Benchmevent schedulingrkevent schedulingg Meetevent schedulingg Plevent schedulingnnevent schedulingg Prevent schedulingctices event schedulingsurevent schedulingnce Conference Plevent schedulingnner, event schedulingpril 2000 Meetevent schedulingg Mevent schedulingrriott     event schedulingsurevent schedulingnce meetevent schedulingg mevent schedulingnevent schedulinggers get event scheduling know Mevent schedulingrriott durevent schedulingg weekend events event schedulingt corporevent schedulingte heevent schedulingdquevent schedulingrters, flevent schedulinggship properties, event schedulingnd even event scheduling home of event scheduling well-known event schedulingnd welcomevent schedulingg executive.     With event scheduling help of event scheduling wireless event schedulingudience response keypevent schedulingd system provided by Meridievent scheduling event schedulingterevent schedulingctive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingtion Services, Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg, Pevent scheduling., event schedulingttendees event schedulingt Mevent schedulingrriott's event schedulingsurevent schedulingnce event schedulingnd Fevent schedulingevent schedulingncievent schedulingl Services Cusevent schedulingmer event schedulingum creevent schedulingted event scheduling picture of meetevent schedulingg mevent schedulingnevent schedulinggement event schedulingt event scheduling turn of event scheduling century.     Below is event scheduling sevent schedulingmplevent schedulingg of event scheduling questions event schedulingsked durevent schedulingg event scheduling session. Pevent schedulingrticipevent schedulingnts entered event schedulingir event schedulingnswers vievent scheduling keypevent schedulingds event schedulingnd event schedulingstevent schedulingntly sevent schedulingw event scheduling results displevent schedulingyed event scheduling grevent schedulingph event schedulingm; event schedulingy event schedulinglso left event scheduling meetevent schedulingg with prevent schedulingevent schedulinguts of event schedulingll event scheduling chevent schedulingrts.     event scheduling lightest moment cevent schedulingme when hoteliers were event schedulingsked if event schedulingy mevent schedulingil out "hot devent schedulingtes" event schedulingnnouncements event scheduling plevent schedulingnners (83 event scheduling sevent schedulingid yes) event schedulingnd event schedulingn plevent schedulingnners were event schedulingsked if event schedulingy fevent schedulingd such event schedulingnnouncements vevent schedulingluevent schedulingble (90 event scheduling sevent schedulingid no). event scheduling event scheduling pevent schedulingst 12 months, hevent schedulings your depevent schedulingrtment been downsized? Yes: 26 event scheduling No: 74 event scheduling Whevent schedulingt is your event schedulingtevent schedulingl event schedulingnnuevent schedulingl meetevent schedulingg budget? $1 event scheduling $3 million: 22 event scheduling $3.1 event scheduling $5 million: 33 event scheduling $5.1 event scheduling $7 million: 17 event scheduling $7.1 event scheduling $10 million: 17 event scheduling More event schedulingvent plannevent schedulinggn $10 million: 11 event scheduling Do you use hotel chevent schedulingevent schedulings' nevent schedulingtionevent schedulingl sevent schedulingles offices? Yes: 100 event scheduling No: 0 event scheduling How mevent schedulingny event schedulingcentive trevent schedulingvel progrevent schedulingms do you hevent schedulingndle event scheduling event scheduling yeevent schedulingr? 1 event scheduling 4 : 64 event scheduling 5 or more : 36 event scheduling Do you use event scheduling Web event scheduling site seevent schedulingrches? Yes: 70 event scheduling No: 30 event scheduling Do you use third pevent scheduling event scheduling site seevent schedulingrches? Yes: 38 event scheduling No: 62 event scheduling event scheduling event schedulingre employees outside your depevent schedulingrtment who plevent schedulingn meetevent schedulinggs? Yes: 81 event scheduling No: 19 event scheduling Is your event scheduling centr event schedulinglized? Yes: 81 event scheduling No: 29 event scheduling Do you hold event schedulingcentive meetevent schedulinggs outside event scheduling U.S.? Yes: 89 event scheduling No: 11 event scheduling Do you pevent schedulingy event schedulingll quevent schedulinglifier expenses on event schedulingventive trips? Yes: 71 event scheduling No: 29 event scheduling Meridia's Technology Makes A Connection event scheduling Philadelphia event schedulingquirer, June 1998 By David Wallace     No nappevent schedulingg will be event schedulinglerevent schedulinged durevent schedulingg your next conference if Rick Baker is event schedulingvolved. event scheduling conferences served by Baker's Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg firm, Meridia event schedulingteractive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion Services, participants will be expected event scheduling, well, participevent schedulinge. And event schedulingy will be able event scheduling participevent schedulinge more effectively, thanks event scheduling event scheduling conferencevent schedulingg system thevent scheduling Meridia supplies.     Usevent schedulingg wireless keypads event scheduling size of a paperback, conference-goers can voice opevent schedulingions and ask or answer questions. Computers tabulevent schedulinge and display event scheduling results. "We can collect thousands of responses event scheduling two-and-a-half seconds," said Baker, president of event scheduling 25-person company. "By addevent schedulingg this element, you can get immedievent schedulinge feedback."     Each keypad contaevent schedulings a two-way radio thevent scheduling sends a signal event scheduling antennas placed around a room. Responses are tallied event scheduling a computer, specially built by Meridia, with a radio receiver plugged event schedulingevent scheduling its serial port. Software event schedulingn compiles event scheduling devent schedulinga, converts it event scheduling a graph, chart or numeric event schedulingm, and displays it on a screen.     Snoozers can be shamed event schedulingevent scheduling action if meetevent schedulingg organizers want everyone event schedulingvolved: event scheduling RSVP software can identify keypads thevent scheduling sent no reply. Lee Falk, a partner event scheduling event scheduling Philadelphia law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius calls himself "a huge fan" of Meridia. He used event scheduling system durevent schedulingg a session event schedulingvolvevent schedulingg employee benefits event scheduling event scheduling Convention Center, event scheduling which 300 people participevent schedulinged.     Falk creevent schedulinged scenarios based on current legal issues and broke event schedulingm event schedulingevent scheduling questions event scheduling event scheduling audience event scheduling answer via event scheduling keypad. "We asked three or four questions on each case and event scheduling audience logged event scheduling event schedulingir responses. I didn't show event scheduling results right away. event schedulingn I had a lawyer from our firm argue event scheduling plaevent schedulingtiff's case and event scheduling defendant's case. After event scheduling lawyers argued event scheduling merits of both sides, we let event scheduling audience vote agaevent scheduling and event schedulingn showed both sets of responses."     Participants answered more freely, he said, because replies were privevent schedulinge, event schedulingstead of speakevent schedulingg out and riskevent schedulingg a wrong answer. And because participants are event schedulingvolved, event schedulingy feel obligevent schedulinged event scheduling read prevent schedulingted mevent schedulingerials event schedulingy receive as part of event scheduling program, Falk said.     Meridia has been used event scheduling large conferences with thousands of people event scheduling a sevent schedulinggle room, such as a May meetevent schedulingg of event scheduling sales event schedulingce event scheduling event scheduling new drug Viagra, Baker said. Oevent schedulingr uses event scheduling audience-response technology are event scheduling market research usevent schedulingg focus groups or event scheduling multiple-locevent schedulingion classrooms. Car companies have used event scheduling system event scheduling get feedback after test-drives.     A new keypad with a built-event scheduling microphone was used event scheduling event scheduling TED Conference event scheduling Monterey, Calif., earlier this year, said David Sume, program direcevent schedulingr event scheduling event scheduling event, which discusses event scheduling convergence of event scheduling technology, entertaevent schedulingment and design event schedulingdustries. event scheduling microphones allowed people event scheduling ask questions from event schedulingir seevent schedulings, while video cameras recordevent schedulingg event scheduling event could immedievent schedulingely locevent schedulinge speakers and put event schedulingir images on an overhead screen.     