Some examples of information in this category include: Social responsibility, Business style, Position, Affiliations, Management style, Family stage, Hobbies or Leisure time activities Behavioral analysis answers the question; How do they do it? Examples in this category include such things as; Number of times they purchase, Amount of product used, Decision making cycle, Where purchase was made or How purchase was transacted Causation analysis answers the question; Why do they do what they do? The best way to develop this category is to focus on the benefits of your products and service and understand which of these benefits is of most importance to your specific customer profile.

While you are developing your profile it’s not uncommon to unearth more than one. That doesn’t present a problem as long as your able to articulate the difference between one customer and the next. Now that you have a strong profile(s) your next task is to use this information in your exhibit plan. Ensure that this information is clearly communicated to all the people on your exhibit team including; administrative staff , sales and marketing staff, display builder, show/event manager and anyone else who will be involved in your program.

With a clear focus on the right people, all other decision should fall into place faster and easier.

Barry Siskind is North America’s foremost trade and consumer show expert. Visit his website: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at: barry@siskindtraining.com.

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June ’08

Summertime: Past reflections, future plans

BY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM, CMP ummertime, and the living is easy… Gershwin couldn’t have had meeting planners in mind when he wrote his famous sultry and heat-laden song.

For most independent planners though, July and August, far from being the lazy dog days of summer, are as frenetic as the rest of the year, especially if golf tournaments, summer retreats, family days and weddings are on the books.

The cover picture of this month’s issue of The Planner denotes a sense of a calm – an almost zen-like state as the woman gazes into the water, her laptop casually open to her side. It’s interesting that we can’t see her face, for all we know she could be planning to throw the laptop into the water as business commitments spiral out of control. Seriously though, working outside on a sunny day is very therapeutic. It doesn’t necessarily have to be with a laptop, a notepad will do and it’s amazing what fresh summer air can do for the psyche as well as the physical energy level.

Everyone knows how essential it is to take some down time to relax and recharge the cerebral batteries, however it is just as important to regularly reflect on the last three or six months and assess what might be done

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differently in order to evolve as a professional and still take time off. The following are a few suggestions on working towards that ideal.

MANAGING TIME AND AVAILABILITY Independent planners are famous for always being there for their clients. Do any of these phrases sound familiar? “Call me anytime, my cell is always on.”; “I’m working all weekend, so feel free to be in touch.”; “Just let me know when you need me to meet with you and I’ll make the time.” These days, it is almost impossible to be unavailable and instant responses have become the norm. However, look at the message being sent, not just to your client, but to yourself. Coming across as a successful workaholic might in essence seem impressive, however it might also give a signal to the client that perhaps a planner has taken too much on and has to work every given hour. It might also send a message to yourself that you and perhaps your family are not important, as someone or something else always seems to take precedence. Simply by changing the messaging to, “If you need to reach me urgently, I check messages regularly outside business hours,” you are giving yourself permission to have time off and have not left the door wide open for clients to call ad infinitum. Just remember to check the messages regularly as promised.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT OR HOW TO MAKE PRODUCTIVITY PAY One of the biggest factors eating into recreation or down time is under-assessing the time needed to manage a project. If estimating the amount of time seems difficult, all planners, independent or not, should try this exercise.

Use a spreadsheet to break down each task in the contract into as many columns as needed, with headings such as Research, Budgeting, Supplier Liaison and Meetings (including phone calls and answering e-mail) with the number of days, weeks or months available to fulfill the commitment entered in rows on the left hand side. Then fill in each cell with an honest estimate of time needed for each task, add it all up at the end and base your fee structure on the time calculated. It’s surprising how the time adds up, and the results alleviate under-costing and ultimately stress levels.

Likewise, it is important to be clear on the terms and conditions of any agreed contract parameters. If a professional or management fee has been written into the contract as a flat fee, it makes sense to write the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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June ’08

Take advantage of the summer to regroup CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

number of hours estimated on how the figure was arrived at, with a provisor that the agreement is based on the agreed work load. If additional tasks requiring additional time, creep into the mix, (as they inevitably do), be very clear upfront that there will be additional fees involved. That way, there are no surprises for the client and you are not working for nothing.

SAYING NO Practice this one in front of the mirror. “No, I am fully committed at this time” (not, “No, I’m too busy”).

Simple isn’t it? I’ve read and written several articles on the subject of saying no, yet I still haven’t mastered the art and probably never will.

Interestingly enough, it’s not always the pro bono work that planners turn down. Sometimes paid work suffers as a result of having committed to too much volunteer work. Giving back is really worthwhile and is greatly encouraged, however before saying yes, always ask for time to think about any volunteer project, take a hard look at existing commitments, and make an honest assessment of the time needed to undertake the task. Look at it in exactly the same way as paid work and decide if the time can truly be afforded to make the event happen. For example, managing a fundraising gala dinner takes between 80 and 100 hours, whether paid or not. That’s two weeks out of anyone’s schedule.

Preparing for a speaking engagement can take well over 20 hours or half a week. Rotary International’s motto is “Service Above Self” which is highly commendable, however many Rotarians will tell you that family and work commitments take precedence over volunteering, which should be a pleasure for all involved, not a task that breeds resentment.

In conclusion, while nobody likes to turn down work of any kind, cutting into relaxation time is potentially hazardous to health, business and family relationships.

Even if significant time off is impossible in the summer, it is still a wonderful time to revisit New Year’s resolutions, clean out clutter in the office, home and the mind, enjoy being outdoors and celebrate being a busy and productive person.

More on digital cameras We received a lot of positive feedback on our recent article on digital cameras (“How to Choose a Digital Camera,” March, 2008). One camera a few readers have suggested is the Exilim Card Camera by Casio. It is ultra-thin and features YouTube TM Capture Mode (which records movies at the optimum size, quality and other settings for uploading to YouTube, Google’s premier website) and iTunes Compatible Video format.

It is a 10.1 Megapixel CCD so it has superior high-resolution imaging, a 2.7 inch wide screen in a thin, black digital camera body. The camera retails for about $350, but shop around for deals. The key is to find a camera that has the features you will use at a competitive price, so do your research.

So be sure to compare models and prices and even try out a few models to see how you like them. It’s time to join the digital camera crowd!

On the Web: www.dpreview.com, www.dcviews.com

Jyl Ashton Cunningham, CMP is owner of JAAC Meetings and Events

By Design, and Associate Editor of The Planner, Ontario.

Jyl welcomes your comments and can be reached via e-mail at: jashton@theplanner.ca..

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Using a confident voice pays off

BY STACEY HANKE

Immediate strategies to portray confidence s I travel the world, I continue to hear individuals speak ineffectively; too soft, too loud, monotone, vocal tones that squeak, crack and simply do not convey confidence. Your voice is your greatest asset yet most of us do not know how to use it.

Vocal projection has nothing to do with yelling. It is the realization that you need to use different volume levels so that your voice reaches everyone in the room.

No one should have to strain to hear you.

