Each month C&IT magazine presents four agencies with an event challenge and then asks an industry expert to give their views on the responses. GNIUS was asked to participate in February 2010 and we’re to pleased to say we won!
You can read the whole article here, but in the meantime here are the highlights.
The Challenge
The client wants to run one-day regional management training events for line managers based in Edinburgh, Manchester and London to learn about new HR policies. The events will take place within the same week.
The Challengers
Conference Care, First Protocol, The Finishing Touch, GNIUS Communications
The GNIUS solution
“We would look to maximise the ongoing value of these events by capturing all the content and making it available via the client’s intranet. This would enable each session to be tailored to the specific region while ensuring that all messages were seen by everyone. The creation of a community group for all line managers along, with an online Q&A or forum thread, would create a valuable ongoing resource. In selecting suitable venues the need is for consistency in standards, service and facilities, while being cost effective. We would recommend using properties from the Marriott chain to secure quality venues at attractive rates. Marriott Dalmahoy in Edinburgh, Worsley Park in Manchester and Marble Arch in London are all well positioned, have excellent transport links and are well equipped to host events of this nature.”
The Client Verdict: DSG International
Carl Rayner is head of management development (training & development) at DSG International, and judged the pitches without knowing who had submitted them.
“When reading these responses I did wonder if some of them had read the brief, as they mentioned some things that were not strictly relevant to its requirements.
One thing that stood out were the agencies that suggested using hotels within the same group, as I like consistency, so this led me to look more closely at these responses. Agency four’s (GNIUS) reasons for using the venues, such as them being well positioned, in one group and cost-effective, were good. However, most responses just seemed to suggest three venues, rather than looking at the event’s content. In this day and age, would you really offer line managers activities such as whisky-tasting on a training day?
I also liked the fact that agency four (GNIUS) looked at new media so we could tailor the events to specific regions, ensuring speeches by the board could be shared at each event. This response looked at who would be attending the event and aimed it towards them. I would be more interested in getting the event’s environment and content right than the post-event technology, but at least they are thinking about how it could be used to offer consistency.
If I had to select a winning pitch it would be agency four(GNIUS).”
