It seems that the school gates are now open and that everyone is rushing out into the world of meetings and events once more; and here at arrangeMY we couldn’t be more delighted. We’re pleased both with the relative brevity of this particular hiccup, just one of a number of such we have all had to endure over the last two years, and the timing; falling in a relatively quieter period for our business.

Meanwhile, at arrangeMY, we’re currently riding on the crest of a wave that started last year. Our business is growing beyond our expectations as we move out of the pandemic, and we’ve recently announced our latest takeover of another agency that will grow our footprint, our business, and our ability to do the best job possible for our customers. The temporary jitters we all felt in December and January were thankfully short, and we now look forward again. The Race for Space begins in earnest.

It’s this race that I’d like to use this platform to address. Because, as sure as many event organisers will ‘play safe’ in selecting only peak times for event booking, so will venues adopt this phrase to encourage them to book early or make savings from off-peak booking. Equally, I’ll have a number of commentators and experts asking me why we (organisers) can’t just flatten the bell-curve and book more out of season meetings.

Honestly speaking, maybe we can be a little more flexible in this regard; and maybe that will help our friends within the supply and venue community run their businesses more affectively, offer better pricing options and avoid the frantic ‘Race for Space’ chats where we all try and book the same day, just because of historic data.

However, I do want to put in a word for one party not quite evenly represented; the client. We have to remember that the true organiser of the meeting isn’t always my business, it’s my client. We have to remember that they have specific business reasons and objectives as well as their own risk analysis, stakeholder, and ‘powers that be’ that they need to appease.

So, we play it safe. We know that delegate conversion is higher midweek than Monday and Friday, that being first out of the pandemic is risky and that yes, March does perform better than February. We also know that these margins are small, but no one is contesting that they are not there.

We have to remember that one of the trends sitting directly underneath the disruption caused by the pandemic and subsequent shut down is that businesses are hurting. We need to remind ourselves that meetings and events are an investment, and investments carry risk. So, our job (and responsibility) is to mitigate risk through data and experience; and if that means a Wednesday in March, then that is what we’ll go for.

This isn’t a perfect solution though and venues are right that the race for space isn’t ideal on either side of the buying process. We don’t want our clients to pay more than they should have to, and venues don’t want to turn away business. So, what is the solution?

For us at arrangeMY, we’re advocating for good conversations, across the board. Between ourselves and our venue contacts, between ourselves and our customers, and between our customers and their delegates. We need these to be open and honest, aware of the risks, aware of the implications. If we can get delegates to turn up more on Fridays, then we can loosen the fiscal pressure on this day; if we can have conversations about how to get delegates to turn up earlier after a shut down – using insight and information – than we begin to break down these ingrained perceptions.

It won’t happen quickly. These are trends that started long before the pandemic and have only been solidified during it. But we do need to shake them off and I see it as part of our role to do this, not just for our venue partners, but most importantly for the client.

Until then, let’s see how we all do in this coming race for space. Good luck to everyone, but especially those that go early, we hope your bravery impacts positively on your event as well as your wallet. And if it does, share it with the industry, and others will do likewise. Maybe then we can slow down other space races.

The post The Race for Space appeared first on arrangeMY.

A Complete Travel Solution

One very obvious benefit of using a travel management company is the combination of both air, rail, accommodation and event services all rolled into one simple package. Whilst there are many credible options on the market, it is always difficult to compare and contrast prices from a range of difference suppliers. With arrangeMY, you can combine all of your requirements into one solution; simply put letting our expert team do the hard work for you.

Cost Saving Solutions

With incredible relationships with a wide range of suppliers, arrangeMY have access to the best rates on the market – which often would not be available to the public. Our comparative tool allows us to benchmark a wide array of prices against one another to ensure our clients are consistently getting the best rates. What’s more, arrangeMY offer a ‘best rate guarantee’ for all bookings made on the same terms and conditions, meaning if you are able to find a rate better we will happily match this. As part of the Hotel Booking Agents Association and Advantage Focus Partnership, our formidable buying power can maximise savings for our customers.

