Automate or Stagnate?
April 20, 2014
Some organizations, trade associations in particular, are reluctant to automate their existing event management practices. Others have embraced the idea of optimizing the planning process, realizing both tangible and intangible benefits along the way.
Why some groups wait to automate. There are a number of reasons why event organizers avoid or delay automation:
- Lack of internal expertise to select the appropriate technology
- Perceived risk of selecting the wrong tools
- Budget constraints
- Reluctance to disrupt existing operations
- “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” culture within the organization
- Protracted procurement policies and practices
Automation offers significant benefits. The value proposition of event management software platforms is to facilitate efficiencies, resulting in cost savings, reduced error, faster processing, more accurate data, and enhanced sponsorship opportunities. For many planners, faster processing and more revenue equate with having more time to spend with clients, innovate, and grow the event.
The climate for meetings is changing. Lingering economic volatility over the past decade or more (from 9/11 to the Great Recession), government sequestration, the rapid pace of technology and the competition for attendee and exhibitor budgets continue to challenge meeting planners. Such an environment makes it incumbent upon associations to optimize their event operations in order to stay nimble and lean.
Automation provides flexibility. A few weeks before the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual conference, a show coordinator responsible for handling the manual processing of exhibitor contracts left the association, leaving the team understaffed for the scheduled on-site exhibit space allocation. Event manager, Katie Burke, immediately added electronic booth sales capabilities to the Academy’s existing event management software package provide by a2z, saving 60 to 100 man-hours and achieving an on-site renewal rate of 63%.
In the end, according to automation experts, organizations may not have a choice. The number of successful groups going in the opposite direction—from automated to manual operations—is exactly zero. One need only look at the pace of change outside the event industry to understand that the price of maintaining the status quo could be extinction.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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