meetings & events: obstacle or opportunity?

Insights and Ideas from etouches

Management Alternatives Inc.Boston Trends ForumNovember 18, 2010

Meetings & Events: Obstacle or Opportunity?

About etouches etouches is a web-based suite of integrated

event planning software tools that helpevent and meeting professionals performevery function in the event planninglifecycle.

Thirteen internally developed softwaremodules help you organize, streamline,implement and execute world-class eventsfrom inception to delivery, anywhere in theworld, in virtually any language.

etouches works the way you do because wewere planners ourselves — with 25 years ofhands-on event planning and managementexperience in the trenches and on the frontlines with a passion to help others delivergreat events with great results.

The etouches’ product line is offered in two packages:

etouches Quad: just what you need to create, manage, register,market and evaluate your events

etouches Pro: everything you need to plan, budget, schedule,oversee and manage your event portfolio pre, during and post-event

The etouches Difference

Simply put, we get it.If you are a corporation, small business, association, agency,educational institution, meetings or events company or anyorganization that brings together at least 250 people over 12

months, you need to know about etouches. If you are driven tohigh standards and expect the same of your partner companies,

you’re in the right place.

About this Presentation Contact Information Presentation by Jim Alkon and

Leonora Valvo of etouches.Attended by about 25 Boston areatravel managers for majorcorporations – some of whom alsoget involved in managing meetingsfor their companies and some ofwhom might be getting involved.

The purpose was to present tothem the two ways of viewingmeetings from the corporateperspective – either as a line item(expense), usually overseen byProcurement Depts. And not veryconcerned about objectives, justcosts, or as a marketing tool to drivebusiness (these are the people whogenerally understand etouches, seeevents as a generator of interest foryour product, and use eventseffectively as a marketing tool.)

Global salesU.S.: 1-203-403-9470Europe, Middle East, Africa: +44 (0)845077 2804Asia Pacific: +61 (0)2 9555 6622email: sales@etouches.com

Global Marketing & PRSuzanne CarawanVice President, Global MarketingDirect: 1-203-403-9013email: scarawan@etouches.com

www.etouches.com

Connect with us

Which way do you see meetings & events?

• A marketing toolto drive business

or

• A line itemto be managed

The answer: reflected by where it resides?

Marketing…17%

TravelManagement…13%

Procurement…12%

Communications..13%

Sales…11%

Human Resources…8%

Other…26%

Merging responsibilities

Many travel managers are picking upresponsibility for managing the meetingsfunction within their organizations

Travel managers’ role in meetings

•Responsible for meetings…………....50%

•Involved in meetings program……..75%--Directly involved………………..40%--Indirectly involved……………..35%

Source: Promedia.travel

Obstacles to effective meetings management

•Time commitment•Planners seek “ownership” for their events•Internal politics – lack of cooperation betweendepartments•Capturing and coordinating information•Issues with mandating policy•Lack of a champion within top management•Who needs the headaches?

Benefits of effective meetings management

Events as a primarymarketing tool

Centralize processes

Betterefficiencies

Informationmanagement

Leveragevendors

Better ROI

The most

CompletePowerful

GlobalEvent Management Platform

available

Welcome to our world: what is etouches?

Who we are

By planners for planners

24-hour support

GlobalAll sizes

of clients.

12 years

Venturebacked

A look at our functionality

Extended functionality via integrated partners

Online Corp.Travel Booking

Mobile Apps

CRMVenue

Sourcing

Webinars &Conferencing

How can we help you?

Organizational efficiency

Integrated solution

Data collection

Program ROI

Voluntary adoption

Great attendee experience

Global languages & support

Global transparency

.

Power and productivity save money

VoluntaryadoptionVersatile

FluidGlobalSaaS

Integrated

Data captureEconomies of scaleProcess efficiency

User-friendlyPrice-value

Transparency

Savings

A track record of success

400clients

6000events

95%renewal

Complete, Powerful, Global and Popular

Trade Show News Network2010 Event Excellence Awards“Top Technology Innovator”

TRADE SHOW EXECUTIVE“Innovation Award”

INC . 5000 “America’s Fastest-Growing Companies”

We’re honored…….

Thank You

Leonora ValvoCEO & Founderlvalvo@etouches.com203-403-9001

Jim AlkonVP, Corporate Travel & Meetings Practice

jalkon@etouches.com203-403-9008

Learn more at www.etouches.com