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| Q: What does it cost to have VenueQuest help plan my meeting? |
A: There is no charge to you for our site selection service. We will use all of your specifications, requirements, needs, wants and wishes to find the perfect hotel for your meeting. It is standard practice in the industry for hotels to pay a commission to professional meeting planners and travel agents. The practice is very similar to the way in which a person selling a house compensates their real estate agent. |
| Q: Where do you plan your events? |
A: We service clients across the United States as well as internationally. We can help you find a hotel or meeting site anywhere in the world. In addition, if you are having a large meeting and would like one of our representatives, prior to booking, to inspect the hotels you are considering we can travel to the meeting location and perform a site inspection in order to ensure your satisfaction.
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| Q: Whom will my company eventually pay for the services we use at our event? |
A: For the site selection service, you will pay the hotel directly. In fact, once a hotel has been selected and a contract signed, you will correspond and plan directly with the hotel. However, if you have elected to have VenueQuest plan and manage your entire event, there are several options for billing, including having all event related costs and planner fees channeled through VenueQuest so you only have one bill for the entire event. |
| Q: How much advance notice do you need to plan an event? |
A: It depends on the size and scope of the event you are planning. For site selection, it is customary for us to prepare a full proposal within 5 business days, provided we have complete hotel responses. For our comprehensive meeting planning services, the timeframe will be completely dependent on your specific needs. Let us know what your time frame is and we can work within it.
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| Q: What size meetings will you plan? |
A: We require a minimum of 10 rooms contracted per night in order to properly negotiate and secure the best options for our clients. However, there is no maximum size for a meeting we can plan. |
| Q: It is my job to find a hotel for our annual meeting. Am I not doing my job if I enlist VenueQuest to assist me? |
A: Not at all. Actually, you will be doing yourself and your company a favor by enlisting our help. First of all, our site selection service will save you valuable research time so you may focus your efforts on the logistics of your meeting. Secondly, because of our reputation in the industry, and the volume of business we bring to hotels, it is very likely that we will find better rates, better upgrades, more concessions and negotiate better contract terms than you would on your own. Thirdly, we will ensure you receive any meeting planner points you are entitled to. And finally, by using VenueQuest you can take advantage of our MeetingRewards and earn points toward prizes or donations to the charity of your choice.
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| Q: If we don't have to pay you, how do you make any money? |
A: It is a regular practice in the hotel industry to pay a commission to professional meeting planning and group travel agencies. The practice is very similar to the way in which a person selling a house compensates a real estate agent. |
| Q: Will hotels raise their rates to compensate having to pay your commission? |
A: No. The hotel rates that VenueQuest receives are at least as competitive as those you might find on your own – with the commissions already built in. VenueQuest is able to negotiate these great rates due to the large quantity of business we direct to the hotel industry. We plan hundreds of meetings per year and it is in the best interest of the hotel to offer great rates to our clients, so we may in turn book their hotel again for other business.
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| Q: Do you have preferred agreements or hotels you work with on an exclusive basis? |
A: No. Some hotel site selection agencies have multiple agreements with hotels for special commission arrangements in return for a “Preferred Hotel” status. VenueQuest has decided not to enter into such arrangements as not to taint our recommendations and integrity. We pride ourselves on providing our clients with unbiased proposals. VenueQuest represents you, not the hotel, and the selection process will be based upon your specific needs. |
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