BMW
PAX - 250 FOR CONF & 500 FOR GALA DINNER
BACKGROUND
BMW South Africa holds their After Sales Conference and Dealer of the Year Awards each year. TS&A has successfully pitched for and won this prestigious event for 3 years running.
BMW are not negotiable when it comes to attention to detail and each and every minute of the conference and gala dinner is run like clockwork.
TS&A are responsible for the creative treatment and the content for the opening video (this is always appropriate to the conference theme). Working closely with BMW, we conceptualize and write the script, manage the production and preview process and work with the client to make sure the end product is not only appropriate but always has that BMW edge to it.
The conference theme is threaded through to the Awards/Gala Dinner and once again our choice of entertainment has to be appropriate.
Each year we have managed to exceed expectations, which is something BMW expects from its suppliers.
This is not always easy as the expectation of the delegates and the client increases but the budget doesn’t, so this pushes us to constantly be on the lookout for clever and innovative shows that proves that sometimes less is more!
Overall creative, strategic input, invitations, travel and accommodation, entertainment etc, all fall into our area of responsibility.
BMW always provide a very detailed brief so we are clear on the direction that we need to take.
Their approval process is run by committee and this requires that we go through a number of creative proposals before we get unanimous buy in from all the stakeholders.
We do however know that you cannot please everybody all the time and work hard to manage the expectations from each division. We know from experience that managing the client in the correct way goes a long way towards achieving a common goal.
Budget approval is a long process so we work closely with procurement on this and have an agreement that on every project we invoice a ‘progress payment’ amount which allows us to start production while the budgets are being refined. We then invoice the total amount once approved.
Understanding the tone is important and more often than not we have contacted the dealers individually to ask them what they like and don’t like and what they would like or not like to see. This is so appreciated by the dealer network as they feel they are being included in the process and not just invited to sit back and enjoy – or not!
We measure the results of each conference by sending out a questionnaire, normally within a week or two and the feedback helps us to offer more appropriate creative next time round.
A TS&A Project Director is on site through the day and night to manage all aspects of the event from set up to show to strike.
Check lists, status meetings both internal and with client and contact reports are once again part of our offering and if used and managed correctly there should be no unexpected surprises.
The Gala Dinner/ Awards evening is a black tie event and is an eagerly awaited affair. Not only because the Dealer of the Year is announced but because it allows the Dealer Principles, Sales Managers, After Sales Managers and Parts Managers, together with their partners an opportunity to network and to be thoroughly spoiled.
BMW’s has very high expectations and expects absolute attention to detail which is why we work so closely with them. Regular status meetings and detailed contact reports ensure that the client gets exactly what he wants and expects.
While BMW want their Dealers to walk away with a feeling that ‘Only BMW could have done something like that”, it is also important that the event is not perceived to be ‘wasteful’. This is a challenge that we rise to because more often than not – Less is More!
Because we Project Manage all aspects of BMW’s events, we work closely with our as well as their appointed suppliers:
From the invitation design to the RSVP and registration.
From the food tasting to the kitchen control on the night.
From the entertainment elements to the awards, to the walk up music selection – TS&A makes sure that the event runs smoothly and that our client has complete peace of mind.