There are lots of companies out there that car breakdown cover these days, so you have a lot to choose from when it comes to finding service. Two of the largest ones are RAC and AA.

Both companies are top-of-the-line and have a lot to offer, depending on what you need. Let’s take a look at each one in some depth, so that you can make a decision as to whether you should choose RAC or AA, based upon what you need.

What about the Price?

Price is important when it comes to choosing breakdown cover, so compare RAC versus AA carefully. Their prices are competitive, but in some cases one company may be able to save you some money versus another. Compare prices up to date so that you get accurate information, and then figure out whether RAC or AA will be the right company for your breakdown cover.

Some Facts about Each Company

Both companies offer you a significant discount if you purchase your car breakdown cover on the Internet, although AA usually beats RAC in the discount department for online purchase. Both companies average about the same response time in terms of responding to calls.

Both provide you personal breakdown cover and also give you the ability to buy vehicle based cover if you want to. Both companies provide policies for European breakdown cover, but you must buy your European breakdown cover policy separately from any other policy you buy.

Compare car breakdown cover right here and find better UK deals.

With the need for many organizations to be more streamlined and productive a business can sometimes find itself with groups of employees working under pressure that if not addressed could then lead to low moral and a high turnover of staff. Organizations that have a highly motivated workforce can benefit enormously and having a workforce that is both motivated and productive should not be regarded as being mutually exclusive to one another.

Left unresolved employers run the risk of alienating their employees and events can then cause employee frustrations to explode resulting in employers finding themselves on the back foot, faced with problems that cannot be ignored.

Ideally employers would take time to understand the needs of their employees and learn from their experiences of working on the front line, but employers are often themselves tied up day to day fighting their own fires.

Online surveys can automate the intelligence gathering process allowing the collated data to be instantly analysed thereby providing the management with a low cost and effective method to help towards achieving a pleasant working environment with the aim of promoting employee satisfaction while still ensuring that productivity is high.

 

Unproductive & dissatisfied

There are many reasons why employees may be dissatisfied with their job and more often than not staff frustration is channelled into a demand for higher salaries and less hours. Employers who tackle problems thinking it is all about salary and hours, will often find later that they have been dealing with the symptoms and not the root cause.

 

It’s not just about the money

The following is a list of common barriers that will prevent an organization from achieving an increase in productivity, none of which are likely to be resolved by increasing salaries or reducing hours:-

• Insufficient training
• Out of touch management
• Working methods that are past their sell by date
• Lack of proper tools and equipment

Paying higher salaries is not always a solution to an employee’s problems nor as many studies have revealed is it the most important motivator for employees.

Take the case of a single mother who is juggling a full time job with the need to look after a child. Out of frustration she may demand more money so that she feels that she is able to cope where a better solution, for both her and the company, may be more flexible working hours.

 

Good two-way communications

It is in any company’s interest to promote good communication. Without good communication between personnel and management, or where management wait until problems are raised, management may assume that they have a content workforce when in actual fact the opposite is true. It can take only one small problem and one employee to feel aggrieved for an entire workforce to develop a destructive ‘them and us’ attitude.

 

Improving communication

One to one meetings between employer and employee would be ideal but in practice only practical for very small businesses.

Regular meetings between management and worker representatives are good in theory but can degenerate into talking shops and slowly lose their purpose as the participants from both sides become familiar with one another and the meetings run the risk of being hijacked by the more extreme personalities.

Having suggestion boxes are useful but can be viewed as token efforts by management as they wait for personnel to highlight a problem.

Newsletters can provide a positive contribution, but their primary function is to inform and not discuss employee issues.

 

Maintaining the initiative

Conducting employee satisfaction surveys on a regular basis can be used to ask each employee specific questions and demonstrates a pro-active management initiative where the whole workforce can be consulted on various issues. Surveys are able to provide a level playing field between the quieter and more vocal employees.

Consultation should not be seen as a sign of weakness, a confident manager will take counsel from all quarters before making a decision. By issuing a survey the employer is able to keep the initiative and tackle problems from a position of strength as opposed to waiting for problems to manifest and then possibly develop out of proportion.

Leave small problems unresolved and a small problem might just break the camel’s back and at the drop of a hat change the mood of the workforce from positive to negative.