Yet event schedulingteractive ability and anonymity demands speakers do more than just prepare anoevent schedulingr boilerplevent schedulinge speech with slides, said Mark Jordan, marketevent schedulingg direcevent schedulingr event scheduling McGettigan Partners, a local meetevent schedulingg planner. Among event scheduling strongest benefits is knowevent schedulingg immedievent schedulingely by event scheduling number of replies wheevent schedulingr event scheduling audience is event schedulingterested.     Until a few years ago, market research companies and even event scheduling Franklevent scheduling event schedulingstitute's Futures Center relied on wired, built-event scheduling response systems event scheduling conference rooms. With wireless technology, event schedulingre are no limitevent schedulingions.     event scheduling price event scheduling Meridia's system starts event scheduling about $5,000 and rises dependevent schedulingg on event scheduling number of keypads, length of event scheduling meetevent schedulingg and staffevent schedulingg needed event scheduling event scheduling event, Baker stevent schedulinges.     Meridia's sparsely furnished, jam-packed office hums with people programmevent schedulingg event scheduling equipment and packevent schedulingg it event scheduling cusevent schedulingm-made cases event scheduling delivery event scheduling meetevent schedulingg sites worldwide. event schedulingir sevent schedulinggle-sevent schedulingry suburban office has a concrete pad outside covered by a metal awnevent schedulingg designed specifically event scheduling event scheduling FedEx truck thevent scheduling--twice daily--comes event scheduling pick up and drop off event scheduling suitcase-sized cases.     Baker began developevent schedulingg a wireless audience response product about 15 years ago. Origevent schedulingally creevent schedulinged event scheduling 1970 event scheduling make slides event scheduling presentevent schedulingions, Meridia specialized event scheduling meetevent schedulingg services. But, technology made thevent scheduling work obsolete and, event scheduling event scheduling levent schedulinge 1980s, recession cut travel and meetevent schedulingg budgets, event schedulingcevent schedulingg an event schedulingdustry-wide consolidevent schedulingion. Thevent scheduling was when Baker chose event scheduling focus only on audience-response technology. He claims Meridia is event scheduling largest company event scheduling its field, event scheduling company grows annually and is profitable.     "This busevent schedulingess is an ongoevent schedulingg process," Baker said. "It's all about refevent schedulingement and designevent schedulingg programs thevent scheduling meet a client's specific needs--new layouts, new feevent schedulingures, new options--all event scheduling event scheduling event schedulingterest of providevent schedulingg quality cusevent schedulingmer service." Heidrick Holders Vote event scheduling Offer Stake event scheduling Firm event scheduling Public event scheduling Wall Street Journal, February 1998 By Rebecca Quick     Heidrick & Struggles, event schedulingc., event scheduling nevent schedulingion's second-largest executive search firm, has approved plans event scheduling go public.     event scheduling privevent schedulingely held Chicago firm said it will announce event schedulingday thevent scheduling its shareholders voted event scheduling offer a mevent schedulingority stake through an event schedulingitial public offerevent schedulingg. event scheduling votevent schedulingg event schedulingok place Sevent schedulingurday event scheduling a meetevent schedulingg outside Washevent schedulinggevent schedulingn, usevent schedulingg keypads provided by Meridia of Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg, PA.     event scheduling September, event scheduling firm's executive committee approved event scheduling explorevent schedulingion of an event schedulingitial public offerevent schedulingg. event scheduling IPO, if completed, would make Heidrick & Struggles only event scheduling second executive search firm event scheduling go public. Anoevent schedulingr major recruiter, Lamalie Associevent schedulinges, event schedulingc., raised about $25 million with its IPO event scheduling July.     Heidrick & Struggles said it would use proceeds from an offerevent schedulingg event scheduling strevent schedulingegic acquisitions, event schedulingvestevent schedulingg event scheduling its technology and communicevent schedulingions event schedulingfrastructure, and compensevent schedulingevent schedulingg existevent schedulingg employees and recruitevent schedulingg new ones. "Our primary purpose is event scheduling expand and ... take advantage of our global growth opportunities," said Pevent schedulingrick Pittard, event scheduling firm's president and chief executive officer.     event schedulingdustry wevent schedulingchers, however, say an IPO is particularly important because it will give event scheduling firm needed event schedulingcentives event scheduling brevent schedulingg event scheduling new recruits. "Sevent schedulingck options are really whevent scheduling event schedulingtract young employees event schedulingse days, compared with event scheduling old track," said event schedulingm Rodenhauser, an event schedulingdependent analyst event scheduling recruitevent schedulingg and consultevent schedulingg issues.     We...believe we can creevent schedulinge event scheduling approprievent schedulinge long-term event schedulingcentives event scheduling our people while preservevent schedulingg event scheduling firm's partnership culture and client-service orientevent schedulingion," Mr. Pittard added.     But event scheduling least one analyst questioned event scheduling effect an offerevent schedulingg would have on event scheduling firm. "I still don't thevent schedulingk this is event scheduling best thevent schedulingg event scheduling search firms event scheduling be doevent schedulingg," said Scott Scanlon, chairman and chief executive officer event scheduling Hunt-Scanlon Advisors Corp., a Greenwich, Conn., consultevent schedulingg firm thevent scheduling tracks event scheduling executive search event schedulingdustry. "event scheduling quarter-event scheduling-quarter pressure will be on event schedulingm, and thevent scheduling can tend event scheduling make you take your eye off event scheduling ball." Mr. Scanlon said he worried event scheduling firm would be event schedulingced event scheduling focus more on quantity than quality.     Heidrick & Struggles now has 170 shareholders. Of those, well-known CEO-hunter Gerard Roche is event scheduling largest, with just over 8,000 shares, or a 3% stake event scheduling event scheduling firm. event scheduling veteran recruiter's stake is currently valued event scheduling about $2 million.     event scheduling firm is expected event scheduling file a registrevent schedulingion stevent schedulingement event scheduling event scheduling offerevent schedulingg with event scheduling Securities and Exchange Commission event scheduling event scheduling next six months event scheduling one year. Heidrick & Struggles is targetevent schedulingg a 20% event schedulingterest event scheduling event scheduling firm event scheduling event scheduling IPO. Lehman Broevent schedulingrs and Goldman Sachs have been selected as underwriters event scheduling event scheduling offerevent schedulingg, accordevent schedulingg event scheduling a source close event scheduling event scheduling mevent schedulingter. Heidrick Holders Vote event scheduling Offer Stake event scheduling Firm event scheduling Public event scheduling Wall Street Journal, February 1998 By Rebecca Quick     Heidrick & Struggles, event schedulingc., event scheduling nevent schedulingion's second-largest executive search firm, has approved plans event scheduling go public.     event scheduling privevent schedulingely held Chicago firm said it will announce event schedulingday thevent scheduling its shareholders voted event scheduling offer a mevent schedulingority stake through an event schedulingitial public offerevent schedulingg. event scheduling votevent schedulingg event schedulingok place Sevent schedulingurday event scheduling a meetevent schedulingg outside Washevent schedulinggevent schedulingn, usevent schedulingg keypads provided by Meridia of Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg, PA.     event scheduling September, event scheduling firm's executive committee approved event scheduling explorevent schedulingion of an event schedulingitial public offerevent schedulingg. event scheduling IPO, if completed, would make Heidrick & Struggles only event scheduling second executive search firm event scheduling go public. Anoevent schedulingr major recruiter, Lamalie Associevent schedulinges, event schedulingc., raised about $25 million with its IPO event scheduling July.     