Excellent In Both Online & Offline Solutions

Our award winning ‘arrangeMY Trip’ online booking tool allows the modern day traveller to book with complete freedom whilst being safe in the knowledge that the companies booking policy is always adhered to. A total booking solution, our online portal enables you to search and book the cheapest tickets and accommodation available in around 3 minutes. Whilst we appreciate the importance of great online services, our offline services remain at the heart of what we do, with our expert team of agents always on the end of a call or an email to assist you with your travel. Its this personal touch that have given us an excellent working relationship with some client for over 20 years. This service also extends to 24 hour support meaning you are truly never alone even when travelling.

Venue Sourcing Expertise

Need to arrange a conference, meeting or event? arrangeMY’s dedicated Venue Sourcing department has you covered, guiding you through the entire Venue Sourcing process from initial proposal to visits at specific sites then after event support to follow up. We are proud to offer a FREE Venue Sourcing service to our clients which sets us apart from many on the market. Further to this to combat the impacts of the coronavirus, we have also extended our services to both virtual and hybrid events to be sure you never have to cancel an event again! No matter how big or small the event, arrangeMY have you covered.

Flexible Payment Options and Consolidated Invoicing

One huge headache for bookers includes the hassle of paying for bookings on a credit card or sending their traveller with a cheque to pay on arrival. Our account features gives you the freedom to book on your account which will be presented to you in one simple payment as a single consolidated invoice. Although this can be backed up with full comprehensive data on all bookings, this makes the billing process as straightforward as physically possible for your Finance Teams, taking the time out of what is generally a huge job.

arrangeMY Data – Full Management Information

Our detailed management information enables you to monitor usage and spend levels. arrangeMY Data is an online solution that provides complete real time management information at your fingertips in 7 seconds, allowing you to maximise the effectiveness of a preferred hotel and travel programme by identifying savings and compliance. This tool allows you to drilldown into any particular travel or accommodation booking, giving you the freedom to analyse your travel on a microscopic level.

Account Management Services

Sometimes the world of travel and accommodation can be a very tricky one to navigate, which is why a dedicated Account Manager will be on hand to guide you through every single step. From onboarding to selected pre-agreed corporate rates, attending site visits to identifying cost savings, your expert Account Manager will act with complete professionalism to guarantee you receive a level of service that far exceeds your expectations. Any issues will be resolved quickly and efficiently through your one single point of contact who will be on hand from the first day to guide you through your travel journey with arrangeMY.

Interested in learning more about how a Travel Management Company could positively impact your business? Why not get in touch with us directly! We’d love to hear more about your requirements and how our services may be able to transform your business travel. Get in touch on:

Contact Number – 01905 610016
Email – sales@arrangemy.com
Website – https://www.arrangemy.com/

The post Could A Travel Management Company Be A Good Fit For Your Company? appeared first on arrangeMY.

So, the question is how do you and your organisation start to embrace a new cleaner and sustainable mindset and adopt a new business travel culture. What can be done to shape your travel programme?

At arrangeMY we are passionate about supporting our clients to set achievable goals and greener travel targets. We will closely and carefully manage and maintain relationships for you, without sacrificing safety, security or standards for travellers. While also allowing you to have access to monitor and report on emissions and carbon consumption levels, using the most appropriate industry guidelines and respective annual DEFRA conversions factors.

We commit to working with you to assist and advise you on ways in which you can generate greater adoption and evoke a better booking and travel buying mindset within your teams and departments.

We have a number of associated companies who we can call on to provide us with the latest innovation and technology from booking intervention, carbon budget dashboards and visual metrics to show improvements and progress plus opportunities to suggest compelling, transparent and relevant offset options to counteract your carbon.

If you’re interested in learning more about the possibilities and insight, we can provide then please do get in touch with your account manager who will gladly arrange a call to discuss options and next steps.

arrangeMY – We care where you’re going

The post Sustainable Business Travel appeared first on arrangeMY.

