Procedures on How to Hold a Conference

A conference has been scheduled in a couple of weeks and is due to have about 200 people attending that are coming from all over the country and have paid registration fees already. Due to hurricane Katrina causing for New Orleans to be considered a disaster area it is impossible to have the conference in this city due to the devastation. If the conference is not a consideration there will be a serious impact on the company if the conference is not held. The conference is A large part of keeping current customers and obtaining new ones they are depending on the conference in order to drum up business. 1. Define the objectives for the Conference Decision Case. Objectives should be separated into fundamental and means objectives.
Fundamental objectives * Maintain current customers * Gain customers * Assist with local businesses due to the destruction
Means Objectives * Find a way to hold the conference virtually in order to avoid increased costs in lieu of moving the conference * Offer workshops in local cities a few times a year to gain new customers. * See if the participants that were signed up would waive the refund on the trip to give the money to local businesses to help rebuild

2. Identify the alternatives for the case. * Offer for attendees that have signed up for the conference to go to offer help due to the devastation instead of holding the conference. * Do further research and see if there could be a way to hold the conference live virtually * Find out if the conference could be held at a later date when the hotel is ready for visitors