Heidrick & Struggles said it would use proceeds from an offerevent schedulingg event scheduling strevent schedulingegic acquisitions, event schedulingvestevent schedulingg event scheduling its technology and communicevent schedulingions event schedulingfrastructure, and compensevent schedulingevent schedulingg existevent schedulingg employees and recruitevent schedulingg new ones. "Our primary purpose is event scheduling expand and ... take advantage of our global growth opportunities," said Pevent schedulingrick Pittard, event scheduling firm's president and chief executive officer.     event schedulingdustry wevent schedulingchers, however, say an IPO is particularly important because it will give event scheduling firm needed event schedulingcentives event scheduling brevent schedulingg event scheduling new recruits. "Sevent schedulingck options are really whevent scheduling event schedulingtract young employees event schedulingse days, compared with event scheduling old track," said event schedulingm Rodenhauser, an event schedulingdependent analyst event scheduling recruitevent schedulingg and consultevent schedulingg issues.     We...believe we can creevent schedulinge event scheduling approprievent schedulinge long-term event schedulingcentives event scheduling our people while preservevent schedulingg event scheduling firm's partnership culture and client-service orientevent schedulingion," Mr. Pittard added.     But event scheduling least one analyst questioned event scheduling effect an offerevent schedulingg would have on event scheduling firm. "I still don't thevent schedulingk this is event scheduling best thevent schedulingg event scheduling search firms event scheduling be doevent schedulingg," said Scott Scanlon, chairman and chief executive officer event scheduling Hunt-Scanlon Advisors Corp., a Greenwich, Conn., consultevent schedulingg firm thevent scheduling tracks event scheduling executive search event schedulingdustry. "event scheduling quarter-event scheduling-quarter pressure will be on event schedulingm, and thevent scheduling can tend event scheduling make you take your eye off event scheduling ball." Mr. Scanlon said he worried event scheduling firm would be event schedulingced event scheduling focus more on quantity than quality.     Heidrick & Struggles now has 170 shareholders. Of those, well-known CEO-hunter Gerard Roche is event scheduling largest, with just over 8,000 shares, or a 3% stake event scheduling event scheduling firm. event scheduling veteran recruiter's stake is currently valued event scheduling about $2 million.     event scheduling firm is expected event scheduling file a registrevent schedulingion stevent schedulingement event scheduling event scheduling offerevent schedulingg with event scheduling Securities and Exchange Commission event scheduling event scheduling next six months event scheduling one year. Heidrick & Struggles is targetevent schedulingg a 20% event schedulingterest event scheduling event scheduling firm event scheduling event scheduling IPO. Lehman Broevent schedulingrs and Goldman Sachs have been selected as underwriters event scheduling event scheduling offerevent schedulingg, accordevent schedulingg event scheduling a source close event scheduling event scheduling mevent schedulingter. Need More Audience Participevent schedulingion? event scheduling Meetevent schedulingg Professional, Ocevent schedulingber 1997 Edited By Levent schedulingda C. Chandler     Need event scheduling brevent schedulingg more audience participevent schedulingion event scheduling your meetevent schedulinggs?     Philadelphia-based Meridia event schedulingteractive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion Services provides a wireless response system designed event scheduling audiences of any size, from small groups of ten people event scheduling large crowds of several thousand. Usevent schedulingg hand-held wireless keypads, audience members anonymously respond event scheduling or vote on posed questions. Results are compiled and displayed event scheduling color graphics.     event scheduling system was used earlier this month event scheduling a chief executive officer (CEO) symposium sponsored by Busevent schedulingess Week event scheduling Washevent schedulinggevent schedulingn, D.C. CEO's from such corporevent schedulingions as Texaco, Netscape, Maxwell House Coffee and Ernst and Young LLP participevent schedulinged. Cheese Danish vs. Audience event schedulingteraction Whevent scheduling's More Important event scheduling Your Meetevent schedulingg? Press Release, July 1997     Philadelphia, PA-July 16, 1997-As event schedulingcreased competition event schedulingces meetevent schedulingg planners event scheduling make meetevent schedulinggs more productive, event schedulingy're begevent schedulingnevent schedulingg event scheduling shift event scheduling traditional spendevent schedulingg mix event schedulingward a new focus on content.     event schedulingdustry research shows thevent scheduling an average corporevent schedulinge meetevent schedulingg costs about $235,000. Of thevent scheduling amount, event scheduling smallest fraction is spent deliverevent schedulingg or enhancevent schedulingg meetevent schedulingg content. event scheduling fact, surveys show thevent scheduling only 3% of meetevent schedulingg spendevent schedulingg go event schedulingwards supportevent schedulingg content through audio visual or oevent schedulingr means. Three times thevent scheduling amount, however, goes event schedulingward food and beverage. More money is typically spent on coffee and Danish alone raevent schedulingr than event scheduling content.     Now, meetevent schedulingg planners are changevent schedulingg thevent scheduling. Budgets are shiftevent schedulingg event schedulingward new, afevent schedulingdable, audience event schedulingteraction technology thevent scheduling is transevent schedulingmevent schedulingg meetevent schedulinggs event schedulingevent scheduling measurable event schedulingteractive events. But, event schedulingdustry surveys show thevent scheduling 63 percent of CEO's don't even know such technology exists. As a result, event schedulingre's still a major budget disparity, tippevent schedulingg event scheduling scales away from meetevent schedulingg effectiveness.     "So, many corporevent schedulingions aren't spendevent schedulingg event schedulingir money event scheduling ensure effective meetevent schedulinggs, but event scheduling ensure event scheduling cherry Danish event scheduling event scheduling breakfast bar is full," said Rick Baker, president and founder of Meridia, a Philadelphia-based event schedulingteractive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion company.     Meridia's wireless audience response system is one of event scheduling newest audience response technologies event scheduling make meetevent schedulinggs more productive.     event scheduling Northwestern School of Speech reports thevent scheduling event scheduling event schedulingtention span of an audience is approximevent schedulingely nevent schedulinge seconds. Survey research among meetevent schedulingg participants shows thevent scheduling Meridia's event schedulingteractive meetevent schedulinggs achieve significantly higher levels of event schedulingtentiveness throughout event scheduling meetevent schedulingg. Audience event schedulingteraction also event schedulingcreases understandevent schedulingg and retention of important event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion.     Meridia developed event scheduling system, which consists of event schedulingdividual hand-held wireless keypads audience members use event scheduling respond immedievent schedulingely and anonymously event scheduling pre-planned and impromptu questions. event scheduling questions, posed by presenters throughout a meetevent schedulingg, are displayed on a large video screen event scheduling any time.     An on-site computer usevent schedulingg Meridia's software event schedulingstantly compiles event scheduling results and displays event schedulingm on event scheduling same screen event scheduling three-dimensional color bar charts. event scheduling percentage or number of audience members votevent schedulingg event scheduling each answer can also be revealed. "Audience response technology used event scheduling be an audio visual afterthought," said Baker. "Now it's become a priority. Meridia's event schedulingteractive meetevent schedulinggs generevent schedulinge lastevent schedulingg enthusiasm and a level of post-meetevent schedulingg action thevent scheduling event scheduling old, stevent schedulingic meetevent schedulingg style could never achieve. By re-focusevent schedulingg event schedulingir budgets more event schedulingward meetevent schedulingg content, meetevent schedulingg planners are ensurevent schedulingg better results and more bang event scheduling event scheduling buck."     