 

Quick and easy

For the majority of organizations online surveys represent a proactive and low cost solution. They can be created very quickly and for the majority of organizations, where most of the personnel have desktop computers, they are also quick to deploy direct to the individual.

If there are situations where individuals do not have personal access to a computer there are still options available to using the online survey solution such as through the use of a shared computer, operator input or, as a last resort, a hardcopy survey.

 

Job satisfaction

There are many elements that go towards providing an employee with job satisfaction, from the working environment, working methodology, working ethos, company ethics to having good and effective management. Job satisfaction brings benefits through improved productivity and motivation from a workforce that feels that they are treated as individuals and not a commodity item.

 

Educate and inform

An online survey can also be used to educate and pass on to the workforce important information, the ‘message’ is consistently delivered and does not suffer from the Chinese whisper phenomenon where a message can be distorted as it is handed down.

An online survey can explain to the employees a difficult situation and get valuable feedback as to the best solution. It is rare in this situation that the workforce would appear negative; it is more likely they will feel informed and empowered and that might be enough to turn a potentially negative problem into a positive challenge that unites the workforce.

 

Exit surveys

Exit surveys are a good way for management to ensure that when people leave the organisation they are leaving for the right reasons and not due to reasons that if appreciated earlier could have been addressed and resolved. Although identifying a problem may not prevent a person leaving it could solve an unappreciated issue that may, if left unchecked, result in other key personnel also leaving.

 

For a Sample Employee Satisfaction Survey:- Employee Satisfaction Survey Template

For a sample Employee Exit survey:- Employee Exit Survey Template

Bangkok condos are very popular with the tourists who visit the area. Many people prefer to have a Bangkok condo rather than an individual dwelling because of the free lifestyle they offer. Condo owners do not have to mow grass or worry about exterior upkeep. The condo association charges a small monthly fee that is paid by the condo owners. These fees are then used for the upkeep and beautification of the condo units.

Bangkok condos are also popular for families who travel on business and spend several months away from home. These families do not want to spend their time in Bangkok living in a motel. They had much rather stay in a condo where they have all of the comforts of home without all of the hassle of the upkeep. Many people will purchase a condo in Bangkok that is available to them when they are in the country and then they will offer the condo for rental during the months they are away.

People who travel to Bangkok for vacation often prefer a Bangkok condo rental instead of a motel. With a condo they will have all of the amenities and facilities that they could expect from an expensive hotel but they will have the additional room the condo offers.

Some of the amenities that are offered in Bangkok condos are washer/dryers, cable television, multiple bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, kitchen facilities, telephones, refrigerators, air conditioners, and furniture. Most of the kitchens are modern and fully equipped with all of the updated appliances. You will have a microwave, oven, stove, and a full sized refrigerator instead of the small apartment sizes. Most condo complexes offer security service around the clock and most also have hot tubs and swimming pools.

You will also have a lot of closet space when you rent a condo versus a hotel room. Most of the modern condo units offer walk-in closets that are more than adequate to hold all of your clothing. Most units also have washers and dryers in the unit but some of them may have a laundry room on site that is available to you.

In recent years condo construction in the Bangkok area has increased because of the need for affordable housing that is available to the residents as well as the visitors. Many people travel to Bangkok and spend several months each year there doing business. Staying in a Bangkok condo rental just makes good sense because of the comfort and amenities.

Condo communities offer amenities that you would not be able to afford in a single family home. Most people are not able to afford the security and the amenities that come with the condo community. Most have swimming pools that are available for all of the condo owners and guests. Hot tubs are also available in many of the condo complexes. Many are also located centrally where it is easy to get around in the city. You will find that most condos are located near shopping areas and entertainment areas. This allows you to have access to the city without having to jump into a car to go where you want to go.

http://www.amazing-power.com/

It is generally not advisable to make use of quick-fix exercises as a substitute for hard strenuous work. May it be in becoming more fit or putting on those muscles, nothing compares to good old hard work. However, presented below are a few exercises for abs that are not only effective, but can also easily be done from the comfort of one’s home. However, be warned that although performing the following workouts on a regular basis will definitely help improve the abdominal muscles, it is unlikely that they alone will provide one’s desired results. It is still necessary to combines these exercises with regular cardio sessions and a healthy diet.

