Survey Shows Professional Event Planners Are More Productive When Using Online Technology.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2000

Majority Indicate Online Services Will Have Greater Impact

in the Future, But Many Tasks Still Require Personal Touch

When it comes to finding potential facilities, online offerings haven't yet replaced word-of-mouth among professional meeting and event planners. But those who are online are finding that technology is making them more productive, and they anticipate online tools will help them even more in the future, according to a recent survey conducted by NetReflector(TM) for the PlanSoft Corporation.

In an anonymous survey of approximately 200 meeting and event planners, 95 percent indicated that online technology has helped them do their job, with 54 percent saying that it has helped greatly and 41 percent indicating it has helped at least slightly. (Four percent felt that online technology had no effect on their job.) More than 90 percent of those surveyed think that finding information, vendors, and new facilities will be even easier in the future.

The survey was completed using InstantSurvey(SM), an online survey tool from NetReflector(TM), and sponsored by PlanSoft, the leading Internet-based business-to-business solution provider in the meeting and convention industry.

When asked how online technology has affected the way they plan meetings, an overwhelming 96 percent indicated that technology has made it easier to find new information. Specifically, 88 percent felt that finding new facilities is now easier, and 70 percent claimed technology has assisted in locating new vendors.

"With our reliance upon quality information and instant communication, there is no doubt that the meeting and event planning industry is benefiting greatly from the services available online," says David Hunt, CEO of PlanSoft. "And as the technology becomes available to more hotels and facilities, planners will find that online tools can be used to improve their long-standing industry relationships, which is vitally important in such a relationship-driven business."

     Some additional findings of the online survey include:

     Tasks that currently are done online will become even easier in
the future.

-    74 percent stated that online tools currently help when searching
     for planning tips and ideas, while 88 percent said they predict
     that the Internet will become more helpful in this area in the
     future.

-    60 percent indicated that online technology has helped in
     submitting Requests For Proposal, while 82 percent believe
     further advancements will improve this process in the future.

     While acknowledging improvements in productivity thanks to online
technology, the personal rapport planners have built with their
vendors is still vitally important.

     For example, when asked how they first learn about potential
meeting facilities, respondents selected the following options as
their primary sources (Note: respondents could select multiple
options):

-    Word of mouth referrals: 71 percent
-    Magazine ads/articles: 63 percent
-    Convention and Visitor Bureaus: 55 percent
-    Hotel presentations: 48 percent
-    Online web sites: 45 percent

     While professional meeting and event planners currently see the
value in finding information online, they are more reluctant to
actually purchase online (for now).

-    60 percent thought that technology made finding room rates and
     airfare deals easier, while only 42 percent indicated that
     technology has made it easier to actually book rooms and flights.
     (54 percent indicated "no change.")

-    However, 80 percent felt that technology would help make booking
     rooms and flights easier in the future.

     Online planning tools aren't replacing traditional methods; they
are simply enhancing the planner's ability to do their job better and
more efficiently.

-    Conventional methods are still preferred when negotiating
     contracts, as 75 percent have seen no change in this area with
     the growth of the Internet.

-    However, 57 percent feel that negotiating contracts will become
     easier in the future because of technology.

-    71 percent still select sites based on previous experience with
     the facility.

About PlanSoft Corporation

PlanSoft is the leading Internet-based business-to-business solution provider in the $100 billion meeting and convention industry. The company enables buyers (professional meeting planners) and sellers (convention facilities, hotels and related industry suppliers) to communicate and transact business throughout the purchasing and planning process. PlanSoft's comprehensive solutions are brought together as part of The PlanSoft Network and the Ajenis product suite. The company website address is http://www.plansoft.com.