During my workshops I record participants for them to hear what their listeners hear. When I play their recordings back I put the volume at a set level. The level is one that lets me know if their volume levels are where they should be for the size of the group they are speaking to.

If I have to turn the volume up, I will ask the person to speak to me in increasing volume levels. I focus on three main ones. The level of volume they would use

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speaking to me face-to-face, the volume they would use if they were seated at a table speaking to five or six people, and the volume they would use if they were standing and speaking to a group of 15. All three of these levels should be easily within someone’s capabilities, and all of them should feel comfortable.

I often hear people tell me they feel they are yelling when they practice the last level, and sometimes even the last two levels. If I am working with a group of people, I will ask the person I am coaching to practice projecting at higher levels in front of the others. I ask how the person sounds, and these are the types of words I always hear from the group: confident, passionate, enthused, energetic and so on. I have never heard the word “loud,” even though the person speaking at a higher level may feel he or she is yelling. Then I capture it on camera and let the person hear what the others heard. Without exception, the person becomes a believer in the power of vocal projection.

You will always sound louder to yourself than to others. When you hear yourself speak, you hear the sound resonate in your head. After all, you are closer to the source.

I have heard a number of reasons why individuals have difficulty projecting their voices.

Some individuals say it is part of their culture to speak softly. As businesses become more diverse and global, it is imperative the volume they use is appropriate for the audience they are speaking to.

Some tell me they were raised to speak softly. I had one person tell me that every time he spoke, he could hear his mother telling him to use his inside voice.

Unfortunately, he had taken that to such an extreme that no one outside of about five feet away could hear him.

I have had others say they speak softly if they feel intimidated by someone in the room. Great. You have just announced, or in this case whispered, that you do not feel confident.

USING YOUR VOICE • Speak at an even pace. You do not want to give listeners the impression that you can not wait to leave or that you do not really want to be there.

• Speak with conviction, so you sound like you mean what you say. Are you as honored to receive the award as you say? Do you really feel you are the best candidate for the project? Are you glad to serve your customers?

• Breathe deeply and allow the air to supply power to your voice. A loud, clear voice conveys

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People need to hear you to take action you want confidence and assertiveness. On a scale from one to 10, with one being inaudible and 10 overpowering, speak at a volume level of seven to eight when you are speaking to a group of 12 or more.

• Vary inflection and add volume to avoid sounding monotonous or boring. The sound of your voice shapes the attitude of your listeners even more than the words you speak.

• Convey confidence.

• Hold your listener’s attention.

• Bring out the importance of your message.

If you want to influence others to take action they have to hear you. At the same time they do not want to feel they are being yelled at. In all of my years working with thousands of people, I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to turn the volume down as I was listening to the recording because someone was too loud.

••• Stacey Hanke is an executive consultant, author, coach and speaker with 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. Contact her at: stacey.hanke@1stimpressionconsulting.com or (773) 209-5970.

Tips Record yourself to experience what your listeners hear when you speak. When you play back the tape, listen to what you hear rather than how you felt when you did the recording.

Read aloud a story from a book, journal, magazine or an article on a website. Focus on producing a strong volume level, between seven and eight, without strain.

Ask for feedback on the volume level you project in meetings, face-to-face situations and over the phone.

Explain the volume scale of one to 10 to your listener before you communicate your message.

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It’s cheers for beer, but wine is fine Beer remains the alcoholic drink of choice for Canadians, but wine is gaining ground quickly.

Statistics Canada said recently that in 1997, beer accounted for 52 percent of dollar sales, spirits 27 percent and wine 21 percent; by 2007, beer had declined to 47 percent and spirits to 25, while wine had captured 28 percent of the market.

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AMERICAN HOTELS BRACING FOR THE WORST A new survey says the tough U.S. economy will force most Americans to cut vacation costs this summer, which could be bad news for hoteliers.

About 57 per cent of the nearly 6,700 respondents to the online poll said they have less money to spend this year on summer vacations than they did last year and are looking to save costs.

Jitters about the U.S. economy and record gasoline prices are forcing Americans to cut back, said Jim Kovarik, the general manager for AOL Travel, which commissioned the poll.

Nearly 20 per cent of people said they planned to rent a house so they could save money by cooking, rather than stay in a hotel, the poll showed. And nearly a third planned to stay with friends or family to save money.

This summer could be the worst for U.S. hotels since 2002, the first vacation season after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Kovarik said.

But Joe McInerney, of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said high gasoline prices simply mean travellers will go on shorter trips and stay at hotels closer to home. The weak dollar could also mean that more Europeans and Canadians will vacation in U.S. hotels.

“Advanced reservations are strong for the summer,” McInerney said.

Still, the weak economy has already hurt profits at some hotels. Earlier this month, Marriott International Inc., the world’s No. 3 hotel operator, reported sharply lower quarterly profit, hurt by higher costs as the slowing U.S. economy takes its toll.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., which operates the W, Sheraton and St. Regis hotel brands, also reported a lower quarterly profit last week citing slow growth in RevPAR (revenue per available room).

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF A VON TRAPP HOTEL IN AUSTRIA The Sound of Music, a 1965 film based on the true story of how aspiring nun Maria sang her way into the hearts of Baron von Trapp and his seven children has provided fans much enjoyment over the years. And now 12

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the original von Trapp villa in Austria will become a hotel in July, with room rates about 100 Euros ($155).

The film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and was based on a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, has inspired sing-along shows worldwide, a drinking game, a self-healing CD and a Maria Barbie doll.

U.S. ticket tracking site www.boxofficemojo.com ranks The Sound of Music as the third most successful movie of all time on the domestic market, taking inflation into account, topped only by Gone With the Wind and Star Wars.

“It is hard to imagine that anyone hasn't seen it and it is still passed down the generations,” Graham Hales, brand specialist at Interbrand said in a recent interview.

“It is a property.”

The Villa Trapp hotel will give visitors a chance to sleep in the family’s former bedrooms or get married in their chapel.

And the gazebo where Liesl, eldest of the von Trapp daughters in the film, and her boyfriend Rolf meet secretly and perform “Sixteen going on 17” will also be available as a self-assembly construction set.

“The hotel really is a milestone for the commercialization of The Sound Of Music for Salzburg,” said Leo Bauernberger from the Salzburg provincial tourism board. “The Sound of Music is well and truly a stroke of luck for this city.”

The von Trapp family lived in the villa outside Salzburg from 1923 to 1938 before fleeing the Nazi takeover of Austria. Nazi security chief Heinrich Himmler used the villa as a home close to the Austrian Alps until 1945.

A missionary order bought the residence after World War Two and has agreed to relinquish it for use as a hotel. Entrepreneurs plan to make no alterations to the building other than essentials such as painting and rewiring.

In Salzburg, visitors from North America, Asia and Britain, where the film has been very popular, generate some 700,000 overnight stays every year, according to tourism officials.

For 40 per cent of them, the film is the sole reason for their visit. Seeing the film’s original locations is for many fans a dream came true said the officials.

LOEWS REGENCY MAKING PLANNERS FEEL IMPORTANT BY GOING THE EXTRA MILE As a planner, you know how all of the details involved in organizing a meeting can make you extremely busy.

