Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Think Small

When corporate planners are told to control meeting costs, many of them logically focus on their largest and most costly meetings because of the sheer scale of the spend. But a recent study released by Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) shows that a difference can be made by also taking a look at small meetings – those with less than 25 people.

CWT’s report reveals that nearly two-thirds of an organization’s meeting costs are the result of small meetings like these. The problem is that many companies don’t treat these meetings as real meetings. They are little independent gatherings, often arranged by organizers outside the planning department. And the related travel and meeting costs are often absorbed into other areas of the budget.

If these issues are of concern, CWT recommends developing a small meetings program that helps organizers take advantage of central sourcing, pre-negotiated discounts, service package options and established processes.

If you want to find out how to do this, take a look at the complete article here.