With the incredible news of lockdowns restrictions coming to an end, arrangeMY are pleased to report a huge resurgence in Meetings and Events, with many clamouring to make up on lost time and return to face-to-face meetings in a safe, secure way. With a backlog of nearly 18 months of events, many businesses are now starting to put these cancelled plans into place in the near future. The ‘race for space’ is now becoming a reality with many venues taking a much higher volume of business across the coming weeks and months.

Across the past month alone, arrangeMY have applied their expert knowledge to assist with booking such events as conferences, training seminars, roadshows, interviews, exhibitions and even a Christmas Party!! arrangeMY have pulled upon our excellent supplier relationships to ensure our clients are receiving the best value for money all with flexible cancellation policies to provide that extra level of confidence for those booking their Meetings and Events with us.

arrangeMY’s Venue Sourcing Manager, Nyree Black, said:

“It’s been an incredibly busy month with clients starting to think about their upcoming Meetings and Events however we are so excited to be able to assist our clients in their return to some sort of normality. Having kept in regular contact with out clients, we know first hand how tough the last year has been with many events having to be postponed due to the pandemic. At last, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and are thrilled to be able to start putting plans back in place for the future. If the last month is anything to go by, the events world is definitely getting back on its feet and arrangeMY can’t wait to continue supporting our clients!”

Our Venue Sourcing Team are market experts in all things Meetings and Events, so no matter how small or large your requirement may be, rest assured that we have you covered. With a comprehensive range of trusted suppliers plus the full virtual setup to support your event, arrangeMY can take the stress out of any event from an intimate team meeting all the way to a full-scale exhibition. If you feel your business could use assistance with finding the perfect venue at the best prices, then please feel free to reach out to our Venue Sourcing Team ahead of your next event and we would be pleased to support with any requirement!

Website – https://www.arrangemy.com/what-we-do/venue/

Phone Number – 01905 610016

Email – venuesourcing@arrangemy.com

The post Corporate Meetings & Events Return in Full Force appeared first on arrangeMY.

At arrangeMY, we are passionate about sharing our expertise with our clients to ensure they are getting the most from their travel; whether this be cost savings, making their travel sustainable or influencing their booking behaviours. Before commencing travel again, why not take time to discuss your policy with our Account Managers to ensure this is fit for purpose.

Why Have a Travel and Events Policy?

There are multiple reasons to either create or rewrite your travel policy. Simply put, an effective policy will set out full guidelines for your travellers to stick within when they are booking travel. Primarily, this means you are able to set budgets for your company to stick within, keeping costs under control within the agreed rates. In setting certain budgets, this will in turn drive costs savings, encouraging those who book to keep within the rates set out rather than to go above and beyond budgets which may ultimately be costly for the business. A good travel policy will begin to influence booking behaviour, for example booking travel within a certain time frame or booking on a certain class which again is a factor is keeping costs down.

Traveller safety is of course of the upmost importance; therefore, your travel policy can provide regulations as to where travellers are allowed to visit and where perhaps they may not be permitted to. Coupled with this includes an effective approval process, which essentially will give each line manager control to approve where and when their employee travels – and at what cost.

What Makes a Good Travel and Events Policy?

Whilst travel policies do differ between organisations, a basis of a good travel policy usually remains consistent. A travel policy should set out the guidelines for how your employees and partners make their bookings. Included within this policy could include guidance such as:

• How to make a booking – is this done via an online tool or through our office?
• What are your rate caps – do you have an outline of the budgets for air, rail, accommodation and car hire?
• Who are your approvers – do you have a clear line of approval for each booker?
• Set times for travel – peak vs off peak travel times, are these important?
• Board basis – can certain people book a different board basis to others?
• Expense policy – can the expense policy be intertwined within your travel?

Working with your Account Manager, these sorts of inclusions can be discussed in detail to guarantee you are creating the most effective travel policy to safeguard your employees on a health and safety level but also to fully take advantage of all the cost savings on offer.

