The Role of the Professional Conference Organiser  
     
 

The market for conferences and meetings can be broken down into three distinctive segments -

Association Corporate

Government

The PCO's role varies, depending on the type of meeting.

  
 
 
Associative Meetings
The PCO is the link between the separate liaison person and the suppliers. While the committee must be the final arbiter, the PCO is the project manager, ensuring the whole program runs without a hitch. The PCO can also act as consultant to the Committee in many different areas. These days PCOs find they are asked to advise on communication techniques, marketing and public relations, insurance and other fiscal matters as well as innovative conference formats and programs.  
Corporate Meetings

The conference needs of companies are diverse and increasingly seen as an integral part of internal and external communications. Board and shareholders meetings, sales drives, marketing meetings, training, product launches, motivational events, educate and informing people.

A PCO adds new dimensions in developing events which fulfil these needs, instil team spirit and effectively communicate the corporate message. The PCO becomes an extension of the company, reflecting whatever image the event is intended to transmit.

  
Government Meetings

High-level governmental meetings often have additional complex needs, such as adherence to strict rules on protocol and VIP treatment, tight security, separate offices for each national delegation, simultaneous interpretation and translation in many languages, extensive media facilities, and special financing arrangements.

The PCO team will give these complex requirements just as much attention as to every other aspect of the entire conference.