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SHERATON AND MICROSOFT JOIN FOR LOBBY SERVICES Wouldn’t it be great if someone else could worry about getting luggage and materials to your destination?

The Loews Regency Hotel in New York City is making it easy for planners to stay focused on the tasks at hand with their newly launched VIMP (Very Important Meeting Planner) promotion. The 353-room hotel has partnered with DHL to offer complimentary roundtrip overnight shipping of luggage and meeting materials for planners who hold a meeting in the hotel’s newly renovated 4,400 sq. ft. of meeting space before September 1. As an added incentive, The Regency will reward planners for their group bookings with a new piece of exclusive Hartmann luggage (the type of luggage and number of pieces are based on the total value of the meeting). All June bookings will receive two pieces of luggage.

For more information on the hotel and its VIMP promotion, contact Gary Stram, director of group sales, at (212) 339-4115 or gstram@loewshotels.com

W OFFERS BICYCLES TO GUESTS TO GO GREEN Starting on Earth Day, Aprill 22, W Hotels Worldwide began providing free Puma bicycles and helmets to guests to use as an alternative to cars.

In addition, the chain also offers the Green Wheels program, a limousine service using luxury hybrids or ethanol-powered cars for the same rates as more traditional vehicles.

Call ahead if you are interested in the bicycles as some properties apparently have them on back order as of press time.

On the Web: www.whotels.com

June ’08

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts and Microsoft announced this month a partnership that will expand the communications hubs in many Sheraton lobbies. Called the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft, hubs will offer free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations where guests will be able to access their e-mail accounts, search the web and much more at 300 properties worldwide.

THE NEW WTCC IN HALIFAX LOOKING FOR DEVELOPERS The Province and Halifax Regional Municipality are seeking expressions of interest from qualified individuals or groups for a development opportunity that includes a new World Trade and Convention Centre as a core component.

There are a number of conditions that must be met by interested parties. Among them, the building must be located in downtown Halifax and it must have a minimum of 150,000 square feet of usable space. It must be able to host multiple large conventions and several smaller events simultaneously.

“This could be one of the most exciting things to happen to downtown Halifax in quite some time," said Premier Rodney MacDonald.

“The existing World Trade Centre has been an economic engine for the city and the province, but we are outgrowing the existing facility. As we continue to develop the downtown, it's clear more convention space needs to be part of the plan.”

Since 1984, Trade Centre Limited has contributed an estimated $2.2 billion in direct expenditures, and $1.6 billion in incremental expenditures.

It has also resulted in almost $100 million in tax revenues and employs 98 full-time and 300 part-time staff.

On the Web: www.wtcchalifax.com THE

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Canadians love the U.S. More Canadians visited the United States in January and February than residents of any other country.

Here is the total number of people arriving in the U.S. from various countries according to the U.S. Commerce Department: Canada 2,511,801 Britain 838,742 Japan 547,853 Germany 199,581 France 143,473

You can run but you can’t hide from pollution Running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise that can help city dwellers counteract those sedentary hours spent at the workplace.

But runners in polluted cities breathe in more toxins than nonrunners, resulting in a higher risk of lung disease.

To minimize the amount of pollutants you breathe, jog early in the morning before rush hour, or run indoors on a treadmill.

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Have you shown ‘some love’ lately?

BY SHARON WORSLEY k, maybe not ‘love’ but what about appreciation?

How have you shown appreciation to your staff of late? Maybe you haven’t even thought of it, or considered that it was important for you to communicate your gratitude to your staff for a job well done.

I would like to suggest you take some time to think of how you might show your appreciation to the staff that works for you in a few ways you might not have considered before. If your staff is busy planning events for others, how can you use this type of medium to celebrate their importance to your organization?

Negotiate discounts with local suppliers such as restaurants, theme parks like Canada’s Wonderland or movie tickets Perhaps you can set up either a formal or informal program in house to show your appreciation for staff by providing them with gift vouchers or heavily discounted coupons for places that they may want to frequent with their family or friends. This way, you are not only benefitting the employee but causing a ripple effect to those who are important to them.

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Offer free lunch time seminars to staff (often referred to as ‘Lunch and Learns’).

Entrepreneur.com recommends contacting professionals in the health care, financial planning or legal industry to provide their speaking services to your staff. This can often be negotiated for free so long as they have the chance to promote their services.

I would like to suggest seeking out upcoming motivational speakers, wellness experts and life coaches who all have valuable insights that can be passed onto your staff.

Not only might it have an impact on your employees’ lives, but positive changes they might make in their private life will naturally flow into the work environment, thereby creating a win-win situation.

Google, chosen by Fortune Magazine in 2007 as the No. 1 best company to work for, provides its staff with various lecture series featuring famous people. Mind you, they also offer such amazing benefits as a $500 voucher for take-away food after the birth of a child and a $5,000 subsidy for purchasing a hybrid car.

You might not be in the same category as Google, but how can you make a difference in what you are currently doing for your staff?

SET UP AN EDUCATIONAL/ MOTIVATIONAL EVENT What about considering holding a bigger event that a ‘Lunch and Learn’ whereby you bring in a big name speaker to present a motivational talk to the team? Some companies are already doing this for employees, but what about pumping it up by giving family members of the employee a chance to participate as well.

HOST A CELEBRATION DINNER, AFTER A SUCCESSFUL EVENT RECENTLY CONDUCTED BY YOUR COMPANY Consider hosting a celebration dinner after pulling off a big event for your company or one where your company was responsible for running the event for someone else. As a great thank you make sure to invite family members to enjoy the evening as a thank you for possibly having to miss time with their spouse or parent (your staff) while they were busy working on the event.

SEASONAL EVENTS Different seasons offer the chance to spice up the type of offering you provide to staff. From picnics or an afternoon cruise during the summer to corn roasts in the fall or a holiday party during December, there are an abundant number of reasons to get together with your staff.

WEEKEND EVENTS While I was employed at Rider Travel some years ago, later to become BTI Travel, and now HRG, we had an opportunity to participate in an annual weekend event called ‘Rider Weekend’. A weekend trip was arranged annually somewhere in Canada, for a couple of nights where staff from across the company came together for a few days of rest, relaxation and fun.

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Create a good working environment The program was both subsidized by the company while the HR department arranged pay deductions over many months to accommodate the employees’ budget.

HIGH RIDER PROGRAM Also at the same company we had an annual program which highlighted the contribution of various staff members who had performed exceptionally well throughout the year. These staff were then taken away to some great destination for several days to a week, as well as celebrated throughout the company BUDGET – ROI So you may be asking yourself, why would you want to provide such an event or celebration for your employees?

Here are just a few reasons to contemplate: • Performance – consider the effect on job satisfaction • Building morale – assists in building a cohesive and committed work environment • Loyalty – with opportunities to move to a new company, do you want to ensure staff feel they are appreciated, and thereby the byproduct is continued loyalty to your company • Recruitment – by offering these types of events and programs you have a great recruitment enticement. Just like dental plans and RRSP contributions, this can be an asset when seeking new staff CELEBRATIONS How do you celebrate successes in your company?