Crunches

One of the most popular exercises for abs has to be the crunches. This workout has been tried and tested and most fitness gurus will agree that it is also one of the most effective. Search for the term “exercises for abs” before beginning a workout regime.

For the crunch exercise, one will need to lie on his back while the heels are firmly placed on the floor. After a deep breath, one would need to suck in his stomach and then lift his upper body until the head is about level with the knees - or the back at a 45-degree angle against the floor. However, the eyes should remain focused on the ceiling while ensuring that the hands do not pull on the neck. This position should be held for around 3 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Standing Side Bends

As the name implies, this is one of many exercises for abs that will require the individual to stand flat on his feet. While keeping the arms at the sides and the legs straight, one should make a left-to-right movement. The upper body must remain in a forward-facing stance while the hips should be kept firmly in place, avoiding any type of rotation. It may be a good idea to read workout magazines and look for “ab exercises” in order to get a head start. The exercise targets the oblique muscles by continuously tilting the body from left to right while also engaging the whole abdominal wall as well as some muscles in the lower back.

Torso Twists

One of the easiest abs exercises to perform is the torso twist. Much like the side bends, torso twists will also require the individual to be in a standing position. However, instead of tilting the body from one side to another, this exercise requires the individual to rotate the upper body from left to right, and then vice versa. This should be done with the stomach sucked in and the legs kept straight. This exercise specifically targets both the external and internal oblique muscles.

The cheap engagement rings that have gemstones mounted on their gold band will not be of a large or extravagant nature. There are other types of beautifully made cheap engagement rings that you can look at. While it is traditional for the newly engaged woman to show off her engagement ring with a massive stone on it, the cheap engagement rings can look just as sensational. As you are looking at the various engagement rings don’t forget to have a look at the various ethnic pieces of jewelry.

There are many times that you will want to buy jewelry and various types of rings. To solve the problem that many of us have - a limited amount of money - you can look for cheap rings that still seem to look graceful and expensive inspite of the fact that they are not expensive. This is similar to cheap engagement rings. Buying these types of cheap rings will give you a sense of satisfaction because the ring design is sheer elegance.

The first thing that drew you was the size and the design of it. In short the Sony 50C1 television has a widescreen 16:9 format, a 50 inch EDTV plasma display, an integrated ATSC tuner, and a standard remote. When you take the overall range of any Sony plasma television, you get all this and more, including the fact that you can also get plasma televisions in 30 inch screens and upwards, as well.

There are however plasma TV cheap models that you can buy. This is like plasma. Knowing the price range and the features that you are realistically looking for can help you to choose a plasma TV cheap yet good in quality.

Panasonic has produced a plasma TV cheap Panasonic model. The range of plasma TVs is very wide but there are some really great plasma TVs that you can get within your price range and budget.

When we are children we tend to dream about what we will do as adults. While these tend to be childhood dreams that some of us follow, others will go into completely different directions. This study of human behavior and nature is conducted groups, communities, as single individuals and as organizations. For those of you who would like to pursue various careers in psychology you will need to have the appropriate educational avenues covered and you should have an idea of which branch of psychology that you would like to specialize in.

The best way to accomplish having a foot into the doorway of psychology is to study the various courses that deal in the broad spectrum of psychology and have some fieldwork and work experience under your belt. As you begin to qualify you can see which of these careers in psychology will interest you. This branch of psychology deals with the responses that certain children have begun to experience due to some event that is occurring or has occurred in their lives. Of course this is not like articles. To be successful in the various careers in psychology you should be dedicated to helping people with their everyday life problems.

To slowly unravel this puzzle and help the child deal with the various difficulties a child psychologist will have to gain the trust of the child and use some innovative tactics to have the child explain what is hurting them. For these reasons a child psychologist should be prepared for long hours of work. This approach in conjunction with the desire to help your patients will allow you to see how they can find a balance in the turmoil that is surrounding them, as they begin the journey into healing.

Learning to play golf successfully is not something that you can really learn while spending time with a game console. This news is sometimes a crushing blow to those who have spent hours playing Tiger Woods on the X-Box but it is in fact the crushing reality. Learning how to play golf for real is sometimes very complicated and will require that you pay close attention to the exact rules and form. While learning from a professional coach is a wise idea, there are a few mistakes that all beginners tend to make. Learning how to overcome these mistakes will greatly improve your chances of playing a golf well and walking away from the green after a successful game.

