A Greenbrier Case Study
Since 1920, the International Association of Defense Council (IADC) has held 40 meetings at The Greenbrier. Many of the current members first came to The Greenbrier as children – when their fathers attended the IADC annual member meeting.
"Our members have been coming to The Greenbrier for many, many years," said Rebecca Zurcher, IADC Director of Meetings. "They appreciate the charm, the Southern hospitality, the family friendliness. For them, The Greenbrier evokes wonderful memories."
For their 2008 meeting, IADC planned an array of activities, including a theme party with an outdoor concert, featuring several singer/songwriters from Nashville. But when the big day arrived, so did the rain.
"We were really disappointed," said Zurcher. "We wanted our event to be a unique experience, and we really wanted to get everyone out of the ballroom for a change of scenery." It soon became evident that even if the rain stopped in time, the ground would be too wet to accommodate their plans.
The Greenbrier Conference Services team had a back-up plan.
According to Zurcher, "The Greenbrier team transformed the ballroom and gave it a totally different look than when we used the space for our meeting, and we moved everything into there. All of our members and their spouses and children – lots of people – were moved into the space seamlessly; you could tell The Greenbrier staff was prepared."
The Greenbrier's impeccable planning goes far beyond accommodating bad weather; it is encoded into every part of the process – from registration to wrap-up. Comprehensive planning is made possible partly through strategic partner relationships that are available on site.
Through the integrated services provided by Destination Solutions, IADC meeting attendees were able to make advance arrangements for ground transportation and register for activities – all online. By visiting a custom-built web site prior to the meeting, attendees could finalize plans to participate in many of the activities available at The Greenbrier. Not only did this feature create convenience for members, but weekly reporting provided added efficiencies and alerted meeting planners to scheduling needs and opportunities in plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.
The IADC meeting is family-oriented with a focus on activities that everyone can enjoy, and as always, in 2008 the group met at one of the most family-friendly times of the year: the 4th of July. The Greenbrier Conference Services team implemented creative ways to leverage the exciting activities and events that were planned for all guests during the holiday – making the IADC meeting come alive with celebration and family fun.
A grand fireworks display, a parade, and a marching band were all part of the old-fashioned Independence Day celebration enjoyed by IADC attendees and their families. The Greenbrier also hosted pony rides, dramatic first-person portrayals of historical figures, Revolutionary War reenactments, and an ice cream social, creating an integrated meeting experience that IADC family members are sure to remember fondly for years to come.
With so many people in attendance, and so much going on throughout the meeting schedule, it was crucial to the IADC planning team that they had just one point of contact on property – one person who could tend to their needs, and who was dedicated to ensuring that things ran smoothly.
The exclusive and flexible care of The Greenbrier team was demonstrated when the IADC group included an unanticipated number of teenagers. The Greenbrier Conference Services team was prepared to include everyone in the supervised activities that had been designed just for them, such as pizza parties, swimming at the indoor pool, and bowling.
"Our Conference Service Manager was great," said Zurcher. "She gave 110%, never said 'no', and stayed in touch the whole time."
Impeccable planning, exclusive care, unlimited flexibility, and lots and lots of fun are all trademarks of meeting services at The Greenbrier – and part of why IADC has been returning for nearly 90 years.