How Long Does the Process Take?

Evaluating a travel policy can be as detailed or as simple as you want it to be, dependent on the desired aims. If you are simply looking to reduce costs, this may be as simple as a 30-minute conversation, however conversely if you are looking at re-writing your entire policy to cover every single piece of travel this may be a more detailed conversation. Nonetheless, our Account Management Team can work with you to set out certain recommendations to include in your policy to ensure you are achieving the end goal for your business.

Does this Integrate Into arrangeMY Trip?

All travel policies can be integrated into your Online Booking Tool, arrangeMY Trip. This means whether your traveller is booking through our offices or through arrangeMY Trip, they will always need to stick within your set policy in order to make a booking. Further to this, all policies can be continually reviewed to ensure this stays relevant, so changes can be amended with ease if anything changes within your policy.

Ready to start looking at your policy? arrangeMY remain fully operational and here to support our clients completely through their return to travel, so if we can assist with your plans over the coming weeks, please feel free to reach out to your dedicated Account Manager who can organize a session to provide a complete overview of your policy moving into the future.

The post Is Your Travel and Events Policy Fit for a World After COVID? appeared first on arrangeMY.

arrangeMY are proud to be supporting our clients in the return to travel over the next coming months to ensure your business gets where it needs to be whilst ensuring your employees are safe. Here are some top tips from arrangeMY to help you prepare in full for the end of restrictions in the coming months:

Evaluate Your Travel and Events Policy

With travel being heavily restricted over the past year, travel has understandably been on the backburner whilst businesses focus on navigating the challenges thrown up by coronavirus. This means for many it has been well over a year since their travel and events policy has been addressed. Now is a crucial time to revisit your travel and events policy ahead of any returns to travel to ensure your approval processes, rate caps, expenses structure and booking procedures are all in order. Maintaining a healthy travel and events policy can lead to some incredible cost saving opportunities but most importantly keeps your employees safe at all times delivering on your duty of care. arrangeMY have helped many clients to re-write their travel and events policy, offering market leading advice whilst maintaining staying within the most recent guidelines. Please do feel free to get in touch for a free travel health check-up to see if your travel and events policy could do with a refresh.

Keep Updated with International Travel Policies

Despite all of the amazing progress made within the UK as the vaccine rollouts continue to thrive, there are many Countries who will still have entry requirements in place over the coming months. Before booking any travel or accommodation on an International basis, it’s important to check-up on the entry requirements which may involve taking additional steps to ensure you are compliant with these regulations. Drawing upon our supplier relationships combined with the latest foreign travel advice, arrangeMY can provide the all the guidance you would need to plan your next trip with confidence, protecting your travellers whilst highlighting any additional actions needed before travel such as a negative test, increased level of insurances or traveller tracking forms.

Reimagine Your Meetings and Events

Whilst businesses are itching to return to face-to-face meetings and events, there are understandably some circumstances which will not allow this to happen. Fortunately, many solutions are in place to mitigate against these issues and allow events to proceed. The past year has forced many to reimagine how meetings and events can operate safely and that’s why it is encouraged to start thinking differently about your next planned dates. arrangeMY can offer a full range of both virtual or hybrid events, meaning businesses need not miss out on any more cancelled events. Hybrid events create the best of both worlds with face-to-face meetings complimented by a virtual solution to allow those who may not be able to attend to not miss out on any action.

Take Advantage of Flexible Cancellations

Many travel, accommodation and venue suppliers have supported the travel industry by offering a greater level of flexibility within their rates. Despite the Country getting back to normal, the past year has shown us that any obstacle can be thrown in our way – however with the increased flexibility when booking, businesses can rest assured that they are covered in the worst-case scenario. arrangeMY are tremendously proud of our supplier relationships and can often negotiate an enhanced cancellation policy to give you that added level of security when booking your next trip.

