Project Attrition

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Health Information & Management Systems Society
Karen Malone
Director of Meetings
Kmalone@himss.org
312-915-9217

After suffering through a significant drop in pickup for the 2002 annual meeting, HIMSS acknowledged the Association’s role in actively marketing their meetings. The goal was not only to reduce the likelihood of future attrition liability, but also to insure negotiating position and leverage with future meetings. HIMSS made the conscious decision to take a much more proactive role in communicating with their attendees and exhibitors by enacting an aggressive marketing campaign to bring attendees and exhibitors back into the official hotel blocks.

Unlike the past, HIMSS decided to reverse the traditional process and pushed housing prior to opening registration because of the attendee/exhibitor habit of registering late. Over 70% of the total attendance typically registered within the last six weeks. For attendees, HIMSS directed push e-mails to all prior attendees weekly as the conference approached. Any registrant registered for the meeting who had not reserved a room through the housing company also received a push e-mail immediately urging them to confirm accommodations. The content of these messages were intended to act as an a educational tool informing attendees of the implications of not staying inside the official hotel block, explaining the meeting costs for the Association and corresponding increases in future conference registration fees should HIMSS fail to meet its commitments.

HIMSS’ efforts aimed at the exhibitor pool were equally direct regarding the importance of their selection of hotel accommodations inside the official block. Reminding exhibitors that HIMSS has the ability to confirm and make available the required exhibition space was directly tied to the size of the block. Therefore, it was obviously in the exhibitor’s best interest to book inside the block. Additionally, HIMSS established and communicated a guideline based on the size of the space requested by the exhibiting company (in effect, two guest rooms for every 100 square feet of space). After the initial year, HIMSS requires the housing company desk be the last stop in the booth selection process for the ensuing year. The final new policy was also direct and to the point. If the exhibiting company chose to book outside the block, freight would be denied at the convention center. Only 12 companies out of 686 found the new policy intrusive, and following an explanation, only one exhibiting company protested.

According to HIMSS, this practice is acceptable to the hotels involved because it demonstrates the Association’s control and in many cases has actually allowed HIMSS to negotiate attrition out of the contract. It has also gone a long way in helping HIMSS secure a higher percentage of the house at each official hotel.

HIMSS has also initiated other policies that increase the likelihood of their ability to “capture” other attendees who somehow find a way around the block. Each attendee is sent a ticket following advance registration. This ticket is used by the attendee to redeem all of the conference materials on-site. Each attendee is then required to record which hotel they are utilizing during the convention. This is valuable information in post-conference meetings and, more importantly, it helps HIMSS substantiate their pick-up as a part of the post meeting audit (HIMSS is negotiating the audit process in all of their hotel contracts and thus far has been successful at reaching agreement on the audit procedures largely as a result of the other steps they are taking to fulfill room block commitments). In 2003, as a direct result of this new procedure, HIMSS discovered 4800 additional room nights consumed by their attendees. This enhanced the Association’s position with the hotel and the CVB responsible for marketing the convention center space used for the exhibition.

Finally, HIMSS believes that the blocking of hotel rooms to support its meetings is of critical importance in insuring the quality of the meeting experience extends into the evenings for attendees and exhibitors alike. With this in mind, HIMSS insures a 60-40 mix of exhibitors and attendees in each official hotel, a benefit for the attendee and the partner hotels.

Below is the letter HIMSS sent to push housing:

Dear HIMSS Exhibitor:

As 2002 comes to a close and we gear up for HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition we wanted to take a moment to thank you for your upcoming participation. Our records show that you have secured your booth space but have not made hotel reservations through Travel Technology Group (TTG), the official HIMSS travel provider.

We wanted to take a moment to reiterate a new housing policy that was put into effect for the 2003 Show. The policy states:

" All Exhibiting companies must utilize HIMSS housing company, TTG, to book hotel rooms. Any exhibitor who does not follow this procedure will not be permitted to exhibit and will forfeit all monies paid to HIMSS. Freight will be denied at show site."

This has been printed in the exhibitor prospectus compact disk and has been reiterated in each monthly newsletter. It is very important for HIMSS to be able to provide an accurate picture of the amount of business that is brought to a city due to the HIMSS Annual Conference. This is used in determining how much space we receive from convention centers. Cities are getting more and more strict on how much space an association may receive. Hotel room usage is the number one deciding factor in this equation. Your participation in our hotel program is essential to the continued success of the HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition.