Are you taking the time to invest in celebrations of success by your employees or do you take them (the successes and/or the employees) for granted?

You can be creative with any of the above suggestions, or better yet seek the input from the ranks of your

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company directly. Find out what they would value and then act on it wherever possible.

A WORD OF CAUTION Remember that if you decide to organize some type of event or celebration, you might want to carefully consider who is going to champion this. Who will be asked to look after the details and run the actual event? If you leave it to your meeting planner/s who already look after all the other events that are part of your business, then you are not really rewarding the planner/s.

Not only will they not be able to benefit from the celebration freely but this will become just another ‘thing’ they have to do as part of their job.

Sharon Worsley, CEO of Live With Intent, is a personal leadership coach and motivational speaker. Her signature keynote ‘Live By Choice, Not By Chance’ assists individuals and organizations to become clear on how they can ensure the quality of their life or organization. Sharon can be reached at sharon@livewithintent.com.

Strike caused a recession in California The recent three-month long Hollywood writers strike tipped California into a recession, resulting in a loss of US$2.1 billion to the state economy and costing 37,700 jobs according to a recent report by the Milken report.

Approximately 10,500 members of the Writers Guild of America walked off the job in November after failing to strike a new contract with major film and television studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers. A key sticking point was how much writers would be paid when their work appeared on the Internet.

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Summer books Ed. Note: Summer is a time to recharge and catch up on our reading. We asked planners to share with us some of their favorite summer books. Here are some of the suggestions we received.

Book 1: A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon Comments: The sixth novel in the Outlander Saga. The story continues the story of Jamie and Claire and starts shortly before the American Revolution. A huge book that takes a while to read. If you like history, this is a book for you.

Book 2: Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong Comments: This is a Canadian author, writing the first time in crime fiction (her usual field is fantasy). This story is about a former police officer turned female assassin. Very easy read that keeps you trying to figure out “who done it.”

Margaret Hoffman, BC Regional Support, Vancouver, BC Book: It’s Your Ship – Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff Comments: By far, the best management book I have read in years.

Mel McGregor, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alta.

Book 1: The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before it Manages You by Mike Song, Vicki Halsey & Tim Burress.

Comments: An easy book to read with some excellent tips and practical advice that works! It also makes you think.

Book 2: First Things First by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill Comments: I have to admit that I bought the CD book version, so I did not actually read the book, but I listened to it several times. The topics on the “Principle Centered Approach,” the struggle between urgent and important and the introduction of the “Clock and the Compass” coupled with creative imagination and independent will – for the first time, an approach to time management that even I could relate to.

Following some of the steps will not be easy but I got it!

Suzanne Broadbent, Tor ZVM, Kuehne + Nagel Ltd., Mississauga, Ont. Book 1: The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Comments: This book is a historical fiction of 17th century Scotland that will have you begging for more pages!

Thankfully, it is the beginning of a series of adventures for Claire and her handsome Highlander. I could not put it down and I miss ‘my friends’ now that I am finished reading it.

Book 2: River God by Wilbur Smith Comments: Journey back in time to Pharaonic Egypt and 16

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discover the origin of bleacher seating and writing, including event planning for Pharaohs! This fiction brings an exciting history to life!

Ellen Boddington Stellar Conference & Event Management Inc., Toronto, Ontario Book: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Comments: The book gives you a real appreciation for those small things in life.

Bev Dankner, A Matter of Taste, Ottawa, Ont. Book: Redemption by Leon Uris Comments: Wow, what and amazing book – I could not put it down. He is an awesome writer and although the theme and characters are intense it was very easy to read and appreciate. I feel very sad that I have finished the book; I was so into the characters, I knew them so intimately that I miss them now. This book will make your summer!

Patricia Pearson, Brent Moore & Associates Inc, Gatineau, Que. Book: Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson Comments: This book is more than 600 pages long, and yet it moved along quickly. When I finished it, I wanted to read it again. Right away. The story revolves around the lives of several characters during the Vietnam war. It is about human folly, it is about the human spirit, it is soulful, it is magnificent.

Gail Burgin, Sears Canada Inc., Toronto, Ont. Book 1: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert Comments: Has anyone not read this book yet? It’s one woman’s journey through Italy (indulging in food and life's little pleasures) and India (soul searching at an Ashram) and Indonesia (to find love). It’s a wonderful, honest, autobiography that has you happily experiencing all this ‘living’ with the author, and never wanting to put the book down. A must read!

Book 2: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Comments: This book is about a 50-year love triangle set in the 19th century, and is written absolutely beautifully. This story of unrequited love suggests that that suffering for love is a kind of nobility. I found the first chapter a bit confusing but after that I eagerly escaped into this other era and a style of writing that conjured up endless wonderful images and ideas.

Krystyna Roberts , Lombard Canada, Toronto, Ont. Book 1: Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen Comments: This book gives a wonderfully realistic view of circus life in the early twentieth century. It is insightful, humorous, romantic, and a truly gripping story. It truly is difficult to put down.

Book 2: The Lighthouse by P.D. James Comments: This is P.D. James last novel and the last Adam Dalgliesh mystery. I think it is her best.

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Summer books

of a man following severe trauma. Surely one of King’s best books. It gets a 9/10 from me!

Pierre Geoffroy, Sanofi Pasteur, Toronto, Ont.

The prose is thoughtfully descriptive, not your typical crime novel. She definitely saved the best for last.

Laurie Hamilton Bloorview Childrens Hospital Foundation, Toronto, Ont. Book: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Comments: Such a shame that idealism and big dreams end; the author did a great job of telling Chris McCandless’s story and I enjoyed both movie and book.

Jean Koopman, VON Canada, Ottawa, Ont. Book: Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy Comments: Quick read & reminder on organizing, simplifying, focussing on priorities and getting more done in less time.

Hans Tiedemann, MCA Alberta, Calgary, Alta.

Book: Past Perfect by Susan Isaacs Comments: This is a new author that I have just discovered, and I’m hooked. She writes with a wonderful sense of humour, and her characters are very human – I identify completely with their irrationality. Good story lines, and always a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting. I discovered her when I picked up a copy of Red, White and Blue at a book sale.

Carol Patterson, Cognos, Ottawa, Ont. Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Comments: Another piece of fiction in the cruel past of Afghanistan. A story of patriarchal despotism, love and hope.

Another glimpse into a world few native North Americans understand and should. Heart-breaking and beautiful.

Janelle Ellis , CREB, Calgary, Alta.

Book: Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs Comments: Fantastic book about sisterhood, friendships.

Made me want to learn to knit!

Cheryl, Pivotal Talents Ltd. Edmonton, Alta.

Book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Comments: The most riveting book I have ever read.

While not a frothy beach read, it is an absolute page turner.

It really brought home the tragedy that has befallen the average and privileged Afghan family.

Cindy Gonsalves, OHMPA, Mississauga, Ont.