With just under a month to go until the restrictions are widely eased, there is no better time than now to start thinking about your travel plans. Our expert team are looking forward to working with you to fulfil all the plans that you may have missed out on over the past year and can’t wait to support you in the return to travel. arrangeMY remain fully operational to assist with all your upcoming plans and are dedicated to ensuring you get the most cost-effective rates on the market on the most flexible policies – all with a friendly offline service to call upon at any time.

The post Looking Ahead to Travel Without Restrictions appeared first on arrangeMY.

The arrangeMY Associate Programme presents an excellent opportunity for arrangeMY to work with similar market-leading companies who share common visions in supporting our clients through our years of experience and extensive knowledge in the venue sourcing sector. Both companies align in the shared value of providing a personal yet comprehensive travel management service to our clients, aiming to provide the best time and cost saving solutions.

CopperHouse Solutions was founded in 2021 by Managing Director Jen Richley, who has over a decade of experience in the travel and events sector. With an extensive background in both Hotels, Venues and Travel Management, Jen decided to create CopperHouse to continue her excellent services to existing clients, as well as extending support to those looking to take the hassle out of their venue sourcing and event requirements all whilst making significant cost savings.

With a history of working across both large International organisations and smaller intimate companies, Jen and the team at CopperHouse understand and value the importance of building meaningful relationships built on respect and honesty. Putting the relationships, the people and the support at the heart of our businesses is what connects CopperHouse and arrangeMY, which gives us great pride that arrangeMY are able to welcome Jennifer and team onboard as an associate.

arrangeMY Managing Director, Nick Scott, said:

“We welcome CooperHouse into the ever-growing arrangeMY fold and are all delighted to be working with Jen and her team. The service and care offered by CopperHouse is a perfect match for arrangeMY and we’re keen to add additional value via our leading IT and processes.”

CopperHouse Managing Director, Jen Richley, said:

“Whilst this past year within our industry has been a challenging one to say the least, it has also been a year where we have seen a great amount of support, hope and resilience amongst our industry colleagues.

As many within our industry we create meaningful relationships with our clients and our profession is much more than just “a job” it is something we live and breathe, with our clients being at the heart of all we do. Unfortunately, like many I was unable to continue doing, what I did best, helping clients, sourcing venues, and creating memorable experiences for delegates due to the effects of COVID. Following this I received some wonderfully kind words from previous customers sharing how the support and guidance had helped them over the years and for some my infectious passion for this industry rubbed off on them, helping them fall back in love with their events. This gave me the determination to create something special, a brand which is true to myself and values – whilst having the support and guidance of an established leading agency.

Thanks to Nick and the team at arrangeMY I can continue to support and help clients source venues across the globe securing the best rates and terms in the market whilst giving a personal service to each and every client I work with.”

You can check out more about Jen and the team at CopperHouse by visiting their website or getting in touch on:

Email – jen@copperhouseevents.co.uk

Phone Number – 07765 875383

Website – www.copperhouseevents.co.uk

The post arrangeMY Delighted to Welcome CopperHouse Solutions as an Associate appeared first on arrangeMY.

Although many are looking ahead to future plans, it is also important to look at the pioneering steps that suppliers have put in place to ensure health and safety is at the forefront of the return to travel. Understanding these steps makes it easier to ensure your travellers are safe and secure at all times, whilst having the knowledge they will need to navigate the new requirements for certain suppliers. Check out some of the most important changes below:

Rail Travel

To support the pledge for safer travel, most long-distance train operators are now requiring that reservations are booked at the time of purchase. This means that some long-distance services are now only opening up for reservations as late as 10-14 days before departure as train operators need to wait for timetables to be confirmed. In comparison, for local services the window for booking may be reduced to as little as 2 or 3 days before travel, especially for travel early in a week where timetables are delayed.

With the new restrictions in place for certain reservations, unfortunately, travellers will need to look at booking their tickets closer to the time of departure to run in line with safer travel initiative adopted by many suppliers. Many fares will not be visible until closer to the time of departure, therefore it’s always advisable to check back with arrangeMY closer to the day of your travel when reservations become more readily available.