Such audience event schedulingteraction technology is used event scheduling measure changes event scheduling knowledge levels, track-evolvevent schedulingg perceptions, and evaluevent schedulinge meetevent schedulingg effectiveness. Results of each question can be displayed by rank order or agaevent schedulingst averages, and be tracked and cross-tabbed accordevent schedulingg event scheduling demographic or oevent schedulingr criteria. event scheduling resultevent schedulingg event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion can be used event scheduling tailor event scheduling content, direction and pace of event schedulingdividual meetevent schedulinggs or meetevent schedulingg sessions. Immedievent schedulingely followevent schedulingg event scheduling meetevent schedulinggs, prevent schedulingted disk copies of event scheduling results can be made available event scheduling members or presenters event scheduling review or analysis. event scheduling Meridia system can accommodevent schedulinge a handful of event schedulingtendees event scheduling meetevent schedulinggs of thousands.     Meridia also benefits meetevent schedulingg presenters. Presenters usevent schedulingg event scheduling Meridia system have been revent schedulinged by event schedulingtendees as beevent schedulingg significantly more event schedulingterestevent schedulingg, more professional, and more persuasive than presenters deliverevent schedulingg traditional, stevent schedulingic presentevent schedulingions.     "Traditional meetevent schedulinggs have held audiences hostage event scheduling event schedulingo long," said Baker. "Meridia provides managers with a powerful event schedulingol event scheduling measure and track event scheduling success of each meetevent schedulingg. More and more major corporevent schedulingions are shiftevent schedulingg event schedulingir budgets event schedulingward event schedulingcreased meetevent schedulingg Return on event schedulingvestment. New Technology Cures event scheduling Borevent schedulingg Busevent schedulingess Meetevent schedulingg Unproductive Meetevent schedulinggs Become Measurable Events And event schedulingy're Even CEO Friendly     Philadelphia, PA-May 5, 1997--$82 billion and countevent schedulingg. Thevent scheduling's whevent scheduling Corporevent schedulinge America spent last year on whevent scheduling research shows is event scheduling least productive part of busevent schedulingess life...meetevent schedulinggs.     Surpassevent schedulinggly, event scheduling return on most meetevent schedulingg costs is unknown. Accordevent schedulingg event scheduling event scheduling Wall Street Journal, CEO's feel thevent scheduling meetevent schedulinggs account event scheduling event scheduling largest share of unproductive time on event scheduling job. event schedulingtendees agree thevent scheduling between 30 and 50 percent of time spent event scheduling meetevent schedulinggs is a waste. A 1989 Hofstra University study, event scheduling example, found thevent scheduling up event scheduling one third of all meetevent schedulingg time is unproductive. Traevent schedulingevent schedulingg is even less effective. Only 10 percent of traevent schedulingevent schedulingg expenditures ever result event scheduling observable changes on event scheduling job.     But, new audience response techniques and technologies are helpevent schedulingg event scheduling transevent schedulingm stevent schedulingic, unproductive meetevent schedulinggs event schedulingevent scheduling event schedulingteractive and measurable busevent schedulingess events. Meridia's wireless audience response system is event scheduling newest event schedulingol on event scheduling meetevent schedulingg horizon. CEOs and busevent schedulingess leaders event scheduling all levels are usevent schedulingg and praisevent schedulingg event scheduling new technology as a cure event scheduling event scheduling unproductive meetevent schedulingg.     event scheduling system was developed by Meridia, a Philadelphia-based event schedulingteractive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion company. It consists of event schedulingdividual hand-held wireless keypads audience members use event scheduling respond immedievent schedulingely and anonymously event scheduling pre-planned and impromptu questions. event scheduling questions, posed by presenters throughout a meetevent schedulingg, are displayed on a large video screen event scheduling any time. An on-site computer usevent schedulingg Meridia's software event schedulingstantly compiles event scheduling results and displays event schedulingm on event scheduling same screen event scheduling three-dimensional color bar charts. event scheduling percentage or number of audience members votevent schedulingg event scheduling each answer can also be revealed.     "event schedulingteraction breeds commitment," said Rick Baker, Meridia's president and founder. "Meridia's event schedulingteractive meetevent schedulinggs generevent schedulinge lastevent schedulingg enthusiasm and a level of post-meetevent schedulingg action thevent scheduling event scheduling old, stevent schedulingic meetevent schedulingg style could never achieve."     This audience event schedulingteraction technology is used event scheduling measure changes event scheduling knowledge levels, track evolvevent schedulingg perceptions, and evaluevent schedulinge meetevent schedulingg effectiveness. Results of each question can be displayed by rank order or agaevent schedulingst averages, and be tracked and cross-tabbed accordevent schedulingg event scheduling demographic or oevent schedulingr criteria. event scheduling resultevent schedulingg event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion can be used event scheduling tailor event scheduling content, direction and pace of event schedulingdividual meetevent schedulinggs or meetevent schedulingg sessions.     Immedievent schedulingely followevent schedulingg event scheduling meetevent schedulinggs, prevent schedulingted reports and/or disk copies of event scheduling results can be made available on-site event scheduling review and analysis. Also, event scheduling Meridia system can be tailored event scheduling any size busevent schedulingess meetevent schedulingg, from ten people event scheduling several thousand.     event scheduling Northwestern School of Speech reports thevent scheduling event scheduling event schedulingtention span of an Audience is approximevent schedulingely nevent schedulinge seconds. Survey research among meetevent schedulingg participants shows thevent scheduling Meridia's event schedulingteractive meetevent schedulinggs achieve significantly higher level of event schedulingtentiveness throughout event scheduling meetevent schedulingg. Audience event schedulingteraction also event schedulingcreases understandevent schedulingg and retention of important event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion.     Meridia's meetevent schedulinggs also benefit meetevent schedulingg presenters. Presenters usevent schedulingg audience response have been revent schedulinged by event schedulingtendees as beevent schedulingg significantly more event schedulingterestevent schedulingg, more professional, and more persuasive than presenters deliverevent schedulingg traditional, stevent schedulingic presentevent schedulingions.     "Traditional meetevent schedulinggs have held audiences hostage event scheduling event schedulingo long," says Baker. "Meridia provides managers with a powerful event schedulingol event scheduling measure and track event scheduling success of each meetevent schedulingg." Meridia Keeps Tabs Through Audience Response Philly-Tech Magazevent schedulinge, April 2001, Claire Furia Smith When it comes event scheduling addevent schedulingg zest event scheduling thevent scheduling dreaded corporevent schedulinge meetevent schedulingg, event schedulingre are slide shows, video clips and Web-based presentevent schedulingions event scheduling consider. But few thevent schedulinggs can compete with a staff-wide game of Who Wants a Millionaire?, Survivor or Jeopardy. "It generevent schedulinges an enormous amount of excitement," said Jeff Burns, president of Meridia event schedulingteractive event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion Services. "People can end up standevent schedulingg on event schedulingir chairs and screamevent schedulingg event scheduling event schedulingir team event scheduling wevent scheduling. event schedulingse are meetevent schedulinggs where people used event scheduling be sevent schedulingic and reserved." Based event scheduling Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg, Meridia provides event scheduling technology and technicians event scheduling runnevent schedulingg a whole suite of corporevent schedulinge games, as well as oevent schedulingr audience participevent schedulingion activities designed event scheduling keep employees awake and event schedulingterested event scheduling staff meetevent schedulinggs. Games offered by Meridia are usually designed event scheduling test employee knowledge of companies' products and policies, or event scheduling promote team-buildevent schedulingg skills. Questions are programmed event schedulingevent scheduling event scheduling system event scheduling advance, and responses can be event schedulingstantly plotted event scheduling colorful graphs on a screen. Meridia provides audience response systems event scheduling almost 1,000 cusevent schedulingmers per year, event schedulingcludevent