Page 10 - PCCA-Year-In-Review

LEVERAGING INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES
W hen the PCCA Board of Directors announced the selection of SMG, one of the world’s leading

convention center operators, it was driven by a desire to improve the overall customer experience
and make the facility more competitive on an international and national scale within the meetings
industry.
SMG brought its expertise in managing facilities worldwide and implemented a wide range of industry
best practices.
These best practices include:
• Hiring experienced staff members and providing in-depth additional training for the existing team.
• Establishing a new Labor Services Team with a hands-on labor management approach to assist

customers with post-show billing and reconciliation.
• Additional pre-show planning meetings to work with customers to plan for their labor needs, control

costs, and help estimate bills in advance of their events.
• Initiating a Manager on Duty program for major events to further improve customer service levels

and coordinate responses to events in real-time.
• Placing floor managers within the Events Team to assist with customers’ event needs, including

deliveries, floor-plan approval, food and beverage services, security, engineering, and labor calls.
• Establishing a Production Services Department to work with customers in their early planning

stages to provide a seamless and cost-effective experience in A/V and high-end production.

“In 2014, the first full year
of SMG’s management of
the Center, we brought the
‘gold standard’ of customer
service. It became a shared
vision with our partners.
These changes are bringing
future bookings to benefit
the region’s hospitality
in du stry for years to come.”

Lorenz Hassenstein
General Manager, PCC

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