Communication Is Important When Booking For MICE

Susan Xu, the travel commodity sourcing manager for Ericsson (China) Communications Co. Ltd. is responsible for hotel travel agencies sourcing and management as well as conferencing events.

Are there any standards for your company when selecting hotel and MICE destinations? Do you regard the hotel brand as a key factor when you make a selection?
Location, price, service, food quality, security, and brand are the key factors we consider. A hotel's brand is a symbol of quality and service level to a certain degree.

Which are your favorite hotels when you arrange company MICE events?
We like to choose hotels in hotel chains. For example: Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing or the Great Wall Sheraton hotel Beijing. When we arrange a MICE event, global hotel chains are our first choice.

Which hotels impress you most in China and why?
Qingdao Shangri-La hotel. Wonderful MICE professionals.

What problems do you meet when using hotel products and service?
The communication skills of hotel staff need to be improved. The professionalism of staff is the key factor that reflects the hotel service level. Regular training for staff is needed and is important to increase their competence.

Which products and services urgently need improvement in the local hotel market?
Online booking systems and flexible rate systems need to be improved urgently — especially for some independent local hotels.

Are there any new technology solutions in telecommunications would you like to share with our hotel readers?
Ericsson IPX solutions. This can support the information distribution about a hotel's promotion activities to their regular guests.

What do you think about our bilingual magazine and website products?
It's a wonderful communications platform and provides a lot of information about travel market.

Could you recommend us inbound or outbound travel destinations?
Inbound: Sanya and Kunming – beautiful sightseeing and convenient travel facilities. Outbound: Holland and Germany. With beautiful sightseeing, and a very clean atmosphere.

What are your travel plans in the near future?
I plan to go Sanya at the beginning of 2009 with my family.