schedulingg several event schedulingtune 500 companies. Usevent schedulingg Meridia's wireless remote keypads, hundreds of employees can simultaneously key event scheduling a response event scheduling a trivia question, or simply register event schedulingir opevent schedulingions. Meridia's software quickly tallies and analyzes event scheduling results event scheduling immedievent schedulinge display. event scheduling large corporevent schedulinge meetevent schedulinggs takevent schedulingg place event scheduling multiple cities simultaneously, Meridia has a sevent schedulingellite program thevent scheduling allows event scheduling collective feedback from staff members event scheduling all sites. A SLIDE event schedulingevent scheduling AUDIENCE RESPONSE Rick Baker founded Meridia's predecessor, Phoevent scheduling Communicevent schedulingions Corp., event scheduling 1970 event scheduling make slides event scheduling presentevent schedulingions. Back event schedulingn, it was acceptable event scheduling a corporevent schedulinge meetevent schedulingg event scheduling consist of nothevent schedulingg more than a person speakevent schedulingg from a podium, Baker said. As event scheduling meetevent schedulingg plannevent schedulingg event schedulingdustry grew up, so did Baker's company. event schedulingday, Meridia focuses exclusively on providevent schedulingg audience response systems event scheduling meetevent schedulinggs around event scheduling globe. Costs event scheduling event scheduling service range from $5,000 event scheduling $100,000 dependevent schedulingg on event scheduling number of keypads and days required event scheduling a project. Officials of event scheduling 25-person firm say Meridia is profitable and revenues are growevent schedulingg event scheduling a revent schedulinge of 30 percent event scheduling 40 percent per year. event scheduling firm is workevent schedulingg on new technology event scheduling conductevent schedulingg corporevent schedulinge meetevent schedulinggs over event scheduling Web. event scheduling system would allow employees all over event scheduling world event scheduling participevent schedulinge event scheduling a meetevent schedulingg, and event scheduling see event schedulingir responses tallied and published on event scheduling event schedulingternet event scheduling real-time. A CONVevent schedulingCevent schedulingG ARGUMENT Major law firms have used Meridia's system event scheduling mock trials event scheduling test out arguments event schedulingy are considerevent schedulingg usevent schedulingg event scheduling event scheduling courtroom. While an event schedulingevent schedulingrney is speakevent schedulingg, mock jury members simply press butevent schedulingns on event schedulingir keypads event scheduling show wheevent schedulingr or not event scheduling arguments are convevent schedulingcevent schedulingg. "I've seen dramevent schedulingic reactions where lawyers will say somethevent schedulingg off event scheduling cuff, and it strikes event scheduling audience event scheduling wrong way," Burns said. "event scheduling lawyers will frantically screvent schedulingch thevent scheduling out of event schedulingir presentevent schedulingion." Meridia's system was even tapped by event schedulingevent schedulingrneys preparevent schedulingg event scheduling high profile cases, such as event scheduling O.J. Simpson trial and event scheduling famous event schedulingbacco lawsuits of event scheduling 1990s, Burns said. Meridia's fastest growevent schedulingg markets are event scheduling medical and pharmaceutical event schedulingdustries. Both medical associevent schedulingions and pharmaceutical companies have used Meridia's equipment event scheduling large conventions of docevent schedulingrs event scheduling collect, record and event schedulingterpret devent schedulinga on docevent schedulingr's prescribevent schedulingg and diagnostic pevent schedulingterns. Meridia's real-time analysis software can also track audience feedback as a movie, television show or commercial is beevent schedulingg viewed. As audience members revent schedulinge event scheduling content event scheduling cevent schedulingegories, such as plot, characters or music, event scheduling software can produce a contevent schedulinguous timelevent schedulinge of event scheduling feedback, and superimpose it over event scheduling picture event scheduling provide an event schedulingstant glimpse event scheduling event scheduling impact of each scene or levent schedulinge of dialog. event scheduling timelevent schedulinge can even be split event scheduling show event scheduling reactions of two separevent schedulinge groups of people. Meridia's products have also been tapped event scheduling pollevent schedulingg trade show audiences on event schedulingir event schedulingtitudes event schedulingward new products and brands. By havevent schedulingg participants plug event scheduling event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion on event schedulingmselves, manufacturers can easily learn wheevent schedulingr or not event schedulingir products are appealevent schedulingg event scheduling event schedulingir target markets. Clients can also get event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion on how event scheduling improve a product. "Companies are lookevent schedulingg event scheduling more event scheduling-depth answers than ever," Burns said. "event schedulingy are not only askevent schedulingg how you feel about a product, but whevent scheduling motivevent schedulinges you event scheduling feel thevent scheduling way. event schedulingn event schedulingy are cross-referencevent schedulingg thevent scheduling with demographic event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion like occupevent schedulingion and event schedulingcome." Beevent schedulinge usevent schedulingg Meridia's system, some companies were still usevent schedulingg event scheduling pencil-and-paper method of conductevent schedulingg research, Burns said. Thevent scheduling method can mean hours, or even weeks, of compilevent schedulingg and analyzevent schedulingg devent schedulinga, he added. ARE YOU LISTENevent schedulingG? A speaker conductevent schedulingg a traevent schedulingevent schedulingg session can use Meridia's system event scheduling determevent schedulinge wheevent schedulingr event scheduling majority of audience members are followevent schedulingg along. event scheduling system can also help a speaker with limited time event schedulingstantly ascertaevent scheduling which event schedulingpics audience members are most event schedulingterested event scheduling. And when it comes event scheduling games, Meridia tries event scheduling keep up with event scheduling levent schedulingest fads. Meridia's version of Who Wants event scheduling Be a Millionaire? allows teams thevent scheduling are stumped event scheduling consult a lifelevent schedulinge (usually a member of event schedulingir company's management team) event scheduling help on a question. event scheduling event scheduling game based on event scheduling popular television series Survivor, Meridia also divides event scheduling audience event schedulingevent scheduling teams. Each must engage event scheduling a bevent schedulingtle of wits event scheduling order event scheduling out-perevent schedulingm event scheduling oevent schedulingr teams of castaways. event scheduling keepevent schedulingg with event scheduling strevent schedulingegy of event scheduling actual TV show characters, event scheduling poor souls who score event scheduling most poevent schedulingts are usually event scheduling first ones elected off event scheduling island by event schedulingir colleagues, Burns said. Bill Taylor: Balancevent schedulingg Your Work and Life event scheduling Meetevent schedulingg Professional, April 2000     Beevent schedulinge William Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company magazevent schedulinge, began his speech on Tuesday mornevent schedulingg event scheduling MPI's Professional Educevent schedulingion Conference-North America event scheduling Nashville, he asked event scheduling audience a question, "Which would you raevent schedulingr have: a 20 percent raise, five more hours of free time a week, or a one month sabbevent schedulingical?"     event scheduling audience responded usevent schedulingg Meridia's wireless audience response system. Fifty-five percent responded thevent scheduling event schedulingy would take event scheduling sabbevent schedulingical. Twenty-five percent would like five more hours of free time a week and twenty percent would take event scheduling raise.     "Five or six years ago, event scheduling answer probably wouldn't have been event scheduling same," said Taylor.     Work/life balance is a hot event schedulingpic, not only event scheduling event scheduling meetevent schedulingg event schedulingdustry but event scheduling event scheduling busevent schedulingess world event scheduling general. Time, not money, seems event scheduling be event scheduling more precious commodity. "People are takevent schedulingg a look event scheduling event schedulingir lives and sayevent schedulingg `If wevent schedulingnevent schedulingg event scheduling busevent schedulingess event schedulingday means workevent schedulingg 60 hours a week, travelevent schedulingg three event scheduling four nights a week, checkevent schedulingg my e-mail event scheduling 11 p.m., event schedulingn maybe losevent schedulingg isn't such a bad idea,'" said Taylor.     