We encourage you to make your reservations as soon as possible as our room blocks are filling quickly. The sooner you book, the better your chances of getting your preferred hotel selection. You must secure your rooms by January 10, 2003 but we strongly encourage you to book now. Strict instructions have been given to Freeman Decorating to refuse freight from any exhibiting company that has not booked with TTG. This policy will be enforced.

Registration numbers are looking great. We are X% ahead of where we were last year. All signs indicate that this is going to be one of the most successful Annual Conferences to date. Your patronage is greatly responsible for this success. Once again, thank you and we look forward to your contacting TTG to secure your rooms. You may make your arrangements on-line at www.himss.org by selecting the hotel and travel tab under Annual Conference. Or you may contact them directly at (877) 852-6744.

Due to the importance of these matters this letter has been faxed to you. A hard copy will follow in the mail.

Sincerely,

Karen Malone
Annual Meeting Manager

Please see below for the exhibitor newsletter HIMSS sent out prior to the meeting (stating new policies, etc.):

HIMSS eNews
May, 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

1) Reach your customers via HIMSS Web Site Advertising!
2) Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference is rapidly
approaching! Sign up now to exhibit. Space is limited!
3) Excellent promotional opportunities available for HIMSS 2003!
4) Booth deposit deadline is May 17, 2002!
5) New Housing Policy and Procedure for HIMSS 2003!

1) Take advantage of premium advertising opportunities on the HIMSS Web site! For as little as 24 cents per contact, you will reach CIOs, department heads, managers, and other industry leaders who make decisions about your products every day.

The HIMSS Web site attracts over 49,000 unique visitors per month and is the premier location for your advertising. HIMSS visitors spend an average of 8 minutes on our site each time they visit. With your choice of four high-visibility locations, you may select the
position and price that fit your budget.

For more details about the opportunity to connect with your customers via the HIMSS Web site, please visit http://www.himss.org/content/files/web_ads_contract.pdf or contact Kelly Laidler at 312-915-9285 or klaidler@himss.org.

2) We are eager to share the great news about registration and additional benefits of the Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference! Our registrations are coming in at a rapid pace with handfuls arriving daily. With the exceptional response we anticipate
an exciting meeting with high-quality attendees and Corporate Sponsors.

Demographic Breakdown as of May 3 - Over 66% of our Attendance Goal

It is typical for over 60% of attendees to register less than four weeks
prior to the conference.

Professional Level
CEO, CFO, COO 23%
CIO 11%
Director/Department Head 28%
Other Senior Management 17%
Senior Staff/ Manager 18%
Staff 0%
Student 0%
Physician 1%
Nurse 2%

If these statistics peak your interest or you would like additional details regarding exhibiting or sponsoring at the Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference, please contact Kelly Laidler at 312-915-9285 orklaidler@himss.org.

3) Excellent promotional opportunities are available! Let everyone know that your company supports the healthcare information technology industry! HIMSS has over 30 sponsorships available for the 2003 Annual Conference. Sponsorships for Events, Education Tracks and Sessions, Literature, Promotions, and more are available. For a list of sponsorship opportunities and an application, please contact David Erickson at 312-915-9280 or derickson@himss.org.

Please note: All marketing and/or promotional efforts by exhibiting companies, whether inside or outside the convention center, hotels, or anywhere in or around the San Diego, CA area that promotes the exhibitor's presence at HIMSS 2003 Annual Conference is strictly prohibited unless the exhibitor participates in the HIMSS Sponsorship Program. This includes, billboards, television, radio, print media, and any other marketing and/or promotional efforts not mentioned here. Exhibitors that fail to adhere to this policy will be assessed a monetary fine and exhibitor points will be deducted at the discretion of
HIMSS show management. Please direct any questions regarding this new policy to Kelly Laidler at klaidler@himss.org or 312-915-9285.

4) Booth deposit for the 2003 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition is due in full on or before May 17, 2002! The booth deposit is equal to 50% of the booth total. All companies have been sent an invoice for the remainder of their deposit. For those companies that have not paid at least 50% of their booth balance, please remit your
payment promptly.

