Maybe you're new to meeting planning, or perhaps you're a busy office professional who knows what's required for every type meeting for which you are responsible. Whether the meeting is too large or your time is limited, you know it's impossible to handle every detail of your meeting because there's only 24 hours in a day. The perfect solution is to clone yourself - but that's not possible. When you need another you, consider hiring a DMC.

From CVBs to RFPs to DMCs, acronyms abound in the meetings industry. Office professionals that aren't familiar with the terminology might liken the meeting maze to a random bowl of alphabet soup. Let's take a look at another - DMC. What is it and should you hire one for your meeting?

What is a DMC?

"Destination Management Company" is anything but new. The Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME), the only DMC- industry association, "is the only global non-profit association dedicated to increasing the professionalism and effectiveness of destination management through education, promotion of ethical practices, and availability of information to the meetings, convention, and incentive travel industries, as well as the general public."

DMCs are destination experts, hired to act on your behalf. They can become your right-hand "man" saving you time by researching all the answers for various projects and components. A good DMC helps you research new locations and sites, design and manage ground transportation, off-site events, speaker presentations and a myriad of other services.

Is a DMC right for you?

Hiring a DMC can be one of the most important things a planner can do to make a meeting successful. By the same token, hiring a poor DMC can be a disaster waiting to happen. If you have a small executive meeting with minimal coordinating, a DMC might not be right for you. However, a larger meeting might require a local expert with negotiation power and destination knowledge. Or perhaps you are planning a high-level executive meeting, and you don't want to leave anything to chance. That's when hiring a DMC makes sense.

By partnering with DMCs, planners are gaining local experience and knowledge to unlock local assets and have a conduit to political issues, constructions, street closings, local fair and festival disruptions, etc. that may significantly impact their meeting. Selecting the right DMC partner will assure a seamless flow of events.

Guidelines to Hiring the Right DMC.

1. Referral. Ask colleagues or the OfficeArrow community for a recommendation.
2. Check out the Association of Destination Management Executives for qualified members.
3. Ask the convention and visitor's bureau (or chamber of commerce) in the destination city to identify and recommend a local DMC.
4. If you've already booked your hotel, ask your conference services manager for a recommendation.
5. Other sources are consortiums such as The DMC Network, Global Events Partners, USA Hosts, and The Contact DMC Group.
6. If all else fails, search online for DMCs in your proposed destination.

Final Thoughts

When you check several sources, one or two names should pop up multiple times. Ask questions. Find out how many certified DMC professionals are on-staff. Check references, and especially ask the DMC for clients with programs similar to yours. Do interviews. Check financial solvency. Most importantly, look for experience and knowledge, as well as a DMC that fits the personality of your meeting.

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