Learn the value of academic venues

The quality and professionalism of academic venues is a far cry from perceptions of them being ‘fit-for-purpose’ or ‘adequate’ – and conference and event organisers are waking up to that.
     
In the past some have overlooked academic venues, but clients are increasingly recognising the elevated service, technology and flexibility provided. This can be seen in all aspects of the offering, including accommodation, dining and meeting facilities and, most importantly, experienced and passionate people.
 
PROFESSIONALISM
An event is rarely a success simply because of space, facilities or even because a rock-bottom deal has been negotiated. All are influencing factors, but success is more often a direct result of the skill and passion held by the people that make it happen.
     
Empathy with the event organiser and delegates, attention to detail, focus and experience are the key ingredients academic venues excel at delivering.
     
Universities are historically attractive employers and retain staff for a number of years, so a problem or request that staff have not handled or catered for is a rarity. Indeed, Warwick Conferences has more than a dozen employees who have been working at one of its venues – Scarman – since it opened in 1991 and many others with similar service records can be found throughout our business.

A key offering provided by many academic venues that especially resonates with customers is the appointment of a dedicated event manager to each conference. Giving organisers a convenient single contact for all queries and requests allows trust and mutual knowledge to build up, so academic venues can tailor the client’s time to perfection.
 
ACADEMIC DISTINCTION
Close ties with learning excellence and the ability to link with academic colleagues to enhance events adds further value. For example, a medical conference can enjoy a keynote speech from an esteemed lecturer in the field.
     
Another advantage of academic venues is that they are specifically geared towards earnest conferencing and can provide bespoke packages, from luxurious to fundamental. It is the case that many academic venues have built dedicated venues to offer all year round residential facilities. The ethos and dedication this provides is useful for organisations that are required to use their money cost-effectively and transparently.
     
But competitive rates do not mean compromise on standards in facilities, service, accommodation and catering – for example, many venues now boast chefs that have won prestigious culinary awards once seldom found outside the kitchens of five star hotels.
     
People shouldn’t assume all academic venues are just student rooms, many now have at least one bespoke high quality conference centre with everything up to bespoke 4* equivalent as part of their package. Warwick Conferences currently has three – Scarman, Radcliffe and Arden.
     
This flexibility, seldom found elsewhere, means academic venues can handle small events to conferences with 1,500 or more delegates. It is for this reason that conference centres are used by significant organisations, such as blue chip companies, senior policy makers and politicians.
 
FOCUS
As university enterprises, academic venues are able to take a long-term view of business because they do not have to respond to the short-term demands of shareholders.
     
This permits an ongoing commitment to quality and service as they have been able to resist any excessive cost-cutting programmes.
     
Renewals and improvement programmes in particular have continued at a high level because there is a belief that delivering high quality, in both service and facilities will mean a stronger business in the long term. Similarly, many academic venues have continued to invest in training people across the board.
     
While venues have considered other potential revenue streams, from Christmas parties to weddings, many academic venues have rejected them due to consideration of appropriate business mix. As soon as you mix a social event with a business meeting the likelihood is that at least one party will end up dissatisfied. The question is when does a conference or meeting venue become a hotel or ‘multi-purpose’ facility? The answer is when the customer thinks so.
     
Additionally, many academic venues are based within a university campus. As a result they can offer a convenient single location to eliminate the headache of travel between venues, accommodation and social activities. They may also be able to offer a high level of confidentiality, security and privacy and may explain why so many high profile and respected organisations, especially government bodies, select them for their conferencing needs.
 
COST-EFFECTIVE
While many venues have clearly had to adjust their pricing strategies as a consequence of the recession, academic venues have largely avoided entering a rate slashing competition.
     
Excessively reducing rates invariably leads to a compromise on standards and investment in areas of the business such as staff, improvements and maintenance. This is a concession it is unwilling to embark upon as they know customers have come to rely upon and expect high levels of service.
     
That said some clients have been lured away by the prospect of lower rates. However, the majority of these customers have since returned as they recognise that despite a slight differential in a 24-hour rate, the inevitable compromise on aspects like service standards, cleanliness or quality of food, plus the creep of additional costs for extras, has had a detrimental effect on their event’s objectives.
     
The academic sector now rightfully accounts for a significant percentage of the multi-billion pound events, conferences and meetings sector.
     
The combination of expert staff, the advantages of a university setting, a core focus on quality content and attractive rates have shown organisers that academic venues are the ideal solution for their delegates – whatever the question.
 
CASE STUDY
Warwick Conferences was graded highly by the teachers of tomorrow after a major education training event was held there.
     
The Coventry-based collection of training, conference and events venues welcomed more than 1,000 educators for the Teach First National Institute. Over 550 of the participants attended for the full three weeks with more than 400 additional participants arriving for the second week.
    
Teach First is an independent charity with a mission to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields.
    
Feedback from Teach First revealed that more than 95 per cent were very satisfied or satisfied with their experience at Warwick including the check-in, technology, catering and accommodation.
     
Comments included: “Excellent organisation and communication throughout.” “The facilities at Warwick Conferences are wonderful,” and “the catering has been absolutely amazing.”
     
Teach First director of leadership development Amanda Timberg said: “Warwick Conferences took on the organisational and logistical challenge of Teach First’s biggest ever Summer Institute and delivered beyond our expectations.

“We are looking forward to returning to the first rate service we received last year.”

WARWICK CONFERENCES
The University of Warwick is one of Britain’s leading Universities. It offers arguably the best University conference facilities in the UK. Branded as Warwick Conferences, it is highly successful with an annual turnover in excess of £20 million.
     
Warwick Conferences consists of three purpose built training and conference centres: Scarman, Radcliffe and Arden, offering dedicated conference facilities all year round and the Conference Park, which utilises the main campus facilities.
     
Over 300 meeting rooms, from boardrooms to tiered auditoria are fully equipped with the latest technology, 600 sq. metres of exhibition space, a 1,200 capacity hall and the largest Arts Centre outside of London.
     
It is considered to house the widest choice of meeting space in the UK – all located on a 700-acre rural setting on the outskirts of Coventry within a few minutes of the motorway network, high speed rail links and Birmingham International Airport.

For more information:

www2.warwick.ac.uk/conferences