View the entire 2009 SMMP Software Buying Guide

THE IN-HOUSE SOLUTION
Meeting Evolution

The Story: Launched in February, Meeting Evolution grew out of an internal sourcing system developed by meeting management firm Meeting Sites Resource beginning in 2001. “We’ve been refining strategic capabilities over the past seven years, with feedback from account executives, planners, and hotel partners,” says Rob Wilson (who is also EVP at Meeting Sites Resource).

Product Type: SaaS

For Meeting Management:

• Meeting request and approval
• Enterprise calendar
• Planner resource management
• Venue database/e-RFPs
• Budget management
• Attendee management, including registration, surveys, and e-mail marketing
• Custom reports on cost savings, cost avoidance, and spend
• Space Hold Requests
• Custom Contract Template
• CRM system for managing prospects (for third parties)
• Tool to build preliminary budget as the planner completes the RFP

Supplier Database? Yes, with about 40,000 venues, built by Meeting Sites Resource; now managed by Meeting Evolution. Basic supplier listings are free.

Supplier Database Marketing Packages: Four options: Platinum, for a one-time $5,000 fee; Gold, for $1,500 annually; Silver, for $1,000 annually; and Bronze, for $500 annually. The marketing packages allow richer content and photo uploads, higher positioning with search results, and the ability to post hot date/hot rate promotions

Do you get commissions or finder’s fees from hotels? No.

RFP Customization: RFPs are APEX compliant, and can include standard concessions, custom questions, detailed agenda, accessibility needs, and budgeting requirements.

What are the different ways hotels can respond to your RFPs? “With our system, hotels do not need a username and password to respond to an RFP,” Wilson says. “We create a unique link for each property receiving an RFP, and only that property uses that link to respond.”

What do corporate clients pay for? Annual licensing fee varies by version—standard, professional, or enterprise. The professional and enterprise versions add functions such as the ability to create a contract from the information already input into the system.

Credit-Card Partner? On the drawing board

Enhancements: Quarterly

Support: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday, based in Kansas City, Mo.

Our Differentiators: “In addition to being flexible and user-friendly, Meeting Evolution has unique features—in particular, our estimator tools that estimate food-and-beverage costs, sleeping room costs, and analyze air costs,” Wilson says. “Meeting Evolution’s RFPs are also fully APEX-compliant—and as we add more functionality, such as the ability to build and manage banquet event orders, those will be APEX-compliant as well.”

Other SMMP Software profiles:
Arcaneo Metron
Cvent
Lenos
StarCite
Certain Software
Meeting Evolution