Barcelona Summit - Improvement Thread

[TBS_Andreas]

Dear all,

Thanks for coming out to my second show. Overall I think we organized a pretty decent show. Of course we were not perfect again. But we are working on it already, to improve for the fall 2010 show in Barcelona.

Negative was:
- Internet only working in the lobby. We will pull in 10 extra Internet Wifi lines for the lobby and the rooms for the next summit to get that fixed.
- No shuttle buses to the parties. We will get a bus sponsor and get that fixed.
- Registration process to slow. We will double employees at the registration to fix this.
- Names on badges bigger. We will print them bigger and get that fixed.
- Language flags on the badges. We will put language flags on the badges and get that fixed.
- Quality and quantity of liquor and beer in stock not sufficient. We will ensure that the hotel stocks more next time and get that fixed.
- Room charge system of hotel broken down. We will put a penalty clause into the next contact with the hotel and get that fixed.
- Weather was bad. We will hold the next show in the fall 2010, when weather is the best in Barcelona and the pool area can be used, and get it fixed like that.
- First day speed networking not organized well. We improved that on the second day, and will keep on improving that, to fix it for the next show.

Where else did we screw up big?

Thanks for helping us to put on a better and improved show in fall 2010!!
And sorry again about any inconvenience caused to you by any of the above!! We are already on it to make sure all of it gets fixed for the fall 2010 show!

Thanks again to everyone,
Andreas

[Icy]

I think you covered it all in your post.

For me the biggest points were internet not working in the rooms and the small personal/company names in the badges. I was even asked a couple times if i worked for Pussycash (that was just the sponsor who provided the badges for everybody) as their name was printed huge compared to our company and personal names.

Language flags in the badges is a good idea, but i guess everybody could speak English or at least should if working in the internet biz as we are (and i'm Spanish).

The weather is easily fixable if you do the show in a different date as you said but on the other hand... i think the rain helped networking a lot, as people expended most of the day in the hotel drinking beer and talking with each other, else most of people would have been at the beach not doing biz/networking at all (stupid i know, but i bet that would have happened with good weather).

Anyway it was a really nice show, great job, looking forward for next one!

[thommy]

dear andreas,

you made again a very astonishing show and I think, nobody in the world expects 100%, because it´s impossible to satisfy everybody 100%.

the most important on a show like this is, that everybody makes buiseness and that happend on both summits up to now.

as far as I´m concerned, there where only small "mistakes" like the ones you´ve already mentioned and one more little point:

I am used to find my best contacts away from the oficial buisnesshours, what means: at the parties - and I am shure, there are many other with the same experience.
music might be something important to bring people in partymode but for talks it can be anoying.
maybe you should have an eye on it, to find something in the middle of the truth.

it would even help to keep some spots of the location free from loudspeakers to make a talk possible.
well I know, that also was a fault of the weather situation, what didn´t make it possible to include the outside locations like poolarea.

but I think it´s a very impotant point to think on it, because I have noticed, that on EVERY PARTY AT EVERY FAIR, that you find the most people at the more quite areas to have the party-biz-talks there.

but anyway - it was a absolutely great show what brought me many new excellent contacts and ideas and I am looking forward to be there with my whole team the next time.

and just a last suggestion: please find a sponsor, who roomdrops realy nice girls instead of photos from them :-)

greetings

thommy

Congrats, Andreas --- see you at the next one!

[Tasty1]

Thanks for the organization of great this show. You already know how to improve the next show. Maybe renting a bus without top would be nice to drive through the city (Gaudi tour).




More pictures: www.tasty1.com

[Ross]

Internet in the rooms was a big one for me, it was so slow I couldn't even check my emails. In the lobby it was faster on my iPhone tho so it wasn't all bad, however I rarely got to check it in the lobby due to talking to so many people.

The badges as well were indeed small, I think more focus could be given on the company name, however to combat that, I simply put one of my business cards in each side, and people had no problem seeing which company I was from so it was ok after I did that.

Thanks for throwing a great show Andreas, we met some very interesting people and I hope to be closing a few big deals this week already, so many people have already got in touch. Choice of hotel (other than internet) was perfect, great staff, very clean, modern and great hotel. You and your team did a great job.

[Actual Mike]

I think you addressed all the issues pretty well there. Good turn out and great biz ops. I think the only thing that may be a great boom would be if you did more on-site parties to keep everyone together more throughout the show. Thanks again for a great job, the futbol match was great too ;)

[Inteljez]

Great show Andreas, definitely be at the next one

[Roald]

No other "real" complaints then the ones mentioned.

Good show!

[notime]

It was a really good show.
Compliments Andreas and Karel!

I agree with Thommy that is hard to speak in loud environments at parties.

Next to the list you added yourself, I would suggest a few extra;
-Since most people party late and miss breakfast, it would be nice to get food throughout the day in the lobby (or more choice of food/warm food). Or the restaurant on the 25th/26th could open sooner then 8:30PM maybe.
-Maybe some tapas in the restaurant(s), since we're in Spain
-Some extra staff at the bar during peak hours.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by notime

Since most people party late and miss breakfast...

You should have waited awake 1 hour more with us, we went directly for breakfast before going to bed :D

[baddog]

I thought they were going to get the Internet thing resolved after the last show. I get the feeling they don't comprehend the importance of Internet to some people.

[Tasty1]

Originally Posted by notime

-Some extra staff at the bar during peak hours.

That wouldn't help. Than 3 bartenders will watch how 1 bartender is working instead of two. It looked like they held a siesta during work.

Maybe get 1 german bartender and give the 3 spanish a day off.

Tapas, yummi.

[Exoclick]

The show was just great, one of the best show I've done. A right mix of parties/fun and business talks. We got back with tons of deals.