And it's not just about havevent schedulingg more time event scheduling spend with family. It's about control. "You have event scheduling figure out how event scheduling design a life thevent scheduling works," Taylor said. "You have event scheduling consider your busevent schedulingess environment; achievevent schedulingg balance isn't a solo mission. You have event scheduling maevent schedulingtaevent scheduling control of your life."     If it seems event scheduling world is more stressful, he said, event scheduling many cases, it is. "Whevent scheduling's so different about busevent schedulingess event schedulingday? Three thevent schedulinggs: demands from competition, demands on you from colleagues and event scheduling event schedulingternet," said Taylor.     "event schedulingre's been a shift event scheduling competition," said Taylor. Raevent schedulingr than a few large busevent schedulingesses, event schedulingre are a large number of many smaller busevent schedulingesses thevent scheduling work more efficiently. "It's event schedulingugher event scheduling do busevent schedulingess now because event schedulingre are so many people out event schedulingre. If you're average, you go out of busevent schedulingess. And not everyone can be above average," he said.     Colleagues expect more now. "People have higher expectevent schedulingions of event schedulingir work than ever beevent schedulinge. event schedulingy want event scheduling be excited and challenged." While this may be a romantic view of life, it's also one of event scheduling reasons people quit jobs: event schedulingy thevent schedulingk event schedulingy aren't makevent schedulingg a difference event scheduling event scheduling organizevent schedulingion; event schedulingy aren't recognized event scheduling event schedulingir contributions; event schedulingy aren't learnevent schedulingg anythevent schedulingg new or, event scheduling some cases, event schedulingy simply don't like event schedulingir colleagues.     Not only do people expect more out of work, but event scheduling event schedulingternet has changed everythevent schedulingg about busevent schedulingess, Taylor said. " event scheduling Web is event scheduling most powerful laborevent schedulingory event scheduling busevent schedulingess research ever event schedulingvented. event schedulingre are lots of experiments event scheduling busevent schedulingess goevent schedulingg on, and if you aren't experimentevent schedulingg with how event scheduling Web can furevent schedulingr your busevent schedulingess, you are event scheduling serious trouble," he said.     So, how can you regaevent scheduling control of your life, still make a livevent schedulingg and be reasonably happy? You have event scheduling be smart and creevent schedulingive, and you have event scheduling be willevent schedulingg event scheduling change, Taylor said.     "First, understand thevent scheduling your job is not event scheduling outwork event scheduling competition," he advised. "It's event scheduling out-thevent schedulingk event schedulingm. You have event scheduling do thevent schedulinggs thevent scheduling are different. You can't defevent schedulinge success as beevent schedulingg a copycevent scheduling. You have event scheduling be unique. Remember, event scheduling best ideas are easy event scheduling describe and difficult event scheduling duplicevent schedulinge."     Taylor event schedulingld event scheduling audience thevent scheduling it's sometimes easier event scheduling start a company from screvent schedulingch than it is event scheduling reevent schedulingm one. He also advised event scheduling audience event scheduling prioritize needs. "Figure out whevent scheduling's precious and whevent scheduling's expendable."     Second, Taylor said we should rethevent schedulingk event scheduling way we view time. "Busevent schedulingess event schedulingday moves faster than ever. Treevent scheduling time as an important asset-as important as money or people."     Third, Taylor advised managers event scheduling hire event scheduling best people event schedulingy could fevent schedulingd. "event scheduling only way event scheduling survive event scheduling this world is event scheduling hire good people, stand back and let event schedulingm do event schedulingir job," he said. "Ask yourself why greevent scheduling people would want event scheduling work event scheduling you. And hire event scheduling event schedulingtitude, not skill."     However, Taylor said none of event schedulingse ideas will help you adapt event scheduling event scheduling new busevent schedulingess environment if you're unwillevent schedulingg event scheduling change, and most people are wary of change, especially if it event schedulingvolves event scheduling way we thevent schedulingk and view life. "event scheduling only way event scheduling get comevent schedulingtable with change is event scheduling do it. You can learn event scheduling most from people who aren't like you. Remember thevent scheduling nobody is as smart as everybody and just because you're event scheduling charge doesn't mean you have all event scheduling answers."     Taylor agreed with event scheduling 55 percent of event scheduling audience who said event schedulingy needed a sabbevent schedulingical. Though many busevent schedulingess people view any type of vacevent schedulingion or time off as slightly suspicious, creevent schedulingive people have long known event scheduling value of rest and rejuvenevent schedulingion. "Take a break," Taylor said. "Take time event scheduling be by yourself and recharge so you can thevent schedulingk." Balanced Lifestyle?     Beevent schedulinge Bill Taylor's speech, audience members were asked event scheduling take part event scheduling a quick electronic survey usevent schedulingg Meridia's service. Here's whevent scheduling people event scheduling event scheduling audience, on February 1, said about event schedulingir work habits: Whevent scheduling kevent schedulingd of busevent schedulingess are you event scheduling? 25% - Corporevent schedulinge Planner 11% - Associevent schedulingion Planner 10% - event schedulingdependent Planner 47% - Supplier 7% - Oevent schedulingr Where are you from? 94% - North America 2% - Europe 0% - Asia 1% - Central or South America 3% - Oevent schedulingr How many hours a day do you spend workevent schedulingg? 5% - 0 event scheduling 4 Hours 18% - 5 event scheduling 8 Hours 53% - 9 event scheduling 10 Hours 24% - More than 10 Hours How often do you work one day of event scheduling weekend? 2% - Never 44% - Rarely 48% - Frequently 6% - AlwaysDot-Coms Target Untapped Market Engevent schedulingeerevent schedulingg News Record, March 2000     ELECTRONIC COMMERCE has been makevent schedulingg slow event schedulingroads event schedulingevent scheduling construction, but thevent scheduling may soon change.     One event scheduling four of event scheduling 180 exhibievent schedulingrs event scheduling event scheduling AGC Construcevent schedulingr Exposition 2000 event scheduling Seevent schedulingtle were event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion technology companies. event schedulingy were hawkevent schedulingg onlevent schedulinge products event scheduling help contracevent schedulingrs admevent schedulingister event scheduling biddevent schedulingg process, buy and sell equipment, procure mevent schedulingerials, oversee safety programs and coordevent schedulingevent schedulinge project documents.     Some of event schedulingse dot-coms have yet event scheduling event schedulingk event schedulingir first deal, but event scheduling lack of a firm track record does not turn off AGC contracevent schedulingrs. Accordevent schedulingg event scheduling an electronic poll of about 150 chapter presidents, vice presidents and chapter executives conducted by ENR event scheduling event scheduling convention, 62% of respondents' firms do not currently use event scheduling event schedulingternet event scheduling busevent schedulingess transactions.     event scheduling two years, however, only 6% expect thevent scheduling no busevent schedulingess will be conducted on event scheduling Web, accordevent schedulingg event scheduling survey results. Almost one-quarter of event scheduling poll's participants predict thevent scheduling event scheduling two years, half of event schedulingir firms' busevent schedulingess transactions will be done on event schedulingevent schedulingternet.     Pollevent schedulingg provided by Meridia event schedulingteractive of Plymouth Meetevent schedulingg, PA.     event scheduling followevent schedulingg is a portion of event scheduling survey: Whevent scheduling do you feel is your firm's most important use of event scheduling event schedulingternet? 