“[The biggest contract challenge I’ve come across is] confirming a mutual cancellation policy. My main concern when contracting is ensuring I am protecting my client. By not having this policy agreed upon, I am taking the risk that the hotel could potentially cancel my contract for a better piece of business with no repercussions. The closer [the time of the meeting] gets, the harder it would become to have the hotel cancel my meeting with no penalties incurred. If the hotel is asking my team to agree that we can take the risk, then we need to agree to the same on the hotel side if they were to cancel.” —Kari Messenger, CMP, meetings manager, Association Management Center
“International contract negotiations period. Every country does things a bit differently, and has different standards. I wish it was globally standardized.” —Andrea Cannistraci, president and founder of andgreat
“Being bumped from a hotel for a larger, more attractive piece of business. I feel like this is every planner’s worst nightmare. There are so many factors that go into relocating a conference. It is more complicated than simply finding another hotel, or possibly even another city. You must consider the marketing costs, meeting planner/staff labor, printing costs, redesign costs or potential air change fees if relocated to an alternate destination. I do understand that cancellations happen and there is contractual language that addresses both group cancellations and venue cancellations, yet that does not make it any less stressful or frustrating.” —Sabrina Colquitt, CMP, senior meeting & event planner at a large financial services firm
“Client’s expectations and them not understanding the hotel ramifications.” —Dianne Devitt, founder of The DND Group Inc.
