Transcript
'No show' is the greatest fear and frustration of many event organizers. How big is the problem actually? And what can you do about it? I'm asking Danny Stevens from 'The Promise', an initiative committed to address the 'No Show' issue in the event industry.
We are going to talk about 'No Show'. How big is the problem actually?
Well, we have done a market research, couple of years ago and depending on the industry we can accept that some industries have to cope with No show rates around 35 - 40% in certain industries. IT is the most affected for external events. They accept that 30 - 35% “No Show” is a normal rate.
Normal rates?
It's a normal rate. So we keep it in accounts. I think as a company you should strive to have a maximum of 10% and better 5 - 6% is what you should get at.
But you guys with 'The Promise', fighting against No Show, maybe we can watch your video first...
VIDEO - Don't Spoil the Party
This is exactly what this is all about.
Yes. People have to realize that an empty chair at an event is costing money. And when you click that button: 'I will be there' that it has lot of things happening behind the scenes. People are preparing and there’s a lot of waste and it’s been a frustration for several years in the industry. If we should pile up all the waste we have seen in last years; it’s an enormous pile. And I think that everybody who is active in the event industry can confirm that.
Who is 'The Promise'?
The Promise is a nonprofit association with some agencies from the industry like MPI, ACC, Event Managers Association. It’s a nonprofit organization with a group of people that are actually involved in the day by day in the business.
You bring services to Event organizers to help them to reduce their No Show?
Yeah. The Promise is an awareness campaign and we motivate companies to use our logo to create awareness in the industry that by using the movie and by using the logo, people realize that something is happening when you click that button and you say I will attend. And actually we are asking people to promise the organizers that they will come. Not that they say 'I will come' but 'I promise that I will come' and if I'm not coming I will do something back for you. Not for the company whether I will support a nonprofit organization and donating a little fee to UNICEF or any other organization.
And how does this work is done?
Well, we actually are going to trigger the No Shows on the event and the day after the people are going to receive an email campaign. We have a platform for that. We can direct them to any registration platform import a No Show list and then do the campaign from a third party speaking.
Why is that so important?
Because it states a very delicate matter. First of all you are inviting your main goods in your company and that's your clients and then when he doesn’t show you have to say: "Hey we know that you wanted us and we want you to something back'. So it’s easy if we talk by means of a third party and create awareness. It’s a pity you weren’t there because we could have done something else with that money like supporting a cause of UNICEF.
Then you ask the people…
Yes, then you ask the people. So you don’t ask anything in return for the organizer or for the agency or for whomever. But you are asking them to support a cause that you attend to.
And what kind of results can you expect from working with a label like ...?
Well we've been working with quite some companies over the years. And we can accept that No Show reduction of around 50% is realizable in the long terms. But it's not going to happen after the first announcements. Because the first thing you get is people quitting the logo, they say it's strange but it’s true. And then afterwards when they get mail or when they get directed to the mail, they say "It's a pity you weren’t there". So they know "I wasn't there." And the next time when you are going to be clicking that button, you are going to think twice before you click. So a side effect that you get with that is people are actually going to register later than the period. So some organizers are starting to panic and say: "Oh my ratings are not good. My registrations aren't that high." But in the last week before the event you see that they increase.
And is there any cost for participating?
Well it's a very low cost. We had a participation fee in the beginning was higher, we want; most of all we want all the people in the industry to use them to create awareness. It’s the only way we can do it to make it acceptable and advisable for everybody. So the cost for a year is 90 Euros. So, then you can download the logos and then you can use the logos freely for any type of events you hold. And it's free for nonprofit organizations or associations.
Okay. That's interesting. Thank you very much for coming to our studio.
Okay, thank you Kevin.
And you too. Thank you for watching our show and I hope to see you next time.
