Heather Reid Archives - Corporate Meetings Network

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Why Understanding Contract Checklists is Key
2025/12/09

by Heather Reid After decades of reviewing, negotiating, and rescuing event contracts, I’ve learned one universal truth: every professional needs a checklist – but not just any checklist. A checklist that you understand inside and out. Because while a checklist can help you stay organized, only understanding can help you stay protected. Checklists are powerful tools. Pilots use them before every flight; surgeons use them before every operation. They keep professionals consistent, focused, and safe. But here’s the key: a…
Event Operations
Why Hidden Fees Are a Hot Topic
2025/01/23

by Heather Reid Hidden fees in event contracts can cause frustration, mistrust, and budgetary surprises for event planners. These unexpected charges, often appearing on post-event invoices, include everything from unexpected WiFi charges, minibar restocking fees, in-room safe usage, and early departure penalties for sleeping rooms, to charges for meeting space items like HVAC surcharges for after-hours events, charges for using wall sockets, fees for lighting panel access, and outdoor space fees for heaters or umbrellas. Addressing the issue requires not…
Event Operations
Event Venue Contracts: What is at Risk
2024/02/09

by Heather Reid In almost every component of the event planning journey we encounter elements that speak to “risk” – the acknowledgement of risk possibilities, the assessment of potential damages, the anticipation of known risks, the planning for mitigation, the back-up plans A, B and C…and on and on. Risks associated with events are wide-ranging: natural disasters, emerging risks, terrorism, collateral damage, health and safety concerns, crime and fraud, reputation and public image damage. One of the most often over-looked…
Event Operations
Freedom of Choice: AV Contracts
2023/09/08

By Heather Reid Did you know that as much as 55 per cent (yes, you read that right!) of a customer’s audiovisual (AV) invoice can be paid by the in-house preferred audiovisual supplier to the venue as a commission for the privilege of being identified as the “in-house preferred supplier”. With commissions at these staggering rates, significant revenues can be generated. It is no wonder then, that carefully crafted policies and fees are found in venue contracts to influence the…
A/V & Special Effects, Event Operations, Site Selection
Will Contract Complacency Set in Again?
2022/05/09

by Heather Reid As an entrepreneurial event planner since 1994, I’ve been through the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the SARS outbreak in 2003-2004 and the Great Recession of 2007-2008. After each of these crises, there was a palpable buzz in the industry about the importance of event contracts and balanced contract clauses, and yet each time, that buzz quickly took a “backseat” to the plethora of planners’ more pressing responsibilities. Now that we are all emerging from the…
Event Operations
How Contracts and Negotiations have Changed with COVID-19
2020/11/18

The events industry was among the first sectors hit by the pandemic and will be one of the last to recover, forcing many event professionals to cancel or postpone scheduled events. In the process, it has raised questions (and concern) around contracts and ensuing obligations. Here, Heather Reid, founder and CEO of Planner Protect, an Ontario-based contract review agency that negotiates event contracts for organizations and those hosting events, fields Corporate Meetings Network’s questions on this all-too important topic during…
Contingency/Disaster Planning
CMEExpo Launches Free Webinar Series for Meeting, Event Professionals
2020/05/26

The largest and longest running trade show and conference for meeting and event professionals has launched a brand-new virtual learning program. Called Speaker Series, the webinars will feature exclusive interviews with top industry leaders and experts about topics that matter most to attendees. “Our live event is known for its gold star education. To be able to deliver the same level of content through webinars will allow us to inspire our community of meeting professionals in a new way,” says…
Breaking News
Venue contract wisdom is often woefully insufficient
2018/04/25

By Heather Reid A side-by-side examination of 12 signed and negotiated contracts for booking events into unconventional venues unveiled disturbing discrepancies to me. The “unconventional venue” contracts included the following Canadian locations: cultural centre, city-owned sport facility, entertainment complex, music hall, high-risk recreational facility, heritage facility, aquarium, brewery, two recreational/amusement facilities and museums in three different cities. A wide variety of unconventional venues for sure! Here are a few of the disturbing findings of my side-by-side review: Indemnification Clause: 6…
Event Budgeting, Event Operations, Meeting Checklists, Meeting Community, Site Selection, The Business of Meetings
The high cost of combined contract clauses
2018/02/02

An association conference was scheduled for spring 2019 at a Canadian hotel property. The most glaring issue with the association’s venue contract was the fact that it included two clauses related to Food and Beverage (F&B) that, when combined, were detrimental: Sliding Scale and Attrition. The association’s minimum anticipated spend for F&B was $100,000. This was the Sliding Scale for F&B spend: > $100,000.00 F&B: Meeting room rental charge would be waived, offered complimentary $80,000.00 to $99,999.00 F&B: Meeting room…
Event Budgeting, Event Operations, Food & Beverage, Meeting Checklists