Further to this, many suppliers are opting towards ‘e-ticket’ only options as another direct response to combat the Coronavirus pandemic. In doing so, travellers are not reliant on using ticket machines to print off tickets, thus preventing the touch points to receive paper tickets and reducing contact to a minimum.

Air Travel

Though many entry requirements depend on the destination, what is clear with every supplier airline is that health and safety remains an absolute priority at all times. At the time of booking, it is always best to check what is required of you as a traveller to ensure you are fully aware of the guidelines and comply with the Covid regulations for both airport and airline. Through arrangeMY, these will be presented to you at time of booking. Further to this, you will need to check the entry requirements for the Country you are travelling to which is continually changing as a response to the pandemic.

Many airports have taken on a set of guidelines to ensure their passengers are safe when travelling. These include wearing a mask in public spaces or when onboard an aircraft, undertaking a temperature check on arrival and at time of departure and making use of the protective antimicrobial screens available at a safe distance at the time of check in. Each airline will ensure safety is paramount onboard each aircraft by offering distanced seating, offering a complimentary hygiene kit and enhancing their already outstanding cleaning processes giving you the peace of mind you are booking with confidence.

Before each trip, it is crucial to understand the specific terms and conditions of the supplier to ensure you can meet these. It is not uncommon for you to require a negative coronavirus test or proof of essential travel both on arrival and departure, so it is important to keep an up-to-date log of these documents. Finally, it is important you keep track of your travel history which will often be an entry requirement for the particular destinations to advise on your quarantine requirements, ultimately ensuring the spread of coronavirus is kept to a minimal.

Accommodation

Overnight stays are very much beginning to boom again after the recent announcements, with business accommodation returning beyond key workers on 12^th April 2021. Although hotel groups have taken careful steps to remain open during lockdown for key workers, there are some new guidelines in place across many suppliers which will need to be followed when returning to staying away from home.

One of the most prominent changes will be the catering offering available at each property. Hotels will run in line with UK Government advice on hospitality, however certain groups will restrict their offering to run in-line with social distancing. For example, many hotel groups will offer ‘room service only’ or limited menus at set times of the day to minimize the risks of interaction with others. It’s important to check the guidance from each property to ensure you can plan around these guidelines – information on these can be found directly from arrangeMY either before or at the time of booking.

The enhanced cleansing and disinfecting of both communal areas, restaurants and bedrooms is a key feature among many hotel groups, with additional sanitization opportunities available at all times, giving bookers the confidence to book knowing they are safe when staying overnight. Further to this, hotel groups extend their duty of care to guests even if symptoms of Covid are present. Should a guest fall ill when travelling and remain unable to travel home safely of their own accord, it is important in the first case to alert the hotel reception who will reach out the local authorities for guidance plus arranging case and testing. Where a quarantine period is required, the hotel will ensure the guest is provided with clean linen and linen to guarantee their comfort during their stay.

Whilst the return to normal is not far away, hotel groups are still offering fantastic rates on flexible policies, so there really is no better time than now to start booking your next stays.

Conferences, Meetings & Events

Zoom calls have been an excellent way of keeping in touch over the last year, however it is clear that everyone is missing human contact. With the hugely positive news of pilot events beginning from as early as April for up to 30 delegates in some cases, we can now start looking towards getting together at long last. Business meetings will still feel slightly different from normal for now, with many venues setting out social distancing, a change in catering offerings and the introduction of PPE which will all keep their delegates safe. arrangeMY have a wealth of information on all regulations bought into place to ensure venues are accredited as ‘Covid-Secure’ and can draw upon our excellent relationships with suppliers to provide your business with the most up to date guidelines before your event.

