APEX - Executive Summary

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APEX Executive Summary

What are we facing?

The large and multi-faceted meeting, convention and exhibition industry is composed of buyers, sellers, and third parties whose interests do not always intersect, and whose business practices do not always translate to one another, which results in inefficiencies. The industry currently has no standards or accepted practices in place to guide and coordinate the various segments in their operations. A 1998 Deloitte & Touche study indicated a high level of support (81% in favor) among industry members for the development and implementation of voluntary industry standards.

What can we do?
APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) is an initiative spearheaded by the Convention Industry Council (CIC). APEX is uniting the entire meeting, convention and exhibition industry in the development and eventual implementation of voluntary standards, which will be called accepted practices.
The mission of APEX is "To spearhead an industry-wide initiative that brings together all stakeholders in the development and implementation of industry-wide accepted practices which create and enhance efficiencies throughout the meeting, convention and exhibition industry."
When the approved accepted practices are implemented, the initiative will result in:

Eased communication and sharing of data with suppliers and customers.

Enhanced quality of service provided to customers.

Clear definitions and terms for relationships with suppliers and customers.

Streamlined systems and processes that significantly reduce duplication of efforts, increase efficiencies of operations, and result in cost-savings.

Acknowledged measures of comparison and evaluation for improved decision-making.

Better educated, more professional employees.

Companies remaining competitive with the implementation of the practices.

In short, it will make the industry more efficient, freeing up valuable time to devote collaborative energies to broader, more pressing industry issues.
How will we accomplish these goals?
The crux of APEX's success lies with the members of the meeting, convention and exhibition industry. All industry stakeholders must be involved in and understand the development of the accepted practices in order to embrace them and operationalize them into their day-to-day lives. A public relations strategy will support APEX to: create goodwill for APEX throughout the industry; provide regular, informative communication to funders, volunteers, and industry members; maintain industry enthusiasm for and interest in APEX over the course of its five-year development and beyond; and, encourage volunteer and financial participation in APEX.
The process of developing these accepted practices is a rigorous, inclusive, democratic one. It will operate under a structure that represents all industry stakeholders and allows as many industry members as possible to be involved in the development of accepted practices. It will embrace technology by developing methods to successfully capture, store, transmit, and share data. Technology will also be used to include large numbers of participants in discussions and feedback sessions with no geographical limits. It will assure widespread industry adoption and use of the accepted practices.
It is tremendously important to the success of APEX to develop funding sources independent of the CIC operating budget to assure buy-in and support for the initiative. For the five-year development phase, an estimated $1.9 million is required.
How will the industry benefit?
Through APEX, it is envisioned that we, as an industry, will eliminate duplication of effort and work together to streamline systems and processes to ensure that we are operating at the highest level of efficiency. Many supporters of this initiative see APEX as a way to do together what we are unable to do apart and as a means to help their bottom lines. For example, if the 81,000 members represented within the 29 CIC member organizations were to save only ½ hour per week, at an average salary of $25 per hour, the industry could save over $52 million. This is only ½ hour per week. The cost savings could grow exponentially.
Why Now?
The rapid advances in technology no longer allow the meeting, convention and exhibition industry to remain without accepted practices. To maximize the potential of technology, to deliver the best customer service possible, and to create much needed efficiencies, APEX is critical to the future of the industry. APEX is the answer to bring industry stakeholders together lead the technological direction of the industry.
©2004 Convention Industry Council
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APEX Executive Summary

What are we facing?

The large and multi-faceted meeting, convention and exhibition industry is composed of buyers, sellers, and third parties whose interests do not always intersect, and whose business practices do not always translate to one another, which results in inefficiencies. The industry currently has no standards or accepted practices in place to guide and coordinate the various segments in their operations. A 1998 Deloitte & Touche study indicated a high level of support (81% in favor) among industry members for the development and implementation of voluntary industry standards.

What can we do?

APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) is an initiative spearheaded by the Convention Industry Council (CIC). APEX is uniting the entire meeting, convention and exhibition industry in the development and eventual implementation of voluntary standards, which will be called accepted practices.

The mission of APEX is "To spearhead an industry-wide initiative that brings together all stakeholders in the development and implementation of industry-wide accepted practices which create and enhance efficiencies throughout the meeting, convention and exhibition industry."

When the approved accepted practices are implemented, the initiative will result in:

Eased communication and sharing of data with suppliers and customers.
Enhanced quality of service provided to customers.
Clear definitions and terms for relationships with suppliers and customers.
Streamlined systems and processes that significantly reduce duplication of efforts, increase efficiencies of operations, and result in cost-savings.
Acknowledged measures of comparison and evaluation for improved decision-making.
Better educated, more professional employees.
Companies remaining competitive with the implementation of the practices.

In short, it will make the industry more efficient, freeing up valuable time to devote collaborative energies to broader, more pressing industry issues.

How will we accomplish these goals?

The crux of APEX's success lies with the members of the meeting, convention and exhibition industry. All industry stakeholders must be involved in and understand the development of the accepted practices in order to embrace them and operationalize them into their day-to-day lives. A public relations strategy will support APEX to: create goodwill for APEX throughout the industry; provide regular, informative communication to funders, volunteers, and industry members; maintain industry enthusiasm for and interest in APEX over the course of its five-year development and beyond; and, encourage volunteer and financial participation in APEX.

The process of developing these accepted practices is a rigorous, inclusive, democratic one. It will operate under a structure that represents all industry stakeholders and allows as many industry members as possible to be involved in the development of accepted practices. It will embrace technology by developing methods to successfully capture, store, transmit, and share data. Technology will also be used to include large numbers of participants in discussions and feedback sessions with no geographical limits. It will assure widespread industry adoption and use of the accepted practices.

It is tremendously important to the success of APEX to develop funding sources independent of the CIC operating budget to assure buy-in and support for the initiative. For the five-year development phase, an estimated $1.9 million is required.

How will the industry benefit?

Through APEX, it is envisioned that we, as an industry, will eliminate duplication of effort and work together to streamline systems and processes to ensure that we are operating at the highest level of efficiency. Many supporters of this initiative see APEX as a way to do together what we are unable to do apart and as a means to help their bottom lines. For example, if the 81,000 members represented within the 29 CIC member organizations were to save only ½ hour per week, at an average salary of $25 per hour, the industry could save over $52 million. This is only ½ hour per week. The cost savings could grow exponentially.

Why Now?

The rapid advances in technology no longer allow the meeting, convention and exhibition industry to remain without accepted practices. To maximize the potential of technology, to deliver the best customer service possible, and to create much needed efficiencies, APEX is critical to the future of the industry. APEX is the answer to bring industry stakeholders together lead the technological direction of the industry.