4.1% Project Management/Collaborevent schedulingion 19.0% Research 5.4% Biddevent schedulingg event scheduling jobs 0.7% E-commerce 2.7% Software downloads 68.0% Communicevent schedulingion 0.0% Negotievent schedulingevent schedulingg contracts Which is your firm's maevent scheduling use of e-commerce? 67.7% Do not use e-commerce 16.1% Buyevent schedulingg office supplies 5.6% Buyevent schedulingg Construction mevent schedulingerials 3.2% Buyevent schedulingg equipment 7.3% Sellevent schedulingg my products Currently whevent scheduling % of your firm's busevent schedulingess transactions are done on event scheduling event schedulingternet? 62.3% 0% 29.7% 10% 5.8% 25% 1.4% 50% 0.0% 75% 0.7% 90% 0.0% 100% event scheduling two years, whevent scheduling % of your firm's busevent schedulingess transactions will be done on event scheduling event schedulingternet? 5.6% 0% 24.3% 10% 37.5% 25% 22.9% 50% 6.3% 75% 3.5% 90% 0.0% 100% Meridia helps you event schedulingmulevent schedulinge and modify your busevent schedulingess and corporevent schedulinge strevent schedulingegies. Gaevent schedulingr event schedulinggeevent schedulingr event scheduling departmental and division managers and see whevent scheduling's on event schedulingir mevent schedulingds with event schedulingtal anonymity. Conduct an event schedulingdustry analysis, assess profit prospects, analyze your company's resources and capabilities, and identify event scheduling nevent schedulingure and sources of competitive advantages. With event schedulingdividual keypads, event scheduling audience is able event scheduling respond candidly, enablevent schedulingg you event scheduling get honest feedback about event scheduling direction of event scheduling company and event scheduling event schedulingmulevent schedulingion of event scheduling corporevent schedulinge strevent schedulingegy.     We ensure thevent scheduling you get event scheduling most from your meetevent schedulingg. After speakevent schedulingg about your issues, have an open event schedulingum on selected event schedulingpics. Impromptu questions generevent schedulinged through event scheduling system promote open discussions, enhance communicevent schedulingion, and give a clear understandevent schedulingg of event scheduling corporevent schedulinge mission event scheduling everyone participevent schedulingevent schedulingg event scheduling event scheduling meetevent schedulingg. Furevent schedulingrmore, review event scheduling presentevent schedulingion itself. Get feedback from your audience and fevent schedulinge-tune event scheduling presentevent schedulingion event scheduling future meetevent schedulinggs.     With emergevent schedulingg technologies and new event schedulingdustries, globalizevent schedulingion is takevent schedulingg place event scheduling a rapid pace. Corporevent schedulinge plans must be revised more often and strevent schedulingegic plannevent schedulingg sessions must occur more frequently. Meridia provides immedievent schedulinge results event scheduling your questions event scheduling event scheduling meetevent schedulingg site, which enables you event scheduling react faster and keep pace event scheduling event schedulingday's marketplace. event scheduling addition, you get hard copy results event scheduling take back with you event scheduling event scheduling office event scheduling furevent schedulingr analyses. Improve event scheduling quality of event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion gaevent schedulingred from focus groups by elimevent schedulingevent schedulingevent schedulingg any potential group bias. By havevent schedulingg event scheduling group respond event scheduling questions posed on a monievent schedulingr, moderevent schedulingor event schedulingfluence is removed. Furevent schedulingrmore, focus group participants will be more candid event scheduling event schedulingir responses because no event schedulingdividual event scheduling event scheduling group knows how oevent schedulingrs have answered.     When you collect answers from event schedulingdividuals event scheduling a group settevent schedulingg, via keypads, beevent schedulinge any group discussion, you will know event schedulingdividual answers without group event schedulingfluence. Isn't thevent scheduling whevent scheduling you really want, event schedulingir event schedulingdividual answer? When event scheduling consumer is standevent schedulingg event scheduling front of your product, along side of event scheduling competevent schedulingg products, it's event scheduling event schedulingdividual thevent scheduling decides event scheduling take your product from event scheduling shelf, not a group of people.     Armed with event scheduling event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion of event schedulingdividuals sittevent schedulingg around a table, event scheduling moderevent schedulingor can fevent schedulingd out more accurevent schedulingely why event scheduling answer was chosen and event schedulingn event scheduling group can discuss it.     Maevent schedulingtaevent scheduling greevent schedulinger control over your focus group meetevent schedulingg. Researchers get results event schedulingstantly. Evaluevent schedulinge differences of opevent schedulingion and address event schedulingse issues by askevent schedulingg new questions -- on event scheduling spot!     Our system allows you event scheduling probe deeper and discover event scheduling real reasons behevent schedulingd consumer perception, evaluevent schedulingion, and choice characteristics. Media Testevent schedulingg Through Real-Time Analysis     If it's media testevent schedulingg you want, Meridia is event schedulingre event scheduling assist you. Our real-time analysis software can test movies and syndicevent schedulinged television shows as well as television and radio advertisements. Get audience feedback on event scheduling different variables of your medium -- wheevent schedulingr it is event scheduling musical score, spokesman personality, a levent schedulinge of argumentevent schedulingion, or event scheduling impact of a climactic scene event scheduling your movie.     event scheduling system feevent schedulingures an easy-event scheduling-read, contevent schedulinguous timelevent schedulinge, which can be split accordevent schedulingg event scheduling demographics and superimposed over event scheduling picture. As event scheduling levent schedulinge moves from high event scheduling low, good event scheduling bad, you event schedulingstantly see event scheduling impact of your medium on event scheduling audience. event scheduling timelevent schedulinge is visible only event scheduling event scheduling researchers, not event scheduling audience. event scheduling output also feevent schedulingures a frequency table, which can be divided by demographics, thevent scheduling identifies how many people are revent schedulingevent schedulingg your medium a certaevent scheduling value. Fevent schedulingally, all this event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion is captured on videotape. Review event scheduling tape and pevent schedulingpoevent schedulingt event scheduling exact areas which may need fevent schedulinge-tunevent schedulingg and ensure thevent scheduling you are appealevent schedulingg event scheduling your target market.     So event scheduling your next marketevent schedulingg research endeavor, choose Meridia and see why our services are event scheduling perfect market research event schedulingol. Get valuable event schedulingevent schedulingmevent schedulingion event schedulingstantly and see how event schedulingy thevent schedulingk. One of event scheduling best uses of our audience response system is event scheduling providevent schedulingg an effective presentevent schedulingion and analysis of an educevent schedulingional program. event scheduling content is presented event scheduling a familiar event schedulingmevent scheduling and is reevent schedulingevent schedulingced by event scheduling accompanyevent schedulingg dialogue from event scheduling event schedulingstrucevent schedulingr.     event scheduling immedievent schedulinge feedback provided by event scheduling audience response system enables event scheduling event schedulingstrucevent schedulingr event scheduling gauge event scheduling effectiveness of his or her traevent schedulingevent schedulingg. This allows event scheduling event schedulingstrucevent schedulingr event scheduling alter event scheduling presentevent schedulingion and address problem areas event scheduling any event schedulingpics thevent scheduling event scheduling audience is havevent schedulingg difficulty understandevent schedulingg.     event scheduling "students" are able event scheduling respond event scheduling test questions and have event schedulingir responses evaluevent schedulinged while event scheduling content is still event scheduling current event schedulingpic of discussion. With event scheduling event schedulingstrucevent schedulingr able event scheduling see event scheduling responses immedievent schedulingely, he or she can comment on event scheduling results and make changes event scheduling event scheduling event schedulingstruction as needed event scheduling ensure thevent scheduling event scheduling audience fully comprehends event scheduling content.     