Extra! Interview with Maarten Vanneste Author of Meeting Architecture and CEO and President of Abbit Meeting Support

The Meeting Planners podcast source for what’s new and exciting in meetings and events industry!

Mike McAllen of Grass Shack Events & Media interviews Maarten Vanneste, CMM
President and CEO of Abbit Meeting Support
The Meeting Support Institute - and is the Author of Meeting Architecture

Company www.abbit.eu
Organization www.meetingsupport.org
Book Meeting Architecture www.meetingarchitecture.com
Facebook group Meeting Architecture

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Transcripts:

McAllen: Welcome back to the Meetings Podcast. This is Mike McAllen from Grass Shack Events and Media and today we have Maarten Vanneste from Abbit and he’s been the president of Abbit since 1982. He’s the founder of the Meeting Support Institute 2006 and he’s the author of a great book which I read called, Meeting Architecture and it’s in its third print. He is also a global speaker. Hello Maarten, how are you doing?

Maarten Vanneste: Hi, there Mike. How are you doing? I’m good.

Mike McAllen: Good, good. We finally got this together.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: We’ve been talking about it for awhile and I apologize.

Maarten Vanneste: This is great. This is great.

Mike McAllen: It’s a busy world.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: So, let’s – let’s tell the audience a little bit about yourself, where you’re from and how you got into this meetings and events world.

Maarten Vanneste: Okay, I’m – I’m from Belgium, I still live in Belgium. I started a – actually a video production company in – in 1982 and that grew into an audio visual company and since we are close to an pharmaceutical company that did a lot of meetings in those days. We actually did roll into the meetings and events world through them and I join – I enjoyed it so much that I started, you know, more and more we started to focus on meetings and ad services and that’s you know, one thing lead to another and here we are.

Mike McAllen: It’s so great, it’s so great and so now – and your company is Abbit and so – so what do you do for your clients?

Maarten Vanneste: Well, the stuff that I do for a living is actually an audio visual and production and what we called a Meeting Support Company. We provide all kinds of services, actually on the content side of meetings, so – so we support presentation. We help people with formats and technology like uploading system and learning systems and all kinds of tools and services on the content side of meetings.

Mike McAllen: It’s so great and then you’re also, now you – you are into all kinds of things because I – when we first met, we met at Atlanta at the – at the MPI Meet Different and I remember you are standing at your table for the Meeting Support Organization.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: So, talk about that a little bit.

Maarten Vanneste: The Meeting Support Institute actually is a base on a business plan that I – I did for my CMM with MPI. So, I’m – I’m actually very grateful to MPI of which I remember since 1999 and this you know really thought me a lot about the meetings and events world and – so when – when I had my CMM in 2003, I did a business plan on – on the Meeting Support Institute which was kind of a – a project that was in my head about all those kinds of tools and services that you can use on the content side of meetings and for me there’s actually not a lot of space in – in the industry today.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to you know, gather some of those companies like technology companies that have all kinds of tools and services and make them more visible to the world to do the meetings and events industry, so that they could be more successful in meetings and you know could in return also be more successful because you know, I believe that we – we need to know about all this tools and services that people can use, that we can use on the content side of – of meetings to really increase value.

Mike McAllen: That’s fantastic because I – now when I remember reading in your book how you talked about the like you go to some of this conferences for meetings and there’s – there are all a venue basically, there hotels and there’s no – there’s no real innovation going on. This is right. This is from your book isn’t it? I know it is.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: Yes, because I learn so much reading your book about this but this – this ties right in to it because there is a place where you can go and find new stuff to support your meetings basically.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes, and – and I think you’re right, I mean – that’s why – well, actually my thinking for this book started in – in 1998 when I went to one world largest meeting trade shows and it was for me, you know, coming from the audio visual background and working with all the you know, content side and support things and presentation and a lot of stuff. I thought I was going to the you know, to discover lots of interesting stuff for my – for my business but then when I arrive there it was like only, in those days it was really only venues and destination, so that was kind of a wake up call for me and so I started looking for where it is that I can find all that stuff and there was nothing.

Mike McAllen: Yes.

Maarten Vanneste: So, but you know the meetings industry I – I obviously you know, was really involved and – and through a membership of MPI and all that you know, I really – was hanging in there and – and learning a lots of about the industry as – as it was moving along and today when you look at trade show there’s you know, and this technology areas and other services are – are slowly coming …

Mike McAllen: Yes.

Maarten Vanneste: …into the show and – that was really a wake up call for me and so that’s why they’re thinking, started at actually and the 10 years later in the book.

