My experience in working with clients and collaborating with colleagues on various strategic meetings management deliverables has taught me to always keep top of mind what is really best for your business. Not what is easiest to develop, or what you presume is the best program design, or what worked really well at your last company. No, you really need to ensure that each decision is truly the best based on organizational goals and objectives.
So how do you know what is the best? Here are four tips that will help you to figure that out:
• Compare the objectives of your SMMP with the overarching goals of your business. If they align, you are likely doing what's best, if there are discrepancies, you need to reassess.
• Evaluate the SMM processes that have been designed. Do they integrate easily with existing procedures in order to maximize compliance? If yes, terrific! But if someone was merely checking the boxes to get the project off of his or her desk, it’s likely some modifications will be needed to be best for your business.
• Review current customer satisfaction (C-Sat) scores for your SMM program. Are they at or above target levels? If not, why not? Have processes developed that are hard to use rather than making someone's job easier?
• Review current satisfaction scores for the meeting objectives. Are the meetings helping people achieve their business goals? If not, examine how you can improve in order to deliver on corporate objectives.
Don't make it personal. This is not about your personal preferences; it is about what will best achieve the objectives of your program, which need to be aligned with overall corporate goals. Every decision relating to the SMMP should be considered through this lens and will help you determine what is "best for your business." And if you think about it, this advice is not exclusive to strategic meetings management; it should be followed whenever business decisions are made.