For companies paying by check, please send to: HIMSS, Attn: Finance, Lock Box 6923, Department 77-6923, Chicago, IL 60678-6923. We would prefer that checks are sent to the lockbox, however, if you wish to send your check via FedEx, UPS, Airborne, etc., please send to: HIMSS, Attn: Finance, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611. For companies paying by credit card, you may fax payment information, including credit card number, expiration date, card holder's name, and card holder signature, to Attn: Finance at 312-664-6143. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. HIMSS' federal tax ID # is 36-3906745. For questions concerning payment to your account, please contact Carlos Gaul at cgaul@himss.org or 312-915-9267.

5) In last month's exhibitor newsletter we advised you on why it is crucial that ALL exhibitors book their housing through HIMSS. As you may recall, we stated that convention centers allocate exhibit space to shows based on the amount of hotel rooms picked up. Convention center management may and often will reject or reduce exhibit space requests because hotel rooms are not filled proportionately and through
the housing block.

To ensure our hotel block is full and that we receive the exhibit floor space needed at the convention center, it is critical that ALL EXHIBITORS book their housing through HIMSS' housing company, TTG. We will be providing you with additional support to manage your room block this year. A representative from TTG will be contacting you
within the next few months to arrange your housing block. Please direct any questions regarding this new policy to Patsy Fukuda at 312-915-9217 or pfukuda@himss.org. We look forward to assisting you on all of your housing needs for HIMSS 2003.

HIMSS Exhibitor Contact Information
HIMSS, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611 312-664-4467 (voice), http://www.himss.org, 312-664-6143 (fax)
Melvina Ivy, Exhibits Assistant, mivy@himss.org, 312-915-9221
David Erickson, Exhibits Coordinator, derickson@himss.org, 312-915-9280
Kelly Laidler, Exhibits Sales Manager, klaidler@himss.org, 312-915-9285

Discover Healthcare IT Solutions in Las Vegas! Learn all the latest details on in-depth education sessions, the Solutions Showcase, certification, the HIMSS golf outing, and more at http://www.himss.org/summerconference/. Register by May 20, 2002, and save up to $200!

©2004 Convention Industry Council
Contact the CIC

Health Information & Management Systems Society
Karen Malone
Director of Meetings
Kmalone@himss.org
312-915-9217

After suffering through a significant drop in pickup for the 2002 annual meeting, HIMSS acknowledged the Association’s role in actively marketing their meetings. The goal was not only to reduce the likelihood of future attrition liability, but also to insure negotiating position and leverage with future meetings. HIMSS made the conscious decision to take a much more proactive role in communicating with their attendees and exhibitors by enacting an aggressive marketing campaign to bring attendees and exhibitors back into the official hotel blocks.

Unlike the past, HIMSS decided to reverse the traditional process and pushed housing prior to opening registration because of the attendee/exhibitor habit of registering late. Over 70% of the total attendance typically registered within the last six weeks. For attendees, HIMSS directed push e-mails to all prior attendees weekly as the conference approached. Any registrant registered for the meeting who had not reserved a room through the housing company also received a push e-mail immediately urging them to confirm accommodations. The content of these messages were intended to act as an a educational tool informing attendees of the implications of not staying inside the official hotel block, explaining the meeting costs for the Association and corresponding increases in future conference registration fees should HIMSS fail to meet its commitments.

HIMSS’ efforts aimed at the exhibitor pool were equally direct regarding the importance of their selection of hotel accommodations inside the official block. Reminding exhibitors that HIMSS has the ability to confirm and make available the required exhibition space was directly tied to the size of the block. Therefore, it was obviously in the exhibitor’s best interest to book inside the block. Additionally, HIMSS established and communicated a guideline based on the size of the space requested by the exhibiting company (in effect, two guest rooms for every 100 square feet of space). After the initial year, HIMSS requires the housing company desk be the last stop in the booth selection process for the ensuing year. The final new policy was also direct and to the point. If the exhibiting company chose to book outside the block, freight would be denied at the convention center. Only 12 companies out of 686 found the new policy intrusive, and following an explanation, only one exhibiting company protested.

According to HIMSS, this practice is acceptable to the hotels involved because it demonstrates the Association’s control and in many cases has actually allowed HIMSS to negotiate attrition out of the contract. It has also gone a long way in helping HIMSS secure a higher percentage of the house at each official hotel.