The five winners of the $50 gift certificates from Chapters Bookstores are : France Guillotte, Mercer; Ellen Boddington, Stellar Conference & Event Management; Suzanne Broadbent, Tor ZVM; Mel McGregor, Athabasca University; Margaret Hoffman, BC Regional Support.

Book: Duma Key by Stephen King Comments: Perhaps based somewhat on King’s personal experiences, this story revolves around the “coming together”

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Thank you to our sponsor Avtec Professional Audio-Visual Services!

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Chill out with Summer wines

BY MARCEL MORGENSTERN

love summer! There, I said it. What I enjoy the most is cooking outside with summer fresh ingredients and enjoying a backyard dinner party with friends and family. Salads, grilled vegetables, beautiful cuts of marinated or dry-rubbed grilled meat are calling for some cocktails, a cold beer and some good wine to round out a good summer feast.

Why not start out with some martinis while everyone is waiting for the notorious late-arrivals. They will sure be upset if they miss this high-end Icewine martini.

Icewine is the wonderful dessert wine that Canada is famous for in the international world of wine. Naturally frozen on the vines and pressed in the middle of Canada’s frosty winters each grape destined for this white gold coloured wine will render one precious drop of concentrated juice. This juice is then slow fermented into the rich and luscious dessert wine that has won prestigious awards in wine competitions around the world. In your backyard you can chose to serve icewine with dessert, on its own, or try this simple recipe for an unforgettable reception to your party: Shake equal parts of Vidal Icewine with your choice of a premium Vodka.

As a garnish I suggest freezing some seedless skinned grapes on tooth picks. They are going to replace the well-known martini olive.

Now, that even the stragglers have arrived, it is time to bring out those tasty appetizers while everyone is looking forward to the “main event” that requires the grill to reach peak temperatures. Sparkling wines, light bodied and crisp white wines are always a good choice for light appetizers such as marinated grilled jumbo shrimps, crab cakes, bruschetta, calamari or an antipasto platter with cheeses, olives, grilled eggplant and marinated roasted red peppers and some dips. A semi-sweet Riesling, a Pinot Grigio, some Unoaked Chardonnay will do the trick here. To add more sparkle to the party I do recommend some “bubbles.” Mostly famous for being sprayed around atop of various podiums, cracked open at midnight on the last day of the year or during weddings, I believe that sparkling wine deserves more frequent appearances at casual gatherings in backyards.

These wines will cleans your taste buds and prep them for the anticipated star of the show.

As main courses tend to feature a larger amount of protein, such as grilled meats we tend to check out the red wine section in the wine store to find the perfect pairing. Big heavy steaks call for big wines, such as

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Cabernet Sauvignons, Cabernet Francs or big Cabernet Merlot blends. These wines are usually higher in alcohol and are described as full-bodied wines. If you decide to keep it a bit more on the lighter side or are grilling up some vegetarian alternatives I recommend staying with some light to medium-bodied wines. Pinot Noir, Gamay and medium-bodied Cabernet Merlot are softer red wines which match well with grilled vegetables and lighter main courses. They are also great with gourmet pizzas and red sauce pasta dishes. The options and combinations are endless and you can employ the help of your wine store clerk to narrow down the choices.

If you are choosing a beach party style for your social gathering and want to keep it on the less formal side of wine appreciation you can experiment with freshly prepared Sangria. But, please don’t raid your family’s wine cellar to find a great bottle of wine for this recipe. I suggest sticking with an off-dry red wine that can be found at very reasonable prices in larger format bottles. Here is a basic recipe that you can easily build on: SANGRIA RECIPE 1 bottle (750ml) of chilled red wine, 1 lemon or lime cut into wedges, 1 orange cut into wedges, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 shot brandy, 2 cups sparkling water. Pour the wine into a pitcher and squeeze some juice from the wedges into the wine. Add the wedges to the pitcher along with the rest of the ingredients.

To make this recipe your own, play around with some additional fruits such as strawberries, blueberries etc., but stay away from that bottle of 1926 Bordeaux that great-grandpa won at an auction.

Let’s not forget about dessert. Summer is the best time for fresh fruits. Grilled peaches and plums served with vanilla ice cream is as fancy as you have to get with me. To complete the dinner experience what better way than to sip on some Canadian Icewine bursting with lush caramelized fruit characteristics on the nose and on the palate.

As the sun sets on another wonderful summer barbeque I pause to raise my glass to good friends, good food and great refreshment brought to us by the exciting selection of Ontario wines.

Marcel Morgenstern is the Estate Sommelier for Pillitteri Estates Winery. The world’s largest estate producer of Icewine, Pillitteri Estates Winery, is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

For additional information, please visit Pillitteri Estates’ web site at www.pillitteri.com or to sign up for their bi-monthly e-newsletter. You can find answers to your wine related questions by emailing them to sommelier@pillitteri.com.

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June ’08

Sudoku

Vancouver is top North American city for international meetings

Sponsored by the Centre Mont-Royal Fill each square with a number from 1 to 9 so that every number appears only once in each row, column and cell.

SOME SUDOKU RESOURCES ON THE WEB: • www.websudoku.com •www.sudoweb.com •www.dailysudoku.com •www.sudokupuzz.com

LEVEL: EASY LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

June ’08

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has ranked Vancouver as North America’s top destination for international meetings.

In their annual International Association Meeting Market statistics report, Amsterdam-based ICCA ranks cities based on the number of international meetings hosted in the previous year. Vancouver hosted 49 meetings in 2007, placing it 26th internationally, one place ahead of Montreal and well ahead of Toronto (tied for 40th place), New York City (46th), San Diego (tied for 53rd place) and Boston (tied for 62nd place). In 2006, Vancouver was ranked slightly higher in 24th position.

“When we talk with the groups that are coming or thinking of coming to Vancouver, there’s no doubt that this city, as a meeting and convention venue, is and will be top of their list,” said Warren Buckley, president and CEO, PavCo. Tourism Vancouver has been actively soliciting international association business in recent years through its own Be a Host program. In 2007, the meetings and conventions industry contributed $585 million in direct visitor spending to the Vancouver economy.

On the Web: www.tourismvancouver.com

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ETDBW contest The following are responses to our ETDBW contest.

Here is what our e-mail recipients were asked: ETDBW is an initialism for Easy To Do Business With.

Have you ever stopped to wonder if your company is "Easy To Do Business With" from a customer’s perspective?

Well, we won’t focus on you – but you know how it is nowadays, you almost need a manual at times to do business with some businesses, just getting to talk to someone in a big company is a five-minute exercise on a good day, and when you do get through you might be speaking to someone who is located halfway around the world.

Tell us about a company that was ETDBW, the ones that really do an outstanding job, the ones that WOWED you, and why.

We always receive too many replies to publish them all, but here is a sampling of your comments. In some cases, more than one planner mentioned the same supplier, so we have tried to limit it to one mention per supplier.

