The Situation
A leading financial services company uses its annual summit to educate, reward, surprise and delight its top-tier producers, while providing opportunities to network with peers and high-level executives. This set of guests has a tremendous impact on the company’s success, so keeping them happy and rewarding their efforts is mission critical.
The Summit Program was scheduled to take place at a luxury resort in the Bahamas, with planning starting more than a year in advance. The company had already notified guests of the location choice and was working to generate excitement around the program, when suddenly the resort filed for bankruptcy. The Maritz team was faced with an enormous challenge — find a new location that would excite guests even more than the Bahamas, and plan an unforgettable experience on a compressed timeline.
The Solution
It was absolutely essential that guests didn’t feel as if the program had been thrown together as a result of the location change. Given the initial setback of having to change destinations, it was crucial that every aspect of the event delight the guests.
The Maritz team selected London — a world-class city that could accommodate an extremely tight planning timeline while still delivering an outstanding experience for guests.
95.3%
Responded “very satisfied” or “extremely satisfied.”
Working around the clock, the team was able to create an event that could still deliver on the client’s expectations for such an important event.
This program took advantage of London’s history and culture at every step, as guests experienced the royal treatment and explored London’s most renowned landmarks. For transportation, participants traveled to events aboard traditional double-decker buses. During the day, participants were given opportunities to select from five excursions to prominent London locations. London’s history and culture made it the perfect place for exploration.
The Maritz team also planned two evening events featuring iconic aspects of London culture: an opening event based on the 1851 World’s Fair incorporating an industrial revolution steampunk theme, and a closing event that tapped into guests’ fascination with the royal family through an opulent royalty theme — complete with a private performance of “Swan Lake” by the London Ballet Company.
80.6%
Of attendees rated themselves as promoters of the event.
The Results
Overall, the program achieved each of its goals. Surveys showed that the guests were pleased with the Summit Program — with 93.5 percent responding “very satisfied” or “extremely satisfied.” Most importantly, the experience had a lasting effect — 80.6 percent of attendees rated themselves as promoters of the event. After reviewing survey results, there was no mention of the location switch or disappointment about not being in the Bahamas.