From May 17th 2021, we can look forward to:

• Indoor Events – 1,000 Delegates or 50% Venue Capacity
• Outdoor Events – 4,000 Delegates or 50% Venue Capacity
• Outdoor Seated Events – 10,000 Delegates or 25% Venue Capacity

Widely regarded as the ‘Race for Space’ it is becoming clear that many venues are getting booked up very fast with both planned events that have been rescheduled due to COVID-19 or new business events to catch up on what’s been missed. Similar to hotels, venues are offering extremely favourable rates with excellent cancellation policies meaning the time to start planning your event is now.

arrangeMY remain committed to supporting all of our clients through their return to travel, so please do reach out if you are unsure of any plans in the near future as it would be our pleasure to guide you back to normality. Through our excellent supplier relationships and market leading knowledge of the industry, we are confident that you can be safe in fulfilling your business plans in the coming months. With many businesses re-evaluating their travel policies and looking to make the best savings on their travel, there is really no better time than now to let arrangeMY take the stress out of your requirements.

The post Preparing for Safe Travel Over the Coming Months appeared first on arrangeMY.

8^th March 2021 – Step One

The easing of restrictions are limited in March whilst the rollout of the vaccine continues. From 8^th March 2021, many schools and colleges will start to reopen. Key workers are still permitted to book accommodation as long as they have proof of entitlement in the form of a letter. This remains in place up until 29^th March 2021, at which stage some further restrictions start to ease, such as the mixing of up to 6 people outdoors. At this stage, International Travel will be reviewed, which could see certain Countries removed from the ‘red list’ to gradually reopen some travel corridors. Outdoor sport leisure facilities will start to open at this stage, meaning some sports such as golf or tennis can resume.

12^th April 2021 – Step Two

Whilst essential travel is still very much permitted for key workers, 12^th April 2021 will be the earliest date that we can expect to see some restrictions ease during overnight stays. From this date, outdoor dining will be permitted, meaning many hotels will look to improve their catering offering beyond the current room service only offering. Further to this, leisure facilities such as indoor gyms will be able to reopen, allowing guests to make use of more facilities when staying away from home. Although no International Travel will be permitted unless essential, domestic travel will improve drastically, with self-contained accommodation such as serviced apartments permitted for stays of single households. Further to this, pilot events will start to begin from mid-April to ease the gradual return of meeting & events beyond 6 delegates.

17^th May 2021 – Step Three

The following month will bring even further opportunities to travel, with ‘Step 3’ restrictions permitting the remaining accommodation to reopen for everyone – not just exclusively for key workers. On top of this, indoor restaurants and bars will be able to reopen as per usual from 17^th May 2021 for 6 guests or 2 households, giving guests a wider catering option when staying away from home. At present, International Travel will be subject to review dependant on the progress of the vaccine, therefore we should expect some positive news to unfold over the coming weeks. Conferences and Meetings look extremely positive from May, with an increase on capacity allowing for:

Indoor Events – 1,000 Delegates or 50% Venue Capacity

Outdoor Events – 4,000 Delegates or 50% Venue Capacity

Outdoor Seated Events – 10,000 Delegates or 25% Venue Capacity

21^st June 2021 – Step Four

Widely regarded as the date the Country is returning to as normal as possible, June 21^st 2021 aims to remove all limits on social contact. On this date, all the remaining hospitality outlets will reopen with larger events being permitted once again, with no limits. International Travel looks to be fully lifted where possible in June, meaning businesses will finally be able to look forward to travelling abroad for meetings, events and work. Whilst these dates are a target and are subject to review, June looks to be the first time in over a year where social contact is not limited, with no rule of 6 or limits on meetings in place at all.

As many travel experts have highlighted, there is no better time than now to start planning your upcoming travel with the first set of restrictions approaching in just a months’ time. arrangeMY remain fully operational and can offer a wide range of services to our clients to support their return to travel, whether this be through evaluating your travel policy, agreeing market leading flexible rates with suppliers or planning your upcoming trips. arrangeMY are delighted to start mapping out the future of travel and are confident that our award-winning services can ensure your business is completely ready for the return to travel from April onwards.

The post The Travel Reopening Roadmap with arrangeMY appeared first on arrangeMY.

Our MD, Nick Scott, recently did an interview with Lime Venue Portfolio about navigating the bounce back of events and how we are getting ready for the big return of our industry.