We have done business for more years then we can remember. Our relationship is more then just “mutual.” Even for extremely weird and difficult projects we have been able to rely on our ETDBW partners Gourmet Cuisine. Catering services as you know are “a dime a dozen.” However, what makes Gourmet Cuisine is the incredible behind-the-scenes team of Deborah Macfie Vice President Sales and Marketing and her partner Hamish.

Their slogan, “It’s simply the celebration of food!” is a testament to their leadership ability and willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done. They are a credit to their profession and are true ETDBW partners in our world of meetings and special events.

Marianne Thompson CMP CMM RE/MAX Promotions Inc. Mississauga, Ont. I was recently thinking about what a great job my contacts at the Fairmont have been doing. Please feel free to use my comments below.

I have thoroughly enjoyed booking meetings and events with the Fairmont Hotels – in particular with the Waterfront and Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver and the Palliser in Calgary.

We began our relationship more than two years ago (approximately 15 – 20 events) and they have consistently provided excellent customer service via phone, e-mail and in person on the day of the event! On occasion, our needs have changed at the last minute and they have been able to accommodate our requests courteously and always warmly. Our events have run smoothly and I have 20

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recommended the Fairmont Conference Services and Catering staff to many people in my organization.

I feel very well looked after and our clients also have commented on the venue as well as the food.

Every time I book an event at the Fairmont Waterfront, Hotel Vancouver or Palliser, I know it will be a success!

Margaret Cooper Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario London, Ont. I find Frischkorn Audio Visual Services easy to do business with. From the start when you speak with Bob Varga, Sales Manager you know you are in good hands. He asks the right questions to understand the goals and objectives of your event.

He talks openly about budget and different ideas for getting the most for your money. He has creative solutions when budgets are tight as he knows the client needs to be impressed.

The quotes are clear and easy to read. His Lead Tech attends the pre-con meeting and prior to the event start-up the techs and I sit and review key AV details of the program and review the technical script, guest speakers, special needs of speakers, emcees, etc. Frischkorn techs know their stuff and this provides me, the meeting planner, with confidence that everything will go as planned. Even better is when there is an AV problem onsite: the Frischkorn techs respond immediately and make the presenters feel at ease.

When I receive compliments from the presenters that they were well taken care of and felt the event was very well organized from a presenter’s point of view, I know that my Frischkorn team was part of the that accomplishment.

For my larger events, the Sales Manager will come by the event to check on everything, sometimes two or three times.

This is customer service at its finest and this is why Frischkorn Audio Visual is “Easy To Do Business With.” They wow me every time.

Karen Elliott, CMP ProPlanners Aurora, Ontario Our company (Buskro Ltd.) is a family owned and operated business. Our office is located in Pickering, Ontario (a very small town outside of Toronto). We often have visitors to our facility and we usually provide lunch for them. Most times this is pre-planned and special ordered through a local company, Calvert Catering (owner Scott Honsberger). Scott is always accommodating, even when we have a very small group or I call him last minute and ask for a lunch to be provided the same day. He allows me to change his pre-set menus to suit our needs. Delivery is always on time and the food is always fresh and tasty.

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ETDBW contest It makes my job easier to know that I can count on Calvert Catering to provide us with a service that is professional and “Easy To Do Business With!”

Cindy Weir Travel/Meeting Coordinator, BUSKRO Pickering, Ont. I am new to my position and have the responsibility of organizing a golf tournament with all the trappings and gifts that go along with it. I asked colleagues for referrals to companies that can obtain quantities of ‘gift” items with the ability to put a logo on them. Since there are so many marketing companies that offer this service, I thought getting recommendations was the best way to go – but I did choose companies at random from the Internet as well. It was this recent process that leads me to my nomination for ETDBW: Trademark Workwear.

While I contacted literally dozens of companies, this was the only company that not only replied to my inquiry right away, they had the information I needed within an hour of my call.

They also went out of their way to ensure I got what I wanted WHEN I wanted it AND did everything at MY convenience.

The most recent company that was ‘Easy To Do Business With’ was WestJet. We had a ticket that had been cancelled, and we wanted to use it for someone else in the office. I called their 1-800 number, which isn’t always the best thing because you always get a darn recording or the runaround! I got someone right away, asked if I could booked a flight using a credit that was previously booked for someone else. It was no problem and within 5 minutes I had booked the new flight AND received an e-mail confirmation with the itinerary! Try to do that with Air Canada!

Lyne Demmery Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Ottawa, Ont.

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Other companies did not return my initial calls for 3-days or 24-hrs and then they took my information and said they would get back to me. By the time I had ordered and received my merchandise from Trademark, some of the other companies still hadn’t gotten back to me. Others told me I was ordering too late or that what I wanted was not available.

Calgary is not well known at the moment for customer service, so the treatment that I received as a new customer with a small order was PHENOMENAL – in a word…they impressed me so much that of course when I have bigger orders I know who to deal with. Now I am referring colleagues back to them without hesitation.

ETDBW = repeat customers and customer satisfaction = Trademark Workwear.

Janelle Ellis Calgary Real Estate Board® Charitable Foundation Calgary, Alta.

Whenever we send corporate gifts, client thank you baskets or employee sympathy, congrats or any other gift occasion, I always call Percy Waters Florist.

They did my wedding (and I am called Ms. Fussy-Pants) and they did the flowers for the movie “My Big, Fat Greek Wedding.” I can order through anyone who answers the phone and they always get it perfect! You can open a corporate (or personal) account immediately over the phone and they have called after an order has been placed to make sure the client was happy with what was delivered. They also make me look good and anyone who makes my life easier, or makes me look good, gets my business.

If any other companies come to mind, I will send you an update — but these two are my favourites!

Linda Mountford McKesson Canada Toronto, Ont.

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ETDBW contest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Don’t you just enjoy a venue that aims to please? A venue that understands the needs of both corporate and social event planners and that responds accordingly? No hassle, no fuss.

At the historic Graydon Hall in Toronto, we had the pleasure of hosting various events over several years, including holiday dinners.

During any season, Graydon Hall is beautifully decorated.

The menu is perfect for any palate and the staff are professional and welcoming. Our Event Designer, Keith Gawronski, effortlessly handled our holiday dinner event details and one year, even directed traffic for the 56-seat coach transporting guests! This venue is definitely a hit for all types of events.

Great atmosphere, great food and a terrific staff!

Annie Oksanen Ontario Real Estate Association Don Mills, Ontario A company that I find easy to do business with is a small company called Promovoir Inc. I purchase a number of promotional items and corporate gifts from them. Why? First of all, they always answer their telephone and e-mail messages. If I have to leave a message, I receive a call back within the hour. They always provide me with a proof in plenty of time. Their service is excellent. The person that I deal with at Promovoir delivers the material I require to my office in plenty of time. I never have to worry that I will not receive my order on time and never have to call to remind them.

When I have a last minute order, I know who I can depend on. It’s such a pleasure to deal with Promovoir and their representative, Sheldon Kirshner. I have recommended Promovoir to a number of other departments in the School Board.