One of the biggest problems that beginners have when learning golf is they tend to look up when they actually go to strike the ball.This is a problem because it can result in a stroke being counted even if you did not hit the ball. You can just imagine how this can quickly add up to a horrible golf score. It is important to always look down until after you have hit the ball. To ensure that you do stay down until after the hit ensure that you keep your hips properly rotated. If you have trouble with this concept talk to your tutor for some specific tips to help you. Additionally, ensuring that you keep your arms extended fully while you are swinging has been known to help many beginning golfers. Your last step should be looking at where the ball was for a couple of seconds after you strike the ball before you look up to see where it went. This will help you pace yourself and help you avoid looking up too quickly.

Another common fault for beginning golfers is that many putts on the green are continuously missed. To help overcome this problem you should ensure that you are standing in the correct putting stance and are looking straight down at the top of your ball. If you are not looking directly down, you are likely to miss the appropriate hit and your ball will veer off in an undesirable direction. Only look straight down at the ball when you actually putt and you will be looking at a much greater chance of actually hitting the ball into the hole without having to continuously putt and putt again.

Many new golfers also tend to have a problem with the ball going off at an angle, rather than straight ahead. While this may seem like a very complicated problem to correct, it is actually quite simple with a bit of patience. The first thing you always need to keep in mind is your stance. If you are not standing appropriately before you even swing the club, you do not stand a chance of a successful stroke. You need to ensure that you are taking the time to carefully analyze your stance before you ever swing, if you notice that your club is not squarely touching the ball then you may need to back up a bit to ensure that you are not hitting the ball from the side of the club. This is one of the biggest things that will throw a ball off line. Ensuring a solid, square swing will help your ball go to the desired location with a bit of practice.

Hooking or slicing are two of the major flaws that affects at most beginners. This is something that can be quite difficult to correct as well. Some people stand incorrectly which causes the ball to hook, while others are gripping the club in the wrong manner}, causing the clubhead to hit the ball in the wrong place. Regardless of your problem, taking a close look at your stance, as well as ensuring that you are not gripping the club too tightly should be quite helpful in correcting a hooked ball. Of course, once you have started making adjustments to your stance or even your grip, you need to practice a bit to improve your skills.

There are some amazing British painters about now a days and frequent amounts of them have erected from obscurity to become famous. A lot of these British artists have made a name for themselves by selling Limited prints of their work, which are more affordable. On a visit to Southampton recently I even saw Jack Vettriano and Paul Horton prints for sale in a shopping centre.

Paul Horton Is said to be a current day Lowry. He has been painting since he was a youth of only Ten, where he was encouraged by his art teacher to embrace his uniqueness, little was known that those fundamental times would be the foundation for the well-being of Horton’s art and the genius he would bring to the people of today.

He turned professional in 1997 but found it hard to enter the world of the elusive art industry until he found someone who understood his creations and helped him into the art world. Now he is internationally known and his art viewed in over 200 galleries worldwide and produced by one of Europe’s best fine art publishers Washington Green.

Painter Jack Vettriano was born in Scotland, in the city of fife, where he left school at 16 to become a mining engineer. On his 21st birthday, his partner bought him a set of watercolour paints, and then Vettriano began to start revising how to paint. This new interest of his, and it began to grow inside of him until it eventually became second nature to him, and he spent most of his spare time painting.

In 1989, he felt the need to find out if his paintings were good enough, so he established and sent off two of his paintings to the ‘Royal Scottish Academy’ whilst they were hosting an show. He didn’t really know that his paintings were brilliant, but however, they were both accepted and sold all in the same day, which amazed him many times.

Fiji diving will certainly be a groovy surprise to anyone who tries that they’ll meet a large variety of species in the great waters. Fiji’s waters provide one of the most energizing marine life that diving fans can see. Fiji is an island, surrounded by a gigantic Reef. Fiji’s waters are really fine for Snorkelling, hence you are able to find 1000s of dive sites. Water in Fiji is as well very popular as the sites are very easy to access and the water temperature is very hot, making a scuba diving in Fiji one of the easiest destinations in the world.

 In winter temperatures usually do not get lower than 25C. Sights of Fiji water is also really goody-goody for all of the noise activities except those summertime days when it rains down. You are able to find the better conditions for your holidays in Fiji early this morning as the winds start blowing, so you need to be able to plan exactly when are you thinking of going to go scuba diving in Fiji .

