Glenna Fulks*, who has been arranging meetings for clients over the past two decades, has updated her list of requirements in the light of COVID-19.
As a few States begin to relax the restrictions imposed during the COVID19 outbreak we will gradually start to see the rescheduling of meetings and corporate gatherings.
That’s great news for meeting professionals, but with that comes a serious responsibility to be prepared to ensure that attendees feel safe and secure within the venue.
I’ve been a meeting professional for 20 years and have conducted a few thousand site visits.
In doing this I look for the best venues most appropriate for the programs my clients entrust me to plan and produce on their behalf.
My normal site visit questionnaire is six pages in length and covers a lot of territory, but now I’m updating it and by necessity, I will focus on new issues and concerns.
Here are some of the questions I will be asking hotels, conference centres, and other venues before any attendees set foot inside the door.
It’s crucial we ask the questions and receive the answers that give us confidence it is safe to proceed and use the venues under consideration.
Has the venue installed sanitising stations? This would include anti-bacterial wipes, or pump bottles containing hand sanitiser gel.
If the hotel does not provide, then request it installs several throughout the common areas, or if appropriate, present this as a sponsorship idea to any of your exhibitor participants.
What brands are used in the daily cleaning of the guestrooms, public bathrooms, meeting spaces, front desk and other open areas, including elevators and escalators?
Do these brands contain the appropriate amount of, or combination of, alcohol, bleach and other disinfecting chemicals used on surfaces? Around 70 per cent alcohol is the normal amount.
How many times daily are these areas re-cleaned?
Have the carpets and rugs been deep cleaned?
Have guest room drapes and wall coverings, all furniture, including tables and work areas been deep cleaned?
Have all pens, pencils and note pads been restocked?
Have all soft good items been replaced? Or cleaned and returned to the room?
This includes robes and slippers, umbrella, plastic laundry bags, hangers, ironing board and irons and any other courtesy item provided within the guest rooms.
Are the drinking cups plastic or glass? Were they removed and replaced?
If rooms contain a mini bar, have all bottles been removed and replaced with new stock?
This also applies to snacks like chips, pretzels, nuts, candy and cookies, and other items individually packaged and inside the guestroom.
Have mattresses and box springs been cleaned? When were these items last replaced?
Have the hair dryers been replaced? If not, are the hair dryers cleaned with an anti-bacterial solution each time the room is turned over?
Was the shower curtain removed and replaced with a new one?
Does the hotel supply individual amenity items such as shampoo, conditioner and body wash, or are these products provided in large containers inside of the shower?
Have kitchen appliances been sterilised inside and out?
Have kitchen tools, including cutlery and serving pieces been sterilised or replaced with new?
Are china, glassware and silverware washed in very hot water, then steam dried?
Are the clean china, glassware and silverware handled with bare hands or does the staff wear masks and gloves?
Is all food prepared by staff wearing masks and gloves?
Have disposable plastic and paper items been discarded and replaced with new inventory?
Have all table coverings been cleaned? Or were new cloth covers purchased?
Have all banquet chairs been cleaned, and metal arm and leg surfaces cleaned with disinfecting spray?
Have the hand-held microphones and lavaliere microphones been replaced? Were the podium microphones replaced?
Were any and all small audio-visual items, such as handheld clickers, replaced?
Do all employees, regardless of whether they are client-facing or not, have their temperatures taken upon reporting to work each day?
*Glenna Fulks is a partner in Kite Meeting Management who specialises in sponsorship campaigns, event marketing and the use of social media and technology in strategic planning. She can be contacted at kitemeetings.com
This article first appeared at LinkedIn.
