How to be an insider

For those of us in business, the world may at first appear to divide into two groups: buyers and sellers. In some situations that’s exactly how it is, in a shop for instance or at a market. But a more sophisticated system is at work most of the time.

On two recent occasions I have attended conferences where the delegates were hoteliers and the exhibitors were tradespeople wishing to sell their goods and services to those hoteliers. Both groups had paid, either to attend or to exhibit, so were jointly supporting the organisations that staged the events.

Thanks to good planning in advance and good timekeeping on the day there were plenty of opportunities for the hoteliers and exhibitors to meet. It’s a system that can work very well indeed. What struck me, however, was a tendency on the part of sponsors to stay at their stands throughout the day, even when there were interesting sessions happening on the stage that absorbed the full attention of the delegates in between the breaks. Why didn’t they join them? Quite apart from learning something new, it would have given them extra chances to introduce themselves and perhaps to strike up new friendships with the very people they had paid to be exposed to.

The reason why I noticed this is thanks to the need for more frequent visits to the bathroom that beset us past a certain age. Hence slipping out of the conference to notice a wall of smart suited individuals staring into the middle distance, while their prey huddled together on the other side of the doors. It’s as if there was an invisible electric fence separating the hunter from the hunted.

I confess to having a foot in both camps, being responsible for a hotel consortium that charges hoteliers a fee for the services it provides while also being targeted by outside suppliers wishing to help us. In this role as in previous ones it has been my aim to become accepted as a member of the fraternity of owners and general managers so as not to be considered merely a seller of wares.

This has involved years of doing helpful things like hosting awards and chairing seminars, which I admit to enjoying very much, and getting to know lots of people beyond our own particular business circle. Little by little, hoteliers have started to accept me almost as one of their own kind, even though I have not managed an actual hotel in over 30 years.

The very best suppliers understand all this perfectly and have woven their way into the hearts of hoteliers through gaining reputations for honesty, efficiency and reliability. This applies especially where the hotel deals with a single person who they regard as the face of their company. I’ve witnessed examples from the wine trade, insurance, IT support and many other areas. But they’ve all had to find a way to make that first approach, which is why sponsorship is so important in opening doors.

There’s another reason why I believe exhibitors should always try to be more involved in the programme of events. It is a brilliant way to understand what their clients, the hoteliers, are up against. At the General Manager’s Conference, organised by the Master Innholders, for example, speakers addressed the challenges of employee engagement and of cyber-crime among many others. By taking part and sharing the educational experience with hoteliers, our suppliers can become even better equipped to provide the right solutions.

There’s much to be said for belonging to a community of like-minded business people, whatever it takes to get there. And if you’ll pardon a slight miss-quotation of J Edgar Hoover “it is always better to be inside the tent spitting out, than outside spitting in”.