In the case of where to go for a holiday in Fiji, you’ve many alternatives to select from. For instance, you are able to get to the Mamanuca dive sites easily from Nadi Airport. In this area you’ll be able to find various options for the complete package for diving in Fiji. The Mamanuca visits shallow lagoons and beautiful fish swimming around. If you enjoy to explore caves, then go diving in Sawa-I-Lau in the Yasawa group and you’ll certainly be charmed by it interesting that you find there.

Another popular dive site in Fiji is Astrolabe Reef is located in the southern region. There you will find a nice selection of corals and reef dive sites but is small and is reachable by boat. The weather condition is some of the times humid there, but you’ll not have major problems with diving because of this. In the Northern Isles, you will be able to go for diving in the Rainbow Reef. This famous spot is between Taveuni resort and Vanua Levu and delivers to its visitors a fantastic feeling eyes because of the copiousness of coral, which was built up there. If you’re a marine’s passion for shipwrecks you are able to find them in Fiji, if you tour to the Colonial capital Levuka on Ovalau.

If you’re implicated for your safety if you go diving event in Fiji, you had better know that divers who bear problems are facilitated by the Fiji Recompression Chamber plant located in Suva. You must be aware to have right insurance, and if you’re a beginner, you had better get certified and keep an eye on the instructions you receive. If you take sufficient time to plan your holiday, you’ll certainly have the best time for diving throughout the Mamanuca Islands Fiji. Meeting the spectacular life that are under water in Fiji is truly a wonderful experience for those who have a passion for diving. The over-the-top colors of coral reefs, located in Fiji turned this into one of the well-nigh visited destination for diving event.

Insanity, it is a general, popular and legal term defining behaviour influenced by mental instability. In modern usage, it is most commonly encountered as an informal, unscientific term, or in the narrow legal context of the insanity defense .

Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I like to look at it as banging your head against a wall and expecting to make money for it. Doesn’t usually work too well. There is apparently quite the debate amongst bloggers as to whether this was originally said by Benjamin Franklin, or Einstein, or someone else. Either way, its true.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is just not very smart any way you slice it.The same thing applies to any business. The businesses that break the mold and do something new succeed. Those that continue with the status quo eventually are shown the Chapter 11 door. Horse carriage makers used to think that the whole automobile fad was just a phase that would pass.

In a more modern example, huge, established airline companies are struggling while new, smaller companies are succeeding by focusing on low fares and customer satisfaction.I know that is true, because when I first started in MLM, I tried a different Company, then another, then another. It wasn’t quite as successful as I had hoped, to put it lightly.

The original businesses of network marketing began almost 100 years ago, with vitamin sales in the US. Since then, its has grown into an enormous and comprehensive industry with companies on all continents. (Yes, all continents. Somewhere, some scientist in Antarctica is pitching Xango or something like that to one of his coworkers. You know it) Obviously, the industry hasn’t always remained the same, and success has favored the new and innovative. You shouldn’t remain the same either.

MLM may have made you a millionaire. If so, stop reading and have a nice life. If not, you may be seeking a new way to break the mold of mediocrity and achieve that success that is captured by the few who possess the business courage and agility to do what it takes to get it. Many people don’t achieve the financial success that originally lured them into network marketing. They say, Hmm, Ive been working really hard to sell product X, and its not working well (like me I’ve been selling amway’s products). Ill just sell product Y in the exact same type of system using the exact same techniques, and hope it works out. Insanity. Inconceivable.

The key is to try a different approach. Thats why I joined The SpiderWeb Marketing System. There is a better way to increase your income than badgering everyone you come in contact with to buy your product or join your system. The Spider Web Marketing System offers a new and innovative approach that has brought success to thousands of clients. It leverages the power of the Internet by maximizing the effectiveness of major search engines to direct new, fresh leads to you in a more efficient manner than any other system can provide. Thats only a portion of what it can do for you. The point is this: The Spider Web Marketing uses a ground-breaking principle called the funded-proposal system to perpetuate itself and bring people to you. You become the sole recipient of leads who are actually looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity. Thats only one unique facet of the many things that The Spider Web Marketing System can do to develop home businesses.

