Over the last few months, the importance of education within the logistics industry has been highlighted extensively in this column, as has the need for improving the image and importance of our industry.
Conferences have the potential to merge both these roles. If successful, they can be a valuable educational resource for the attendees and therefore act as a symbol of achievement for the entire industry. However, in order to accomplish this, a large degree of responsibility and initiative lies in the hands of the conference organisers. They must ensure the conference’s content is relevant, informative and interesting alongside making sure it does not overlap or clash with other events.
Over the past couple of years we, at Dubai Logistics City, have participated in a range of conferences and exhibitions from all around the globe. From this experience it has become clear that the quality of both exhibitions and conferences tend to vary greatly. The following are a range of observations gathered through attending such events that I believe to be of relevance to both organisers and attendees.
Regarding the role of conference organisers, the first step for any successful conference is ensuring that its objective is firm and clear to all parties involved.
Communication is key in identifying this, as is awareness of market conditions both locally and internationally. The global nature of events means they can often clash; sometimes in the same region or even from time to time in the same city. If events do happen to overlap, the organiser should ensure the target audiences are not broadly the same.
The quality of presentations and presenters represents key components of any event. An organiser should ask themselves two questions: what messages are being targeted for the audience and is that message from the presentation intended to be informative or to promote a company.
It is incumbent on the organisers to request presentations in advance and to proceed with a thorough check of its quality in order to ensure the focus of the conference is maintained throughout. Likewise research of the presenters is a must. What is their particular expertise? Are they known to the organisers either personally or through recommendation? What is their experience in public speaking?
Counter in factors such as time keeping. There is nothing worse for the attendees or other speakers than presentations that significantly overrun its allotted time.
Planning is also required with the selection of a venue. If the conference is not attracting the level of support that was originally envisaged then the organisers should ensure changes are made in advance accordingly. Take into account also the comfort value of a conference room. Factors such as whether the size of the room matches the audience, if the chairs are comfortable, and the standard of the audio visual equipment may seem trivial but they all contribute to the quality of an event.
The considerations for an attendee in many ways mirror that of the organiser. Before committing to a conference, an attendee’s first act should be to investigate the details of each various event. Consider the line up of presenters and whether the majority of sessions are of interest to you. Once a decision has been made to attend, remember conferences possess more than just an education function. Networking is a valuable resource so be sure to take time to circulate an event and mingle with the other attendees.
During the event, be prepared to ask questions at the end of presentations particularly when there are panel discussions. Whilst these are made all the more lively and interesting by an excellent moderator, they also benefit greatly from active audience participation. Finally, be open and frank when requested to provide feedback about the event, its programme, presentations and presenters. This is vital for all the various interested parties.
Conferences are an integral part of the education and image development of our industry. Whilst we all want to be part of successful conferences, everyone involved has a responsibility to ensure rigorous preparation is made towards the event.
Michael Proffitt is the CEO of Dubai Logistics City (DLC).
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