June 2018
ABPCO
5
‘Excellence’
- noun: the quality of
being outstanding or
extremely good.
Kate Sargent, incoming
joint chair of ABPCO
(Association of British
Professional Conference
Organisers) and deputy
managing director of
Bioscientifica discusses
what it means to achieve
excellence.
When ABPCO decided to review its position
in the market, values and vision for the
future, three words stood out above all others:
‘learning’, ‘belonging’ and at the forefront of
all was ‘excellence’. Over the years it has been
prevalent in everything ABPCO does, the
attitude of our members and, most importantly,
the events they organise. It was, therefore,
clear that excellence should stand as one of
our values, one of the pillars upon which our
association is based.
However, despite there being a deep-down
gut feeling about the meaning of excellence, we
realised there was a need to be specific about
what it means first for us as an association but
also for the wider industry. Put simply: what
does it mean to achieve excellence in association
event management?
For ABPCO, we feel that excellence is about
our ability to lead industry best practice with
passion, professionalism and integrity – which
in reality is what excellence should be about for
everyone working in the world of association
events.
Whatever type of PCO or supplier you are,
it should be your focus to make your event the
best it possibly can be. From strong financial
acumen, management and compliance to
logistics and onsite delivery you should be able
to step away from every event knowing you
have given your absolute best.
Associations, by their very nature, are
membership organisations, which means that
on the whole delegates have a vested personal
and financial interest in the success of the event
as they are paying for it through both their
membership fees and conference fees. The
result is not just a need to deliver but a need to
be able to stand tall after an event knowing you
have done your best.
We all know challenges arise as part of the
event organising process, however the way they
are dealt with, the professionalism and integrity
shown by an organiser and suppliers is what
sets apart those individuals that demonstrate
excellence. After all, most delegates will forgive
a few challenges here and there, if they are dealt
with in the right way.
Some people mistake excellence for
extravagance though, and it is all too easy a trap
to fall into. Just because you have a huge budget
and are using top of the range hotels to serve
the best possible cuisine doesn’t mean you are
necessarily achieving excellence.
When budgets run high, so do expectations
and the need to deliver at an exceptional level.
More challenging for many is to achieve
excellence on a shoestring budget, in the face
of diminishing funds and a disinterested
audience. To turn that sort of situation around,
to make everyone sit up and notice your event,
association and its achievements under real
pressure – that is a true mark of excellence.
ABPCO members are all audited before
joining. They go through a process that
includes a thorough review of their professional
experience, peer reviews and references
from both demand and supply sides of the
industry. Such a rigorous approach allows their
excellence to shine through and it is a process
that many others would do well to consider
when choosing their event partners.
A desire to achieve excellence for
your association event, with a focus on
professionalism and integrity from the very
start will ensure you only work with the best
and therefore achieve the goals of your event.
Whether we go for the dictionary definition
or ABPCO’s more specific focus on events and
our industry, we all know deep down what it
feels like to experience or achieve excellence.