I joined The SpiderWeb Marketing System because I wanted to develop my downlines.Throughout history, whether in war or exploration or business, success comes to those who pioneer a new approach, while those who don’t are left banging their heads against a wall. Insanity. There are so many restrictions to your potential for success in MLM, and The Spider Web Marketing System is a really new strategy to go beyond those restrictions. The Spider Web Marketing System breaks the MLM traditions to bring prosperity to those who are willing to take a little more than just what they can get.

There are several types of conferences; the dictionary definition of conference says “A meeting for the exchange of views”.

My interpretation of conference, being a conference producer, is a place where people meet to confer and share knowledge. In the sharing theme I have decided to detail the elements required to ensure your conference goes smoothly. Whether you are getting a conference production company like mine to do it for you, or if you are going to manage it yourself, follow this outline and you can be assured that if you have made ample allowances for each of the items then your attendees (usually called delegates) will have a positive experience. The better the feedback from the delegates the better the conference will have been received by the end client, either your MD or client depending on whether you are doing it yourself, or are an event organiser.

There are many different types of conferences, one of the most popular types are seminars which are normally an academic style forum where people go to learn about a specific topic.Quite a few companies run free seminars to teach their clients about the products they sell and how they can help to fulfil a need. Quite often the clients do not realise they have the need until the seminar is over!

I mention Forum above because this is probably (at least to my knowledge) the oldest type of meeting or conference that I am aware of. My partner Sam will cringe at this, as when I discuss my work, I always have to get the Romans in somewhere!

A Short History of Conferences

The forum as many people are aware was the centre of power in Rome for many hundreds of years, a Roman general would return from a successful campaign and he would have been received at the forum and made a speech from the rostrum to the people of Rome, about what he encountered on his travels and how he overcame the challenges he faced.

So for thousands of years people have been having conferences around the world, the tools for doing the job have changed, but I can imagine and have indeed read about, the effort and organisation that went into preparing for one was the major component of its success.Much like decorating, running a successful conference is all in the preparation!

Things haven’t changed much no matter how large or small a conference is, there are some rules that we must all follow.

The Right Venue

Once you have a reason to hold a conference and an audience to attend the next step is venue selection, this is crucial as you will need a room large enough for the numbers attending, without being too large. If you are going to have a conference set with rear projection then the throw distance has to be taken into account when you are looking at the room, (I will come onto throw distance later when thing get more technical) as this uses space too.

Once you have a main meeting room suitable for your delegate numbers, you then have to consider where they will have tea and coffee breaks for networking and if there is potential for setting up display stands for other products. Quite often a conference you will have a large group of industry leaders and corporate decision makers, why not create a form of exhibition area to promote ancillary products or services?

Another important element to consider in conference production is choosing a venue location, for example when you have a large majority of international delegates attending then a venue within a short distance of an airport would be an advantage.

Remember if you are going to do the job right you are also responsible for the delegate experience prior to arriving at the venue, you want them to have a pleasant journey and feel as relaxed as possible on arrival so venue location is very important, as is the type of venue.

Conference Production

Once a venue has been selected and it fits with all the criteria above, then it’s time to give your production company a call, they will normally recommend a site visit, so the room can be measured to check all of the conference production elements fit within the room available.

There are various different styles of the seating and this is an important consideration. There is theatre style seating where the delegates sit in rows next to each other. Then you have classroom style seating where delegates sit next to each other with a slim table in front similar to when you might take an exam. Then there is cabaret style seating which is where delegates are seated on round tables which are usually six feet across, with this style it is important that the delegates aren’t seated all the way around the table to ensure nobody has their back to the presenters or stage.

After your production company has completed the site visit they will propose the elements of staging you require to achieve your purpose. This will include stage and set, video projection, sound, lighting, crew levels to operate the show, and any pre-production specifics.

Pre-production

Not all conferences require pre-production, for example if your conference has PowerPoint slides you may want your production company to create them for you, a lot of companies now have the resources to do this in-house, but if that is the case they need to be of a professional standard.

You may want a video to be created, there are different types of messages you could utilise a video for, for example, a short opening sting, like an advert, to give an uplifting start to your show. Some of the best events start this way and it also helps to ensure you have got everyone’s attention!

Sometimes there may be presenters that can’t attend so you could have them videoed prior to the event and then played back during the conference at the appropriate time.You will have no doubt seen this kind of video message in awards ceremonies and of course the world famous This Is Your Life program.