Janice Lacroix English Montreal School Board Montreal , Que. I recently ordered promotional items from Adam Graham, at Commercial Marketing. Not only was it a last-minute order with time sensitive delivery date, it was my first time ordering from this company and I found them to be so incredibly easy to do business with.

I sent an e-mail late last Wednesday afternoon and received an email back with quote, delivery date, credit card application and phone call all within minutes.

The order, payment process, logo-artwork, delivery information were all confirmed early the following morning as I had to catch 22

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a flight out to an event later that morning. They also offered to specially package the items by quantity.

Lina DiMatteo, CMP CMA Canada Mississauga, Ont. I plan educational events in every province and territory across Canada and in this capacity have the privilege of working with many suppliers for all types of services. I first met Phillippe Kwon of Inland AV in Saskatoon and our AV could not have run smoother. His staff were knowledgeable, courteous and professional in their approach to us. We have since worked with Inland AV in other cities and received the same high quality service that always ensures Inland AV gets our RFPs. Thanks Inland AV. If you would like to know about a Tourist and Convention Bureau that really makes their clients feel special, check out the staff in Saskatoon. Their service is superb and they could not be more helpful.

Margaret Chartrand Canadian Medical Protective Association Ottawa, Ont. I have worked with this Trade Association for nine years this past March and have over the course of the nine years worked with the same printer Trade Offset.

When dealing with this printer I deal directly with the owner of the company. He always makes me feel like I am his only customer. I know that this company does work for very large corporations and charities yet I always feel like I am receiving one-to-one attention.

All the work done by this company, from our newsletter, to our membership directory, to promotional material, is done well, right and on time. Many times the printer will make recommendations that vary from what we were looking for in order to save us money.

I would recommend this company to anyone who has had hassle-filled dealings with printed material in the past.

Janet Chappelle Ontario Painting Contractors Association Toronto, Ont. There are many companies that likely fit the bill in our experience but there was one this past year that won rave reviews from both our association staff and our members alike.

That was the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in Calgary Alberta, and specifically, their Conference Sales and Management Staff. We held our national conference there in October and our experience with the Hotel from the time of the initial site review to the completion of our conference, and the follow up, was absolutely terrific from a conference manager’s perspective.

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ETDBW contest The welcome we received for the site review was warm, welcoming, and we were treated royally. Even the general manager of the Hotel took the time out of her busy schedule to join us for breakfast, as did the director of sales. Our two committee co-chairs had driven to the Hotel, and with parking in the area a premium, they were given VIP passes and not only that, when they returned to their cars, they found a Hotel travel mug with a ribbon tied around it bearing a personalized gift tag, thanking them for coming. What an excellent first impression – and it didn’t stop there. Once we confirmed the contract, the conference manager from the Hotel could not have been better – responsive, attentive, detail oriented, creative, extremely efficient, calm, helpful way above and beyond the call of duty (even taking time to help search for plate holders for us on her day off for one of our displays!), and an excellent problem solver. The rest of the staff followed suit. Nothing we asked was too much and any problems were addressed immediately. She was our key contact and we were always able to reach her.

The keys to their success with our organization were the strong personal customer service orientation, organization and most importantly, the communication, whether it was the front desk or the banquet staff or the conference manager.

The delegate evaluations reflected this and our members, being club managers themselves and in the hospitality industry, are very critical with respect to service because of the standards within their own clubs.

The Hotel definitely raised the bar for us in terms of what

we would like to experience with other venues for our conference – but a tough act to follow.

Elizabeth Di Chiara, CAE Executive Director Canadian Society of Club Managers Etobicoke, Ont. I would absolutely like to put forward the Westin Ottawa and the Fairmont Royal York! The convention services managers (Marcel Roy and Bruce Kellogg) are the best I have ever worked with. Calls are always returned promptly and they have always made me feel that my business is important to them.

Andréa Bright, CMP Ontario Nurses’ Association Toronto, Ont.

The winner of the ETDBW Contest is : Marianne Thompson, CMP, CMM RE/MAX Promotions Inc. Mississauga, Ont.

She wins a weekend for two at the Montreal Hilton Bonaventure Hotel including Sunday Brunch.

Thank you to our sponsor!

July 27-30, 2008 National Business Travel Association, Annual International Convention & Exposition, Los Angeles Convention Centre. Contact: (703) 684-0836, www.nbta.org.

August 4 – Civic holiday (Except in Quebec and Newfoundland)

August 9-12, 2008 Meeting Professionals International, World Education Conference, Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact: (972) 702-3000, www.mpiweb.org.

June 24 – Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (Quebec) July 1 – Canada Day

July 25-29, 2008 International Association of Assembly Managers, Annual Conference & Trade Show, Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Centre. Contact: (972) 906-7441, www.iaam.org.

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August 28, 2008 Canadian Society of Professional Event Planners, 2008 Golf Tournament, Thornbury, Ont. Contact: www.cspep.ca.

September 1 – Labour Day

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Avoiding jet lag Ed. note: This excerpt is from The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation by Laura Lee.

et lag is a temporary disruption of bodily rhythms caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft. It affects 94 percent of longhaul flyers and includes such physical symptoms as fatigue, insomnia, disorientation, swelling limbs, ear/nose/eye irritations, headaches, bowel irregularity and light-headedness. Jet lag occurs because changes in time zones confuse the body’s twenty-four hour inner clock known as ‘circadian rhythms’.

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AVOID CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL. Isocones (pushing acupressure points) helps you sleep during the journey.

Travel west is best: arrive in the late afternoon if possible because then you don’t have to wait long for bedtime and will be fresh the following morning.

If traveling east arrive in the morning – and try to get into sunlight as the body clock takes it timing from natural sunlight and will adjust eastwards more quickly.

Adapt to your new time zone as quickly as possible, especially at meal and sleep times.

Change your watch to your destination time on the plane. Sleep on the plane as if it is bedtime in your arrival city; stay awake if it isn’t.

One authority, which thinks dehydration is the main culprit of jet lag, recommends that you drink two glasses of water before getting on the plane and one or more liters in flight.

One German study found sedentary passengers suffered more jet-lag than those who walked or exercised.

Exercise, both in the air and upon arrival, will circulate

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your blood and help you feel rejuvenated.

Adjust your sleep time before you leave on your trip.

If you are flying from the west coast to the east coast of America, for example; if your normal bedtime is midnight, then three nights before you travel go to sleep at 11 p.m. Two days before you travel retire at 10 p.m., and the night before your trip go to sleep at 9 p.m. (which is midnight on the east coast.)

Take melatonin, an over the counter product, which is being toted as the new miracle “jet-lag pill.” It is a substance naturally produced in humans at night.

Supposedly, it tricks the body into resetting the natural sleep/awake cycle. If taken in the morning, it delays your body clock and allows you to stay up later. If taken at night it encourages sleep.

Excerpted from The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation, Copyright (c) 2001 by Laura Lee. Excerpted with permission of the publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This book is available at all bookstores, online booksellers and from the Wiley web site at: www.wiley.ca, or call 1-800-567-4797.

