In the fast-paced and cutthroat environment of today, when companies are constantly vying with each other to dominate the market, the role of information, in general, and that of meeting information, in particular, are cardinal and cannot be underestimated. Undeniably, knowledge is power and information is the fuel that runs an organization and its entire infrastructure thus helping to convey the power of knowledge to every arm of the company machinery.
As information is of paramount importance, companies have to know how to procure it, store it, handle it, transmit it, and use it so that time and cost efficiencies are generated and so that they derive the maximum benefit and value.
The Age of Information
Previously information and meeting information were obtained from company activities, were stored in files and folders, books and papers, and were transmitted by word-of-mouth, lectures and speeches. Today, the scenario has changed drastically. Information is generated almost as soon as a person thinks, it is stored in virtual files and folders on a PC or laptop or other device, and it is disseminated through email, chat and other high-tech methods. The Internet is an information superhighway that is spearheading the information revolution. The Internet is an opportunity per se that presents unlimited means of learning and absorbing new facts. The modern media, which includes newspapers and the television, is a powerful source of information too. Currently, there is so much of information around that the chief threat that plagues the modern world is information clutter. Nevertheless, information keeps piling every day. The greatest challenge of modern companies lies in information management, i.e. how well they can manage information in the wake of the Internet and the information revolution. New-age software has been developed by IT companies in order to help companies grapple with endless information, leverage their resource pools to the maximum possible extent, and cope with the sheer numbers of new facts that are spawning every day. Hence, the company that follows the smartest information management mantra is the company that emerges as the winner.
Importance of Meeting Information
Among the various information management applications that have been invented over the last few years, a mention must be made of software that has been designed to manage meeting information. That is because among all categories of information, meeting information is the information that is the root cause and basis of all other company information. It is only when one party or person meets another that a transaction takes place. It is only when managers meet that a collective decision can be taken. It is only when two or more people meet and start working in a team that a stage is set for synergy. As the meeting is the most fundamental unit or form of any organizational interaction, the significance of meeting information cannot be undermined.
Organizing Meeting Information
There is practically no end to the amount of meeting information that a meeting can generate. In fact, meeting information can be so excessive in volume that it can almost fill a whole library. Hence organizing meeting information is of the utmost importance. Every event manager should know how to organize meeting information if he or she is to earn praise in his or her profession.
On the face of it, organizing meeting information seems to be an easy task. But only experienced event managers know what it takes to successfully handle and deal with an overwhelming amount of meeting information. Event managers are people who have to manage the entire event on the company's behalf. Sometimes, event managers do not belong to the company, they are hired by the company so that they may organize the event for the company. At other times, the event manager is a person from the company itself. Whatever the case maybe, whether the event manager is external or internal, he or she has to manage the event with aplomb and panache. Or else he or she will have to face the flak and the ire of senior company executives.
Needless to say, each event comprises a mind-boggling amount of information. It is primarily the event manager's job to manage, organize, sift through, reject and control this meeting information. Meeting information is generated for both large and small meetings. In the following paragraphs, we shall examine the different kinds of meeting information that may be generated when a large meeting is summoned and how such meeting information may be organized.
Large-Scale Events
Large-scale events are generally hosted by companies in fabulous luxury hotels and are attended by plenty of invitees. These meetings do not get over in one day. They generally carry on for a few days and are invariably followed by workshops and talks. Companies often look for sponsors who help them sponsor such conventions. Sponsors typically comprise other companies. By sponsoring events, sponsor companies gain a tremendous amount of publicity for their own products and services. That is the reason why they agree to sponsor. A massive number of meeting invitees attend such meetings. Food is served elaborately, the media are called, stationery kits are given to the guests, and promotional events are organized with a lot of fanfare and with the presence of actors, singers and other celebrities. Companies host such events in order to make important public announcements such as an announcement declaring that the company has acquired another company, to promote products and services, to declare product launches. Shareholder meetings and meetings announcing Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are other meetings, which are hosted on a grand scale.
Different Kinds of Meeting Information
The different kinds of meeting information, which may start to accumulate a few weeks before a meeting, consist of:
• meeting information about the meeting agenda and the aims and objectives of the meeting.
• meeting information on whether meeting objectives are in line with overall organizational objectives.
• meeting information on whether the meeting agenda and objectives will add value to the meeting process and to the organization.
• meeting information on whether the meeting will contribute and add value to the organization. If the meeting is not going to add any value to the organization, then it should not be hosted.
• meeting information regarding the names and number of meeting participants.
• meeting information regarding who will be the presenter, panelists and speakers.
• meeting information regarding the names and number of attendees.
• meeting information about out-station and foreign meeting participants. This information is necessary because their accommodation has to be arranged for in advance.
• meeting information regarding the travel schedules of foreign and out-station meeting participants. This information is needed because these participants have to be received at airports and railway stations upon their arrival.
• meeting information regarding the fare, the menu and the cuisines that will be served at the event and whether there will be a buffet or not.
• meeting information regarding the sending of meeting invitation requests and cards. This information is required, as invitations must be sent to all invitees in time. Invitees will not be able to attend the meeting if they get their invitations too late.
• meeting information regarding whether invitees will be able to make it to the meeting or not. The organizers have to call up attendees in order to confirm arrivals or the absence of attendees.
• meeting information regarding the total cost of the meeting. This has to be calculated much before the meeting and should be strictly followed so that costs do not exceed the budget that has been allocated for the meeting.