HIMSS has also initiated other policies that increase the likelihood of their ability to “capture” other attendees who somehow find a way around the block. Each attendee is sent a ticket following advance registration. This ticket is used by the attendee to redeem all of the conference materials on-site. Each attendee is then required to record which hotel they are utilizing during the convention. This is valuable information in post-conference meetings and, more importantly, it helps HIMSS substantiate their pick-up as a part of the post meeting audit (HIMSS is negotiating the audit process in all of their hotel contracts and thus far has been successful at reaching agreement on the audit procedures largely as a result of the other steps they are taking to fulfill room block commitments). In 2003, as a direct result of this new procedure, HIMSS discovered 4800 additional room nights consumed by their attendees. This enhanced the Association’s position with the hotel and the CVB responsible for marketing the convention center space used for the exhibition.

Finally, HIMSS believes that the blocking of hotel rooms to support its meetings is of critical importance in insuring the quality of the meeting experience extends into the evenings for attendees and exhibitors alike. With this in mind, HIMSS insures a 60-40 mix of exhibitors and attendees in each official hotel, a benefit for the attendee and the partner hotels.

Below is the letter HIMSS sent to push housing:

Dear HIMSS Exhibitor:

As 2002 comes to a close and we gear up for HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition we wanted to take a moment to thank you for your upcoming participation. Our records show that you have secured your booth space but have not made hotel reservations through Travel Technology Group (TTG), the official HIMSS travel provider.

We wanted to take a moment to reiterate a new housing policy that was put into effect for the 2003 Show. The policy states:

" All Exhibiting companies must utilize HIMSS housing company, TTG, to book hotel rooms. Any exhibitor who does not follow this procedure will not be permitted to exhibit and will forfeit all monies paid to HIMSS. Freight will be denied at show site."

This has been printed in the exhibitor prospectus compact disk and has been reiterated in each monthly newsletter. It is very important for HIMSS to be able to provide an accurate picture of the amount of business that is brought to a city due to the HIMSS Annual Conference. This is used in determining how much space we receive from convention centers. Cities are getting more and more strict on how much space an association may receive. Hotel room usage is the number one deciding factor in this equation. Your participation in our hotel program is essential to the continued success of the HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition.

We encourage you to make your reservations as soon as possible as our room blocks are filling quickly. The sooner you book, the better your chances of getting your preferred hotel selection. You must secure your rooms by January 10, 2003 but we strongly encourage you to book now. Strict instructions have been given to Freeman Decorating to refuse freight from any exhibiting company that has not booked with TTG. This policy will be enforced.

Registration numbers are looking great. We are X% ahead of where we were last year. All signs indicate that this is going to be one of the most successful Annual Conferences to date. Your patronage is greatly responsible for this success. Once again, thank you and we look forward to your contacting TTG to secure your rooms. You may make your arrangements on-line at www.himss.org by selecting the hotel and travel tab under Annual Conference. Or you may contact them directly at (877) 852-6744.

Due to the importance of these matters this letter has been faxed to you. A hard copy will follow in the mail.

Sincerely,

Karen Malone
Annual Meeting Manager

Please see below for the exhibitor newsletter HIMSS sent out prior to the meeting (stating new policies, etc.):

HIMSS eNews
May, 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

1) Reach your customers via HIMSS Web Site Advertising!
2) Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference is rapidly
approaching! Sign up now to exhibit. Space is limited!
3) Excellent promotional opportunities available for HIMSS 2003!
4) Booth deposit deadline is May 17, 2002!
5) New Housing Policy and Procedure for HIMSS 2003!

1) Take advantage of premium advertising opportunities on the HIMSS Web site! For as little as 24 cents per contact, you will reach CIOs, department heads, managers, and other industry leaders who make decisions about your products every day.

The HIMSS Web site attracts over 49,000 unique visitors per month and is the premier location for your advertising. HIMSS visitors spend an average of 8 minutes on our site each time they visit. With your choice of four high-visibility locations, you may select the
position and price that fit your budget.

For more details about the opportunity to connect with your customers via the HIMSS Web site, please visit http://www.himss.org/content/files/web_ads_contract.pdf or contact Kelly Laidler at 312-915-9285 or klaidler@himss.org.

