Database Solutions

FLASHPoint Technologies and PCMA team up to streamline the search for meeting technology solutions.

By E.J. Siwek, CMP

When I first started organizing conferences in the 1970s, I didn’t know that meeting planning was a profession. I didn’t even realize there were professional industry associations. And I wasn’t aware of any technology that could assist me in my job. (Though computer networks were emerging, the Internet was not yet on anyone’s radar screen.)

Then 20 years ago, I finally became involved in an association and joined a budding special interest group that dealt with the emerging specialty of meeting technology. Unfortunately, today we’re still dealing with some of the very same problems we had back then. Foremost among them is the challenge of where to find solutions for specific meeting management tasks … and how to educate planners about their use. Addressing those needs led to the formation of FLASHpoint Technologies and a strategic alliance with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).

According to Dawn Penfold, president of The Meeting Candidates Network, the industry’s leading job placement firm, “our industry is a frenetic and ever-changing environment. In order to remain an essential person within a company or association and to be competitive in the marketplace, planners must be able to be a source of information and knowledge. FLASHpoint Technologies’ core database provides an answer by accessing and maintaining key information on technology and Web-based solutions.”

The Technology Solutions Database, housed at www.pcma.org, will offer regularly updated product profiles, cross-referenced by category. The profiles and supporting information will be an invaluable resource for planners, trainers, and suppliers alike.

“The mission of the Professional Convention Management Association,” said president and CEO David DuBois, “is to enhance the effectiveness of meetings, conventions, and exhibitions through member and industry education. Our Board of Directors is very excited about the collaboration with FLASHpoint. Its Technology Solutions Database is a wonderful educational resource, and extremely timely given the growing need to process an increasing amount of information in a compressed time frame.”

The need to keep the database current will require constant updating and maintenance. The first phase, which goes “live” this month, contains profiles of more that 300 products. (Event411 has contracted to be the anchor sponsor of the site.)

Initially, visitors to the site will be able to research myriad companies by category or through a text search. A thumbnail “White Page” listing is provided for every technology product or service identified. This listing will provide enough basic information so visitors can take additional time to contact the company for further information.

Enhanced “Yellow Page” listings are being offered to those technology companies wishing better product positioning within the database. These paid listings include all the information that meeting professionals need, including a Product Profile Summary and a link back to the companies’ home page, plus a complete product description, general pricing information, years in business, number of users, user testimonials (where available), and complete contact information.

All of the Yellow Page listings will be viewable and printable. In addition, meeting professionals will have the option to follow-up with a company to confirm the information. (Companies seeking premiere positioning can also purchase Product Category banner ads.)

Both planners and technology-based companies will be provided opportunities to submit new products to the site. Currently these forms are available at www.pcma.org and at www.flashpointtech.com. “Beginning this month,” David DuBois noted, “PCMA will begin driving traffic to the Technologies Solutions Database through publicity in Convene, and PCMA’s internal communications vehicles, ThisWeek@PCMA and Member Digest.

“We will also step up our ongoing public relations effort,” he added. “The January announcement of this product launch was very well-received by the trade press.”

What do prospective users think? Longtime planner Jim Spellos, a technology trainer and currently president of Meeting-U, commented that “the establishment of this dynamic technology reference database is critical. As planners continue to utilize technology tools to further their meeting objectives,” Spellos said, “a resource such as the FLASHpoint database will save time and help meet their technology needs. This will be a critical component in the future success of their meetings.”

E.J. Siwek is director of marketing of Excel Partnership, an international training organization, and president and founder of Flashpoint Technologies, LLC. Forward your questions about technology to him at techeditor@pcma.org.

CONVENE - June 2001 - Meeting Technology

©2001 Professional Convention Management Association