“We recently wrote in a blog that ‘the night is always darkest before the dawn’ and that the dawn is most certainly coming. But it has to be said, at times the ‘night’ that we, in the world of meetings and events, have been in has been both long and hard, and we’re thankful for those that have shone a proverbial torch for us, or lit it with moments of positivity and even fun.

One such business is arrangeMY; long term specialist business travel, accommodation and meetings and events agency, and friends to all of us at Lime Venue Portfolio. It’s no secret that agencies have taken their fair share of a battering over the last 12 months and the team at arrangeMY are no different. That’s why it’s even more remarkable that, when we sat down to speak to their Managing Director, Nick Scott, the mood was of optimism, humanity, humour (albeit often gallows), but also an unconditional focus on the future.

arrangeMY are in some respects fortunate. They are a well-run business with a strong management team, and because of that they have remained stable and positive over the last 12 months. We’re sure it’s not been easy; a staff of 80 people pre pandemic, often mixing between furlough, office based, and home based means a mixture of motivational and mental health challenges that the business has navigated expertly.

However, when we spoke to Nick, it was all about the future for arrangeMY, how are they setting themselves up for what is to come and what are the challenges that will be associated with it.

“First and foremost, it’s about ensuring the wellbeing of our staff. Furlough is tough, but also being denied doing what you love and having your purpose taken away also takes its toll. People often complain about work, but we lose something when its forcibly taken from us. We’re keen to get everyone in our team in the right mindset for a big return for our industry,” commented Nick.

These are important sentiments and some we could do well to replicate across the industry. The reality is that the meetings and events industry is returning and those that service it need to be in the right frame of mind following such a long period away. Why? As Nick underlines, a lot has changed while many have been away.

“Essentially we need to de-risk the events industry. We’re living in an age – post-pandemic – where things have changed and there are heightened perceptions of risk for delegates, organisers and staff in venues and agencies,” continues Nick. “The priorities for our staff have changed and we need to have the right skills and mindset to meet them.”

These priorities are important part of delivering responsible events as we move out of lock down and into more surer footing as we put this pandemic behind us. But the challenge for many within the industry is one of timing. With lead times ranging from six months to just a matter of days, there is a real chicken and egg about when to bring teams back together to prepare, and then to service clients demands. How is Nick and arrangeMY addressing this balance?

“We’re trying to predict the future here, but we can find solace in understanding the nature of the industry,” explains Nick. “We talked about getting staff in the right frame of mind for a return to work, but we also need to look at up-skilling and re-skilling, be it for safety, the massive increase in hybrid technology and much more. This takes time and commitment.

“We hope by then that we’ll be fielding enquiries for longer lead events at the end of the year but also being able to react nimbly to those urgent requirements for events,” continues Nick. “There will be a ‘race for space’, and we’ll need to have all hands-on deck to provide quality and informed consultancy to our customers.”

The balance is a tough one, but the approach by arrangeMY to use the space to invest in staff is commendable. So, how can venues and the supply chain support Nick and his team? “Brands, and I have to include Lime Venue Portfolio here, have been really supportive in giving us the information we need to make informed decisions on venues,” comments Nick.

“It’s also good to see that this advice is not self-serving but firmly rooted in what is best for the customer and the delegate,” continues Nick. “Venues have also been really good in working with agencies like ours on simple things like payment, contract and deposit flexibility which is important in getting our industry back on its feet. If we can continue through 2021 with this level of responsibility, we’ll be building a really strong industry for the future.”

At Lime Venue Portfolio we’re continuing our fight for a better industry by cheerleading those businesses and organisers who work to create better events. We enjoy working with arrangeMY and wish them the very best as they return to pre-pandemic growth. It’s an exciting time for them, and with strong leaders like Nick, we think there is more to come from this special company.”

The post Navigating the Bounce Back: In conversation with Nick Scott, Managing Director, arrangeMY appeared first on arrangeMY.