Not all presenters are comfortable with presenting, so a speaker coach may be a good idea, the coach will do as much or as little as is required. Usually they will come into your offices and asses the presenters, presentation techniques and will advise accordingly.

Organising a conference generally requires all of these elements, and engaging a specialist conference producer of a event management team will always help to make the day go really well, and is a lot less stressful if conference production is not your regular line of work.

However, if you decide to do it yourself, then below are some useful hints and tips to creating your own successful production.These tips are the culmination of over 25 years working as a conference producer.

Set and Staging

A conference set is usually a timber framed construction covered in a material of a colour that fits the client’s corporate colours, normally this would have an aperture in it for rear projection with a screen, the screen should be large enough for all of the audience to see the content on the screen without straining their eyes.Remember, the larger the audience then the larger the screen needs to be.

The base of the screen, known as the under panel, needs to be at least 1.2m (5ft) to ensure the audience has a clear view over the heads of the people sat in front of them.
This is where the ceiling height comes into play. For example if you had a screen height of 2.5m, a screen base of 1.2m and a screen header, above the screen, of 300mm the minimum ceiling height required is 4m.

There are many different styles of set you can use, many companies have a stock set option which is pre-built, when it is used it is recovered to suit the client’s corporate branding. Other styles of set include a bespoke set where you consult a designer who will take a brief from you regarding the theme of the event and come up with a purpose built set with various options. This is of course more expensive compared to the standard stock set options.

Whether you decide on a stock or bespoke set it is advisable to have some scale floor plans created to ensure all the elements fit into the available space and most production companies will do this in-house. if you went for the bespoke option you would receive some 3D drawings so you can visualise what the set will look like in the venue.

Once the set has been decided upon then the stage will also need to be included in the plans. The most cost effective stage option for corporate events is a standard stage the width of the set, which is normally about 2.5m deep and 450mm high.

The size also depends on what you want to have on stage during the conference, for example if you are going to have just one lectern or two, or if there is a requirement for a top table or some comfortable chairs and a coffee table.

Video Projection

Video projection is required if you want to put an image on the screen behind the speaker. The image can be data or video playback or indeed both. At small conferences this may just be a data projector and a laptop, controlled from the lectern, either with the client pushing buttons or with the help of a remote mouse so a presenter can move around the stage area freely.

You can also use a stage monitor screen so the presenter can see the slide changes without having to turn and look at the screen, the presenter should never have their back to the audience. To enable this you will require what we call a VCA DA this piece of equipment splits the signal from the laptop to both the projector and the stage monitor screen.

If the presenter is more akin to speaking than using a computer and doesn’t want to control their own slides then a cue light system can be used. This is a hand held controller that when pressed sends a signal to a light backstage and a technician then forwards the slides for the speaker.

If you want to play DVD’s you will require a DVD player with a preview monitor and a switcher. There are many different switchers you can use but it is recommended that if you’re going to play a lot of videos during your event then a good quality data switcher should be used. By using multiple DVD players each video can be queued up whilst another is playing and then the switcher changes the signal from one player to the other, this avoids the audience having to wait while the DVD’s are changed and makes for a very professional presentation.

So you’ve got your data projector, your cue light system, your stage monitor and your DVD playback.

What else could you add to the video projection element of corporate events to further enhance the conference?

Recently I did an event which had a live camera feed.

The client wanted this for two different reasons firstly there was a presenter that didn’t have any PowerPoint slides except a name slide, so when he was presenting we had a live camera feed on the screen so the audience had a more up close and personal experience with the presentation. Then we utilised the live camera feed during the question and answer session for the same effect.

The second reason was that the client wanted to use some footage for the internet like a webcast. Certain elements of the conference were edited out and compressed for the internet so that delegates who were unable to attend could get a feeling of the content of the conference|, simply by watching it on their PC’s}.

Sound System (Public Address PA)

The sound system can range from a couple of speakers and one microphone in a small conference for say 50 delegates, or multiple speakers and microphones for up to thousands of delegates.

The basic sound system requirements are speakers, amplifiers, microphones and a mixing desk, to enable each microphone or set of speakers to be turned up and down as required.

The speakers are generally on stands, however if you are organising a large conference they may be able to be flown from truss above to give an even coverage in the centre of the room.