Mike McAllen: Yes, so talk a little bit about your book, I’m sure the Meeting Architecture is the book that you wrote and …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: … talk, talk a little bit about that and you just kind said why you started it but talk a little about it.

Maarten Vanneste: So, the – the – as I said the thinking, you know, took me about 10 years to you know come up with all the stuff that I – I eventually put in the book and the writing of the book took actually 10 Fridays not 10 years but 10 Fridays. So, I set aside 10 Fridays in 2007 and in the summer of 2007. So, I wrote the book and in April 2008 it was launch at Immix in Frankford and – so in the book I –I describe you know, my – my history a little bit and then – then I tried to come up with some ideas and systems that around meeting content, what is meeting content and how can you define this and then we move into you know, defining the objectives of meetings and – and designing the meeting around those objectives.

And ultimately what I think is – is a new discipline which I – which I call Meeting Architecture that would be a new discipline that contents all the – the knowledge about how to develop a good set of objectives and how to support meetings with all kinds of tools you know, not only technology or audio visual but all kinds of tools like concepts and open space and all kinds of things that you can use – you can use and I think it’s so – it’s so complicated especially when you add what I think is essential science things like psychology and sociology which I think is a very natural piece of science that you actually need to know to – in order to be a good meeting designer or meeting architect because you know, it’s all about those people that meet at the meeting get together and they need to learn and they to network and they – so there’s some science and also cognitive science you know, those science of learning is certainly you know a science that we should – we should know more about.

So, — so when you look at all this things it becomes kind of a complicated thing and so that’s why I believe that this is really a – a discipline that is going to grow into maybe even profession in the coming decades and I think it’s going to be a great thing for the industry as well.

Mike McAllen: I do too, I really do because I love the way – because a lot of the times I know, well I have a production company and so a lot of the time I see exactly, I think anyone who own a product company has to read this book just because it is, it goes yes you know, it’s – it’s kind of a yes moment because it’s kind of – the meeting planner makes that great shell that you talk about, you know, and make sure they have, you know, food and beds and you know nice place to have their meeting.

Maarten Vanneste: Which is crucial.

Mike McAllen: It’s crucial, yes.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: But then there’s the actual meeting takes place that’s kind of takes that back, you know, a back step to the actual, that crucial part but it also kind of – as you said they might, the person who’s in charge of the meeting might just do it ones a year and …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes, as the meeting owner.

Mike McAllen: Yes.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: Yes, they’re not the professional but they’re …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: … you know if there is somebody who could step in and take that role of being the architect of the actual meeting is – it’s a – it’s a fantastic thought.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes and …

Mike McAllen: And after all of the, you know, hundreds of meetings that I was at in, it’s like – if there was at one person that could just.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes, that would be good.

Mike McAllen: Oh, it would be fantastic.

Maarten Vanneste: And – and I know also that meeting owners although they are very reluctant to let somebody in on that content side because they think they know what to do. They will welcome meeting architect because ultimately they need help and they – when they realize all the stuff that you can do and – and all the objectives actually that they’ve never thought off then they see that there is huge value in you know spending some time on really going deep into the – into the content side of meetings and really do your design base those objectives and then when you know all the tools that what I think a meeting architect should know when you know all those tools and you can – you can do some wonderful little changes. You know, sometimes low cost or no cost changes in concept that have a huge impact on – on the any objectives that you have for your meeting.

Mike McAllen: Right and then of course the question always is the ROI of this meetings you know, especially now …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: …that we’re going through. Hey, they need a meeting architect that would be …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: … the perfect role to say, okay these are the you know, this is what we’re doing to ensure that this people are networking and getting educated and being motivated the three things that I learn from you.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: That I use all the time. I steal that all the time now because – I mean it’s something that so – it’s something that so you know, everyone knows it but they don’t think about it that those three things are the main things that you’ve getting together for.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes, yes.

Mike McAllen: So, thank – thank you for letting me steal your …

Maarten Vanneste: Well, perfect, that’s perfect including that. You’re Welcome.

Mike McAllen: All right, so what else you’re going to talk about, you have some big news about …

Maarten Vanneste: Yes.

Mike McAllen: … the map?

Mike McAllen: Very exciting stuff, right after I wrote the book even before it was print and as you said it’s in third print now, all within the first year of the publication. So, as I wrote the book I started to work on this process in – now you know after writing a book, stuff is really clear in your mind, it makes you, you know, put really things you know clear. So, base on that clarity, I saw what I thought was a very useful and necessary process which is very – actually no rocket science at all but it’s – it’s base on the same principle that are in the book and it – it helps meeting planners, meeting designer, meeting architect, meeting owners, the whole team actually to go through a number of steps in a number of meetings and really focus on meeting objectives, step number one.