One thing that was annoying for us was to mount the booth on Saturday Morning because the hotel was not ready on Friday. But no big deal.

[TBS_Andreas]

Originally Posted by baddog

I thought they were going to get the Internet thing resolved after the last show. I get the feeling they don't comprehend the importance of Internet to some people.

Hi baddog,

We do comprehend the importance of Internet. That is why we installed our own Internet lines at our cost in the lobby of the hotel - where the Internet worked more or less fine this time.

What I did not know was, that I could bring in my own Internet lines also into the rooms. For the fall 2010 summit we have already ordered additional Internet lines for the rooms, so that the Internet problem finally should be a thing of the past.

Still learning...

Thanks!
Andreas

[gaffg]

you covered it all. I think if you cover all you mentioned plus something in Oct when the weather is high 20s it will be perfect!

[Honez]

Great list Andreas and again, another great show. The things I would add to the list are:

1. Make sure the seminars do not run over into the next seminar's (or mix and meet) time slot.
2. I agree with Wirecard Mike that it would be nice to have more events on premise. Last year was great with the on site evening parties.

I have no doubt that next show will rock our socks off

[Meeper]

No real complaints from me other than what you have already mentioned. I would have loved the weather to be a little nicer, but I have a feeling that would have meant less networking opportunities, as more people would be hitting the town / beaches. Overall it was a great show and I am very impressed at what you accomplished thus far.

[baddog]

Originally Posted by TBS_Andreas

Hi baddog,

We do comprehend the importance of Internet. That is why we installed our own Internet lines at our cost in the lobby of the hotel - where the Internet worked more or less fine this time.

What I did not know was, that I could bring in my own Internet lines also into the rooms. For the fall 2010 summit we have already ordered additional Internet lines for the rooms, so that the Internet problem finally should be a thing of the past.

Still learning...

Thanks!
Andreas

By "they" I meant the people at ME. I am relatively confident you know that.

[Redmanthatcould]

I thought it was a great show. I met a ton of new people, and was able to see some old friends too.

Seems like you covered most of the things that bothered me, and all of them seemed to be related to the hotel itself, not the show itself.

[JFK]

The FUBAR Pics will be up soon

[Due]

Originally Posted by TBS_Andreas

Hi baddog,

We do comprehend the importance of Internet. That is why we installed our own Internet lines at our cost in the lobby of the hotel - where the Internet worked more or less fine this time.

What I did not know was, that I could bring in my own Internet lines also into the rooms. For the fall 2010 summit we have already ordered additional Internet lines for the rooms, so that the Internet problem finally should be a thing of the past.

Still learning...

Thanks!
Andreas

Aren't they already installing Fiber internet everywhere already ? From most european places they install gigabit connections and cap you between 10-100 megabit.
I think it would just require better routers and switches, the problem is more likely the amount of people signing on to the same router rather than the actual connection.

It's probably a perfect sponsorship option for a hosting company

[TBS_Andreas]

I forgot:

- Give the sponsors more time to get their artwork ready. This time it was all very much last minute with the hotel. Next time we will close the deal with the hotel earlier, and get the artwork issue fixed like that.

[TBS_Andreas]

Please keep the improvement ideas for the fall 2010 show in Barcelona coming!!

Thanks!
Andreas

[TBS_Andreas]

What else?

[Thomas007]

Originally Posted by TBS_Andreas

What else?

Make more space between the rows of tables during speed networking.
The goal is to spread the noise a little so you don't have to shout during the speed networking.

[SASCHA WINKLER]

This is what is all about!

[QUOTE=VS_Jeff;16895974] (...) I met a ton of new people, and was able to see some old friends too. (...)

In the end - everyone is responsible for their own show success. Try to prepare your meetings in front of the show. Use boards like GFY to figure out who is coming (or maybe not?).

By the way: was nice seeing you again Jeff ;)

[TBS_Andreas]

Originally Posted by Thomas007

Make more space between the rows of tables during speed networking.
The goal is to spread the noise a little so you don't have to shout during the speed networking.

Thanks for reminding me Thomas! Completely forgot about that! We will limit the next Speed Networking to 100 or 150 people and leave more space between the rows, so that there will be less noise polution. Thanks for your input!!

[TBS_Andreas]

[QUOTE=SASCHA WINKLER;16915844]This is what is all about!

Originally Posted by VS_Jeff

(...) I met a ton of new people, and was able to see some old friends too. (...)

In the end - everyone is responsible for their own show success. Try to prepare your meetings in front of the show. Use boards like GFY to figure out who is coming (or maybe not?).

By the way: was nice seeing you again Jeff ;)

True Sascha. But still it is up to me to create the right environment to enable people to do business. That I is indeed part of my job description... ;)

See you in Phoenix next month!!
Andreas

[TBS_Andreas]

Another improvement question: At what times/days did the credit card system of the hotel not work?

Thanks for your feedback!

[JenniDahling]

How about more visible security, cut down on valuables "disappearing."

The show itself was amazing, good pacing of events, and the attendee roster offered a nice mix of people from all over, all hungry for business.

Andreas, next time you go to the city, check out The Hesperia Tower Hotel. I stayed there when I got back to Spain from Andorra, and it's near the airport and city center, across a metro station (a quick metro ride to Las Ramblas and the Gothic area). It's a 5 star hotel and the rates were comparable to Hotel Me. Aside from a high tech elevator system that was pretty cool, the internet access was strong, even with a Phillips Electronics convention happening at the hotel and tons of folks accessing it. There are also several great restaurants within the hotel which is a nice feature for those wanting to grab a bite and converse without having to go off campus.

[Tasty1]

The credit card system in the bar didn't work on friday at about 18:00 hours till ....