• meeting information regarding stationery kits. The contents of these have to be decided in advance so that they are ready to be distributed when the meeting starts. It is important to note here that the stationery kits may not be the same for all the attendees. Senior and more important attendees are generally given heavier kits that are very expensive whereas junior attendees are given lighter and cheaper stationery kits and sometimes no stationery kits at all.
• meeting information regarding the seating arrangement at the conference. The meeting room layout may be theater styled or boardroom styled or U-shaped styled or classroom styled or banquet styled or cabaret styled. The seating arrangement is generally decided by the senior managers and the event and meeting managers have to arrange the meeting room layout according to the wishes of the senior managers.
A Scaring Business
The task of organizing a meeting can be pretty daunting for an inexperienced event manager. A meeting or a conference or an event is a minefield, which brims with opportunities for an experienced and smart meeting manager, and which is full of pitfalls for an inexperienced meeting manager. Seasoned event management professionals and Certified Meeting Planners always look forward to the task of event planning as they know that the task is like a platform where they can showcase their talents freely and earn accolades. However, the same task is a nemesis for inexperienced event managers. There is so much to coordinate, so much to understand and so much to deal with, that if you are an inexperienced meeting manager, the entire meeting can go topsy-turvy and crumble like a house of cards. If senior managers are accidentally made to sit at the back due to a flaw in the seating arrangement; if stationery kits are not in order; if your staff have forgotten to pick up key meeting attendees from the airport; if the accommodation that you have fixed is not up to the mark and high-profile occupants complain about the room services, or if any other last-minute problem has cropped up, you have had it. One gaffe and you shall have to shoulder the entire blame. Also, you should prepare yourself for eleventh-hour crises because they often happen in meetings and events.
Even experienced meeting and event managers admit that it requires superhuman abilities to manage diverse, intricate, detailed and complicated meeting information. Sometimes, more than one meeting manager is assigned the task of meeting information management as companies feel that only one manager may get lost in the sea of information, in spite of his or her proficiency in event management.
Meeting Planners
In a bid to help companies manage meeting information effectively, some forward-thinking IT companies have created meeting management software. Such meeting management software, also known as meeting planners, enables company managers to realign and restructure business processes. The makers of these meeting planners have deployed leading-edge technology in order to devise them. High-end meeting planners are capable of storing almost infinite quantities of meeting information. They aid managers to grab the bull of meeting information by its horns in order to manage information. They help managers to reduce downtime, to think proactively and innovatively and to upgrade their managerial skills. Authentic meeting planners come with attractive specs and lots of features and functionalities. The purpose of these features and functionalities is to help managers organize meeting information properly. Modern meeting planners not only help managers to restructure meeting information, they also aid managers to streamline business processes. Besides, they also offer end-to-end business solutions to managers in real time.
The aim of a meeting planner is to train and guide a manager to execute a formidable amount of work and to multitask, seamlessly. A meeting planner helps a manager to manage time in a way so that he or she can work with clockwork precision. Modern meeting planners have manifold objectives. Apart from allowing managers to store meeting information and maintain records accurately, the modern meeting planner enables a manager to get a holistic view of a business, to operate economically and effortlessly, to minimize costs and to maximize profits and to increase his or her own workplace productivity exponentially.
Meeting Planners on the Internet
You can avail of such event management software from the Internet. Reliable meeting and event management software helps users to automate meeting and business processes. Authentic meeting management software enables you to store mounds of meeting information in it and also allows you to retrieve the same from it, in mere seconds. All the same, I must warn you before you jump at the first meeting management software that you come across on the Internet. Most meeting planners do not deliver what they promise. Besides, they are not secure software. Although they collect personally identifiable information, they are not foolproof applications. They are hacked into often. Users have complained frequently of losing valuable information from such conference management software and of hackers getting to know their personal data and trying to rob them of money or harass them in other ways.
Online Diary Planners: The Best Meeting Planners and Meeting Management Software
However, do not get apprehensive. Not all meeting management applications are bad. In fact, there are some that are totally above board and outstanding. These are the online diary planners. Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_diary_planner in order to know which meeting software is the best. Online diary planners are the only meeting management software that can be completely trusted as they have been researched and examined thoroughly before being cited by Wikipedia. Wikipedia, being an encyclopedia, gives a correct, impartial and unbiased account of the best online diary planners that should be used for meetings, events and conferences. The meeting and conference planners that have been cited by Wikipedia may be used free of cost, and can make the meeting information management process easy, enjoyable and a cinch. Such meeting information software as has been cited by Wikipedia can help managers to make each meeting or conference a flawless success.
Companies that carry out their day-to-day operations with the help of authentic and genuine meeting planners, such as those recommended by Wikipedia, are able to call the shots over competitors. They are also able to shore up operations to the extent that their working modes and methodologies become unique and exemplary.
Some of the meeting planners are even able to give a shot in the arm to ailing businesses in order to get them back to the mainstream and their machinery rolling. Many meeting planners enable managers to participate in professional networking so that the latter are able to kick-start the smooth flow of meeting information among company personnel. This helps personnel to be in the know of things.
Meeting information management has become the single most important factor, the key parameter in determining whether a company is competent or not. The meeting planner has become an indispensable tool for goal setting and attainment and for measuring progress of a company with respect to various benchmarks. Modern companies are often judged by the meeting planners they use. Analysts know exactly where the company stands vis-a-vis its competitors once they are apprised of the meeting planner the company uses. Moreover, if two rival companies use the same meeting planner, the way each company manages its meeting information with its meeting planner, becomes the indicator of which company is performing better.