In the event that you do have a very large audience than a delay line is required, this ensures that the signal reaches all of the speakers in the various locations around the room, or venue, at the exact same time removing any echo.

There are various different types of microphones, the most commonly used these days are the tie clip radio microphones which enables the presenter the freedom to walk around the stage without having to worry about a trailing cable.

If the presenters are going to stay at the lectern then lectern microphones which are wired are more suitable, as with most thing wired, lectern microphones are generally more reliable as they don’t have a radio frequency to worry about and batteries that need charging up.

With regards the amplifier, most professional amps will run four speakers so if you need eight speakers for good coverage then two amplifiers will be needed. When the amount of speakers and amplifiers is specified, the next piece of equipment required is a mixing desk, generally people who are doing their own event don’t plan for this, but it can be the one piece of crucial equipment that makes the difference between an amateur and a professional event.

The mixing desk takes in all the signals that need to be heard through the speakers, such as the microphones, CD players and video playback. Once the equipment is plugged into the Mixing console, a feed is taken out of the desk and into the amplifiers, then from the amplifier to the speakers.

After this has been done the sound engineer then equalises the system which in layman’s terms means making it sound good in areas of the room. A well equalised sound system will have the feeling for the delegate, that the presenter is seated next to them not shouting from the front of the room.

All mixing consoles have a basic equaliser on the unit itself, however a professional conference producer will know it is advisable to get a separate graphic equaliser which has more options on it.

In a very large room it is recommend having what is called a multicore which as the name suggests is a cable with multiple cores inside it that carries the signals up and down the room from the control position from front of house to the control position backstage.A multicore cable is a much tidier option and means you only have to run your cables once.

Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important visual elements of the conference. If you don’t have the luxury of a bespoke conference set then lighting can make all the difference.

There are several different types of lighting available, there is up-lighting normally provided by Par 64 floor cans, which you will recognise from seeing any professionally staged event. These can have coloured gel in them to add a set wash. There are also Fresnells which is a type of lamp which can hang from a truss or floor stand and again these can have a coloured gel in them to provide a set wash or coloured lighting effects. Profile lights are used to highlight elements of the set such as logos, steps or other details.

The most modern type of lamps on the market are LED lights. They are the most expensive type of lighting but they are worth it if you have the budget, the beauty of this type of lighting is that it can change colour at the press of a button|, which saves having to use gels to set the colour, and of course is a much more flexible for of lighting. I am sure you have seen LED lights being used all over the place these days, in torches, in mirrors, in cars, there are even some new cats eyes in the road that use LED lights.

Once the Lighting type and style is specified then it’s a good idea to get a lighting designer involved.

The designer will specify the type of lamp, where it should go, and what it’s going to do, if possible it’s best to hang lighting on a truss in front of the set, as opposed to using floor mounted stands. After the lighting has been decided on then it will need power, this usually comes from the venue supply via a dimmer rack to the lamps.

Crew

The crew is very important as they pull all the elements of the show together, professional conference production companies will know the value of a crew communication system which comprises of headphones and belt packs for each crew member allowing them to communicate with each other, and the production manager or producer.

On larger shows we have a production manager and if required a conference producer, either one of these will show call, which means they will tell the crew what they should be doing and when they should be doing it. For example, when a video is due to be played they will let the video engineer, the sound engineer and the lighting engineers know in advance so they are ready when the caller say run VT.

Transportation

Again transportation is a crucial aspect of any event, or else how is everything you have ordered going to get there at the right time on the right day? The size of the vehicle is dependent on the size of the show, it can be anything from a transit size van up to an arctic with a 40ft trailer. It is the responsibility of the conference production company to decide on the type and size of transportation, but remember if you are booking a venue and it’s a large show that requires an arctic then make sure the vehicle can get into the loading bay! Fortunately it is not from my own experience that I have learnt this but from watching a competitor learn the it the hard way many years ago at an event I was working at!

In Summary

Organising a conference requires a lot of forward planning, the more you put in to it before the event the smoother it will run on the day.

Remember to look after your crew because they are the ones who enable it to all happen, look after your presenters because they are the ones it is happening for, and most importantly look after your delegates if you want it to happen to them again in the future. If you follow these basic rules that then you will have a successful event, good luck!