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June ’08

Chef’s table for you

BY CYNTHIA FELL

o you have a client who has just seen – or rather, tasted – it all? Exotic spices, elegant venues, ultrapremium cuts… nothing impresses them anymore. But in today’s world, where corporate events can be as common as business meetings, can you really blame the experienced diner for having a tired palate?

Why not re-awaken the senses and bring group dining to the next level? Why not bring to your clients a Chef’s Table? As the term implies, a Chef’s Table is an interactive dining experience whereby a chef not only prepares the best in culinary delights but is on hand to tell the story, answer questions and interact with your clients.

This type of dining combines the advantages of customizing your client’s experience (above and beyond the usual upscale meal), uniting good talk with good food and providing insight into the creation process; through the chef’s tutelage and explanations, your experienced diner might just discover a few new flavours tucked away in that bouillabaisse or carpaccio.

Chef’s Tables are becoming rapidly popular among the restaurant scene as more and more fine restaurants are accommodating this type of setting in addition to conventional dining. For example, the cluster of prominent restaurants that makes up the Colborne/St. Lawrence market scene, such as the iconic Jaime Kennedy Wine Bar and the new “it” spot Colborne Lane, are outfitted with Chef’s Tables.

But where else can your client experience a Chef’s Table?

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BRASSAII Located on King Street West, Brassaii offers set and a la carte menus along with wine-tastings. Wine tastings can include one of their sommeliers, and some of the tasting menus can include their chef. This flexible space seats 22, and is a hit with medium-sized groups looking for the interactive VIP treatment.

MARO A favorite among sushi goers, the chef’s table at Maro wraps around the open kitchen, directly in front of the sushi bar. Its a la carte menu features daily selection using the finest choice ingredients. The chef’s table can seat 12 people comfortably and is perfect for smaller intimate groups.

CRUSH WINE BAR Part of the burgeoning King West dining scene, Crush has a distinctly local flair to its menu with its cuisine June ’08

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focused on local producers and suppliers offering the best of Ontario. Organic food lovers take note- Crush strives to ensure that the ingredients are not only local but organic. The chef’s table can seat up to 8 people right outside the kitchen in a setting which combines old world charm and the energy of the King West scene.

No matter what the local, what can your client expect from a Chef’s Table?

• The chef will greet your group and tell them what the menu offerings of the evening will be.

• Depending on the restaurant and your preferences, on average there can be up to 5 courses and 3 to 5 wine pairings, but some restaurants can definitely do more courses.

• Throughout the evening, the chef will come out and discuss with the group the dish they are currently preparing, and what to expect next.

• When each course comes out, the chef will describe the course to the group and share any interesting details about its preparation.

• Multi-course tasting menus may be offered to provide a sample of a type of cuisine or house specialties, or to take advantage of fresh seasonal ingredients.

Restaurants will often offer wine pairings to match the tasting menu.

• Many chefs in downtown Toronto pride themselves on using in-season ingredients from local providers. Most chefs love hosting this type of dinner because they are given freedom to experiment and express their creative flair.

Think of a Chef’s Table as a peek behind the curtain of creation. Perfect for small and interactive experiences, this event will give attendees a rare glimpse into the backstage of the restaurant scene. It is sure to be a unique and memorable experience for novice and expert diners alike!

Some Chef’s Tables Out West: Calgary Capo – Italian cuisine (www.caporestaurant.ca) Alloy Greek/Med Fuzion (www.alloydining.com) Banff Eden (at Rimrock Hotel) – French www.rimrockresort.com/eden.html Vancouver Coast – Seafood (www.coastrestaurant.ca) Dining Events is Toronto’s premier event placement and coordination service provider for the planning industry. Dining Events has helped planners co-ordinate numerous Chef’s Tables.

For more information on Chef’s Tables or other dining events, please contact info@diningevents.ca or (416) 516-2994.

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Dressing for the occasion at work

BY CAMILLE LAY here is a lot more emphasis on blending one’s work life and one’s personal life these days. There are more social events linked to the workplace and more socializing with the people one works with all week. Companies believe it helps to grow the company culture, and create a more team-oriented environment for the employees.

Gone are the days of the once-a-year company party. Now there are numerous social events throughout the year.

Some may really enjoy socializing with the people they work with all week, but some feel anxious about sharing their personal time and committing to events they aren’t interested in or would not do on their own.

Some of the anxiety might result from the fact that many of the social events expose people more than they usually do at the office, behind their desk. In the working environment, men and women usually wear business attire that creates a façade and even helps the shiest ones feel more comfortable around their co-workers and adapt a more serious look in front of their boss.

When it comes an event, a lot of people can be apprehensive about their appearance and their colleagues’ perception of them.

Although teambuilding, incentive or recognition events can happen in a relaxed environment, participants are still among co-workers and supervisors. By consequence, their look can be an issue when mingling with their manager or even the president. If an event takes place on a beach or a casual venue, people can opt for business casual clothes instead of a suit or dress, and garments designed to make them feel comfortable in any situation.

In order for extracurricular activities to be successful, a company must think of all the employees and provide activities where they will all be comfortable and feel they can portray themselves in a positive light. For example, when planning a beach party, there may be some people who are not comfortable in a swimsuit and do not wish to be under the scrutiny of the other employees. It is important that organizers consider all the options and offer alternatives to the potential activities. In the case of a swim party, make it a beach party with a variety of activities, where people can feel comfortable not wearing a bathing suit.

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Another thing to consider is some religions have a dress code, and this may play a part in an employee’s willingness to dress a certain way for an event.

On the other hand, employees can make suggestions to their company for activities that interest them and they are comfortable with. These activities can still build team spirit, but remove the anxieties of asking them to participate in events where they are not at ease. Surveys among employees are a good way of getting feedback from them and planning something that will achieve a high participation rate.

SHOW YOUR STYLE OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE! When employees are participating in events that are out of their comfort zones, a few details can help them feel better and avoid embarrassment. When planning an outdoor event like a swimming pool party or a beach or lake party, participants can be notified to bring and/or wear comfortable clothes, which will allow them to move with ease. According to weather conditions, a colorful and light cotton, with a long or semi-long sleeves shirt, along with Capri pants or even kneehigh shorts (they are back in!) will cover enough skin to not feel over-exposed and still allow to move and enjoy team-building games.

If fashion is not everybody’s forte, basics never go wrong. A variety of tops and bottoms come in colors and fabrics that allow individuals to feel like they belong to the environment they are in.

Take this as an opportunity to show your style outside of the office!

Notifying all participants of a dress code will avoid awkwardness

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TIPS FOR COMFORT: • Notifying all participants of a dress code will avoid awkwardness by having people wear the same type of clothes so that nobody feels over-dressed or underdressed.

• For a swimming pool or lake/beach party, parasols at central locations will keep your shiest participants from cooking in their clothes without feeling excluded!

• Planning on having changing rooms is also a great way to give people the freedom to change at anytime and not be trapped into one uncomfortable outfit all day. This also gives a chance for men and women to change their clothes in case of an after-party cocktail or meeting.

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June ’08