Day meetings can be critical for companies, but they have often been a low priority for hotels because they don't require rooms. However, one hotel chain has decided that day meetings can add up to some lucrative business and has created a system to service them.

Last January, Starwood International launched an online booking tool called Meetings in a Moment. By late July, it was in 61 hotels, according to Starwood's Duncan Kennedy, senior manager, meetings product development. There are plans to roll it out to a few more Starwood franchise hotels in early 2006.

Meetings in a Moment lets planners secure meeting space, F&B, and AV for groups of up to 25 people, up to 30 days in advance, with instant online confirmation and a follow-up call from the hotel within 24 hours. The participating properties, spread among Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, Luxury Collection, and W brands, are located across the country in urban, airport, suburban, and resort locations. More hotels are expected to offer the program as they upgrade their software, says Starwood's Scott Reynolds, senior manager of meetings product development.

The system is relatively straightforward. Planners select a property, pick a date, and enter a time for the meeting. They then choose a room setup and indicate the number of attendees. The system is tied to the hotel's inventory, so available meeting rooms that fit the group are then listed with their dimensions and price. A screen with F&B and AV choices is next, as well as a place to write in requests. After that, it's a matter of securing the meeting with a credit card. If a small number of guest rooms is needed, planners can book up to nine through a link to the hotel's Web site. Companies that book a significant number of day meetings may be able to pre-negotiate contracts with discounted rates, says Reynolds. However, these contracts are on a hotel-by-hotel basis and must be set up prior to booking.

The average value of the events being booked through Meetings in a Moment is $1,050, and the average booking window is only 11 days.