2) We are eager to share the great news about registration and additional benefits of the Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference! Our registrations are coming in at a rapid pace with handfuls arriving daily. With the exceptional response we anticipate
an exciting meeting with high-quality attendees and Corporate Sponsors.

Demographic Breakdown as of May 3 - Over 66% of our Attendance Goal

It is typical for over 60% of attendees to register less than four weeks
prior to the conference.

Professional Level
CEO, CFO, COO 23%
CIO 11%
Director/Department Head 28%
Other Senior Management 17%
Senior Staff/ Manager 18%
Staff 0%
Student 0%
Physician 1%
Nurse 2%

If these statistics peak your interest or you would like additional details regarding exhibiting or sponsoring at the Healthcare IT Solutions: HIMSS Summer Conference, please contact Kelly Laidler at 312-915-9285 orklaidler@himss.org.

3) Excellent promotional opportunities are available! Let everyone know that your company supports the healthcare information technology industry! HIMSS has over 30 sponsorships available for the 2003 Annual Conference. Sponsorships for Events, Education Tracks and Sessions, Literature, Promotions, and more are available. For a list of sponsorship opportunities and an application, please contact David Erickson at 312-915-9280 or derickson@himss.org.

Please note: All marketing and/or promotional efforts by exhibiting companies, whether inside or outside the convention center, hotels, or anywhere in or around the San Diego, CA area that promotes the exhibitor's presence at HIMSS 2003 Annual Conference is strictly prohibited unless the exhibitor participates in the HIMSS Sponsorship Program. This includes, billboards, television, radio, print media, and any other marketing and/or promotional efforts not mentioned here. Exhibitors that fail to adhere to this policy will be assessed a monetary fine and exhibitor points will be deducted at the discretion of
HIMSS show management. Please direct any questions regarding this new policy to Kelly Laidler at klaidler@himss.org or 312-915-9285.

4) Booth deposit for the 2003 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition is due in full on or before May 17, 2002! The booth deposit is equal to 50% of the booth total. All companies have been sent an invoice for the remainder of their deposit. For those companies that have not paid at least 50% of their booth balance, please remit your
payment promptly.

For companies paying by check, please send to: HIMSS, Attn: Finance, Lock Box 6923, Department 77-6923, Chicago, IL 60678-6923. We would prefer that checks are sent to the lockbox, however, if you wish to send your check via FedEx, UPS, Airborne, etc., please send to: HIMSS, Attn: Finance, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611. For companies paying by credit card, you may fax payment information, including credit card number, expiration date, card holder's name, and card holder signature, to Attn: Finance at 312-664-6143. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. HIMSS' federal tax ID # is 36-3906745. For questions concerning payment to your account, please contact Carlos Gaul at cgaul@himss.org or 312-915-9267.

5) In last month's exhibitor newsletter we advised you on why it is crucial that ALL exhibitors book their housing through HIMSS. As you may recall, we stated that convention centers allocate exhibit space to shows based on the amount of hotel rooms picked up. Convention center management may and often will reject or reduce exhibit space requests because hotel rooms are not filled proportionately and through
the housing block.

To ensure our hotel block is full and that we receive the exhibit floor space needed at the convention center, it is critical that ALL EXHIBITORS book their housing through HIMSS' housing company, TTG. We will be providing you with additional support to manage your room block this year. A representative from TTG will be contacting you
within the next few months to arrange your housing block. Please direct any questions regarding this new policy to Patsy Fukuda at 312-915-9217 or pfukuda@himss.org. We look forward to assisting you on all of your housing needs for HIMSS 2003.

HIMSS Exhibitor Contact Information
HIMSS, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611 312-664-4467 (voice), http://www.himss.org, 312-664-6143 (fax)
Melvina Ivy, Exhibits Assistant, mivy@himss.org, 312-915-9221
David Erickson, Exhibits Coordinator, derickson@himss.org, 312-915-9280
Kelly Laidler, Exhibits Sales Manager, klaidler@himss.org, 312-915-9285

Discover Healthcare IT Solutions in Las Vegas! Learn all the latest details on in-depth education sessions, the Solutions Showcase, certification, the HIMSS golf outing, and more at http://www.himss.org/summerconference/. Register by May 20, 2002, and save up to $200!