Mike McAllen: Very cool.

Maarten Vanneste: And it creates kind of a frame work in which people can work and think and brain storm around meeting objectives and coming with what I called the meeting objective matrix which then is kind of the list of the objectives base on those three groups learning networking and motivation and – and it helps people then in the second phase to think about all kinds of tools again within the number of categories, in this case five categories which I Baptized, CHATTY with C of Conceptual, the H of Human, the A of Arts, the T of Technical and TY of Technology. So, it’s five groups of tools and it’s suppose to be kind of holistic, it suppose to be everything that you can use in a meeting to support one of those objective.

And – and it helps in that second phrase, it helps that the meeting team and people that are working on the meeting to really come up with some – some smart new and innovative things that I do to support the meeting and then you obviously go into execution and then you go into measurement and assessment of – of results and obviously you mentioned ROI and that’s obviously a huge thing and you know it’s great to see that Jack Phillips is a supporting Meeting Architecture and – and Ellingham Sue [Phonetic] [0:13:11] is also working on ROI methodology and – and we’re kind of tweaking our stories so that really connect and then Meeting Architecture becomes kind of the driver for more ROI and ROI and the measurement methodology but actually it’s also a design methodology because when you design the question you’re going to ask about return on investments about effectiveness of your meeting which is actually something you do before you – before you design the meeting then actually you are working on ROI and on meeting design in one go.

So, it really matches you know, it really connects very nicely together and so this process map which is 16 pages tool. It comes with the book and – and there is one – one day training that I do with that piece – with that tool and now for the first time and that’s actually the exciting news. I’ve done a one day course in San Diego for NBTA and it’s actually NBTA that saw Meeting Architecture and this process as an ideal tool that helps procurement people to create a standard operating procedure. So, what they did is – they made it an elective for their SMMC which is the brand new, just launched in San Diego, Strategic Meetings Management Certification and …

Mike McAllen: Oh, wow that’s cool.

Maarten Vanneste: … and so – so it’s an elective for that – for that certification which was not even launched you know, last Sunday when I did my course in San Diego. It wasn’t even lunch then so there were about to launch in the – in the days after and so that’s the really first course that is generating credits for this new certification for NBTA. So, that’s great.

Mike McAllen: That’s very cool, very, very cool. I have to say that I one problem with all your training that I looked at, when I look at your side it’s always in Europe and my wife won’t let me go over there.

Maarten Vanneste: I’ll be – I’ll be – I’ll be over a couple of times. I’m actually talking to a member of Universities in the US.

Mike McAllen: Fantastic.

Maarten Vanneste: MPI is also looking at presentations and I’ve done a 90 minute map presentation at the MPI conference in – this summer the WEC …

Mike McAllen: In Salt Lake.

Maarten Vanneste: … in Salt Lake City.

Mike McAllen: Yes.

Maarten Vanneste: Yes. So, actually MPI was in the way the first but the real first training, one day training was done at NBTA so I’m looking forward to the next time and I’m sure both NBTA and MPI and other associations because we’re talking to many other associations as well will embrace this model and – and hopefully it’s going to generate a lot of good stuff for the industry.

Mike McAllen: Yes, its sounds fantastic. Well, that is exciting news. So, where can people contact you, what’s the best way to get a hold of you and find out more information about this and of course I’ll put all this – all your links up on the Meetings Podcast site but it’s good for you to say it if someone is listening to this?

Maarten Vanneste: Thank you. The – I think one of the – if people are in Facebook, there is a Facebook group called Meeting Architecture.

Mike McAllen: Okay.

Maarten Vanneste: There’s also website meetingarchitecture.com and – and then there is my e-mail address first name.lastname@abbit.eu which is my company email address. So, its marten.vanneste, you’ll have to go – you look at the website I think for spelling, that’s abbit.eu but if you – if you, you know, if you Google Meeting Architecture, I’m right there on the top.

Mike McAllen: Great.

Maarten Vanneste: So, that was probably the easiest way to find me and – and you’ll be, you know, be able to send me an e-mail or connect in different ways.

Mike McAllen: Fantastic and again I’ll have it all on the – on the meeting podcast side if anybody wants to just click away from there that’s another place. So, Maarten thank you very much for talking with me today and I hope we can talk again, it would be fun to just maybe you know talk about other stuff you got going on or some exciting stuff. It’s fun just to chat with you about this stuff because I’m a big fan of your book and thank you so much.

Maarten Vanneste: Thank you Mike. It’s been a pleasure to be onboard here and I look forward to – to chat with you more absolutely.

Mike McAllen: All right, well thank you so much and – and bye-bye.

Maarten Vanneste: All right, bye.