As part of a market research program designed to help it strengthen, expand and improve the conference center concept, the Americas chapter of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) will host a series of customer roundtables during the first quarter of 2010, it announced this week.

Slated to take place at IACC properties in 16 cities, the customer roundtables will provide IACC Americas with direct customer feedback that it can use to enhance its "Universal Criteria," the list of best-practices criteria that conference centers must meet in order to be eligible for IACC membership.

"The primary purpose of this initiative is to expand and strengthen the conference center concept, which continues to differentiate IACC members from traditional hotels and meeting venues," said IACC Americas President Tom Cappucci, who is general manager of University Place Conference Center & Hotel in Indianapolis. "We are confident that the feedback will allow us to focus on what's important to our members and their customers."

IACC Americas recently hosted a pilot roundtable at Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, Mass., where it was facilitated by IACC Global President Neil Pompan.

"[The format] underscores the strength and vibrancy of the Universal Criteria, especially in the current economy and as we move toward the recovery phase of the recession," Pompan said. "Participants have the opportunity to rate and discuss every component of a productive meeting and build what they consider to be the 'ultimate meeting package.'"

Results from all 16 IACC Americas roundtables will compiled and presented at IACC's 2010 Annual Summit, taking place March 24-25 at the Eaglewood Resort & Spa near Chicago. This page is protected by Copyright laws. Do Not Copy