Mark Cooper
Being global has benefits
A strength that IACC will emphasize more in coming years is the benefits of its international membership.
Because its members around the world must adhere to the same standards, a U.S. meeting planner who is planning a conference abroad can be confident in the quality of an IACC conference center, even in an international destination about which they know little.
Being a global organization also means that IACC conference centers are more adept at working with multicultural audiences. And it also means that they are innovators, who share ideas and learn from their peers around the world. “They are pioneers and they look to the mavericks in other parts of the world,” Cooper said. “It is a global association that is outward-thinking instead of domestic.”
The facilities themselves tend to be innovators, especially in terms of sustainability. “They are green and in a big way. There are two reasons: because it is their responsibility to be good stewards, and also because it makes commercial sense,” from a standpoint of cost savings.
IACC’s next survey is likely to be of its membership, Cooper said.
“Don’t be surprised to see us asking our members, ‘What is your staff turnover?’ ‘What percentage is invested in training?’ ‘How many IACC programs do you attend?’ and ‘Describe your customer feedback program and what you do with that intelligence.’ ”
What is IACC?
The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) was founded in 1981. The not-for-profit organization promotes understanding and awareness of the conference center industry and gives its member properties the tools needed to provide an exceptional IACC meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent quality standards that cover facility design, business priorities, service standards, food and beverage and technology. They also agree to a code of ethics. IACC currently has some 350 members.