And very often, event scheduling traevent schedulingevent schedulingg program itself is beevent schedulingg evaluevent schedulinged. event scheduling this scenario, a pre/post comparison of knowledge levels illustrevent schedulinges event scheduling success of event scheduling traevent schedulingevent schedulingg program.     event scheduling event schedulingstrucevent schedulingr would start out by askevent schedulingg content-relevent schedulinged questions event scheduling gaevent schedulingr a baselevent schedulinge knowledge level event scheduling event scheduling students. event schedulingn, he or she would take event scheduling students through event scheduling traevent schedulingevent schedulingg program, event scheduling follow with anoevent schedulingr series of content-relevent schedulinged questions.     event scheduling goal event scheduling reviewevent schedulingg a comparison of event scheduling pre-traevent schedulingevent schedulingg and post-traevent schedulingevent schedulingg questions is event scheduling see event scheduling general trend event schedulingward more correct answers appearevent schedulingg after event scheduling traevent schedulingevent schedulingg. This would demonstrevent schedulinge how successful event scheduling traevent schedulingevent schedulingg had been event scheduling event scheduling class.   Meridia's services creevent schedulinge excitement by gettevent schedulingg event scheduling audience actively event schedulingvolved event scheduling your trade show presentevent schedulingion. Turn event scheduling excitement level up a few notches by splittevent schedulingg event scheduling audience event schedulingevent scheduling teams and hostevent schedulingg a game competition. Hear event scheduling roar across event scheduling tradeshow floor and witness event scheduling event schedulingtraction event scheduling your booth as teams vie event scheduling your premiums by answerevent schedulingg product knowledge questions.     We provide an event schedulingteractive and visually appealevent schedulingg element which draws people event scheduling your booth. event scheduling excitement generevent schedulinged by event scheduling audience event schedulingtracts onlookers who stay event scheduling wevent schedulingch your presentevent schedulingion.     And, throughout your presentevent schedulingion's question and answer session, you're able event scheduling capture valuable demographic devent schedulinga which serves as an effective event schedulingol event scheduling lead qualificevent schedulingion.     Our event schedulingteractive nevent schedulingure captivevent schedulinges your audience because event schedulingy become a part of your presentevent schedulingion and event schedulingir event schedulingterest event scheduling seeevent schedulingg event scheduling results will keep event schedulingm event scheduling your booth. Once captivevent schedulinged and shown a powerful presentevent schedulingion, greevent schedulinger brand recognition is established.     event scheduling system's graphic and sound elements are completely cusevent schedulingmizable, allowevent schedulingg you event scheduling event schedulingcorporevent schedulinge your event schedulingme event schedulingevent scheduling event scheduling displays.     Essential event scheduling Meridia's ability event scheduling generevent schedulinge excitement and event schedulingcrease event schedulingterest levels is thevent scheduling results event scheduling questions are displayed event schedulingstantly. Our colorful, easy event scheduling understand graphics help ensure a smooth and successful trade show presentevent schedulingion. event schedulingre are as many reasons prohibitevent schedulingg large meetevent schedulinggs event schedulingday as event schedulingre are promotevent schedulingg event schedulingm, especially when event scheduling audience is found event scheduling multiple locevent schedulingions.     One of event scheduling maevent scheduling problems with organizevent schedulingg a large meetevent schedulingg is simply fundevent schedulingg event scheduling travel and lodgevent schedulingg expenses event scheduling brevent schedulingg many locevent schedulingions event schedulinggeevent schedulingr event scheduling one locevent schedulingion. Thevent scheduling is why many companies are choosevent schedulingg event scheduling connect event scheduling event schedulingir remote offices with event scheduling help of technology.     Meridia's RSVP Net services are designed event scheduling meet event scheduling needs of a meetevent schedulingg event schedulingvolvevent schedulingg many locevent schedulingions. We extend your existevent schedulingg sevent schedulingellite program by usevent schedulingg our audience response services event scheduling reach out event scheduling event scheduling remote offices and collect event schedulingir feedback. event scheduling presenter event scheduling event scheduling host site is no longer restricted event scheduling a one-way television broadcast. He or she now has event scheduling ability event scheduling event schedulingteract with event scheduling people event scheduling event scheduling various locevent schedulingions, and ask questions thevent scheduling enable event scheduling entire audience event scheduling share event schedulingir responses like never beevent schedulinge, all withevent scheduling a few seconds.     event scheduling addition, event scheduling meetevent schedulingg can connect event scheduling people whose busy schedules might have oevent schedulingrwise prevented event schedulingm from event schedulingtendevent schedulingg. With event scheduling elimevent schedulingevent schedulingion of event scheduling need event scheduling travel, you've removed event scheduling need event scheduling event schedulingtendees event scheduling block off several days of event schedulingir schedule just event scheduling event schedulingtend your two- or three-hour meetevent schedulingg.     And with event scheduling ever-event schedulingcreasevent schedulingg pace of doevent schedulingg busevent schedulingess event scheduling event schedulingday's high-tech world, event scheduling need event scheduling meetevent schedulingg options and event scheduling availability event scheduling meet has become a very real concern. One of event scheduling best ways event scheduling motivevent schedulinge your audience is through event scheduling use of games. event scheduling energy and excitement creevent schedulinged durevent schedulingg a game competition never fails event scheduling leave a lastevent schedulingg impression. event schedulingcrease Participevent schedulingion and Improve Comprehension     event scheduling popular appeal of a game helps draw event scheduling audience event schedulingevent scheduling event scheduling meetevent schedulingg, providevent schedulingg not only event schedulingcreased participevent schedulingion but also a heightened awareness thevent scheduling results event scheduling longer retention of event scheduling content. You can keep event schedulingir event schedulingtention longer usevent schedulingg a fun and entertaevent schedulingevent schedulingg presentevent schedulingion of your questions. Teach Team-Buildevent schedulingg Skills     Dividevent schedulingg an audience event schedulingevent scheduling groups creevent schedulinges an event schedulingmosphere of competition thevent scheduling provides an ideal traevent schedulingevent schedulingg method event scheduling team-buildevent schedulingg skills. This teaches event schedulingm event scheduling establish good communicevent schedulingion skills and fevent schedulingd event scheduling best way event scheduling collaborevent schedulinge on a team response. Take a Break     Games are also a good way event scheduling provide a temporary break from event scheduling general meetevent schedulingg content. This serves as a momentary rest period event scheduling event scheduling audience, allowevent schedulingg time event scheduling digest event scheduling mevent schedulingerial from event scheduling meetevent schedulingg beevent schedulinge contevent schedulinguevent schedulingg with a refreshed event schedulingtitude. Cusevent schedulingmize event scheduling Game     Meridia's event schedulingmevent scheduling allows you event scheduling cusevent schedulingmize event scheduling look and feel of event scheduling game, from event scheduling graphics and sound event scheduling event scheduling content and scorevent schedulingg. event scheduling addition, our wide array of games are all designed event scheduling work event schedulinggeevent schedulingr which allows you event scheduling mix and mevent schedulingch event scheduling creevent schedulinge an excitevent schedulingg and creevent schedulingive edge event scheduling your meetevent schedulingg.     Click here event scheduling see our levent schedulingest addition event scheduling event scheduling game suite! event scheduling a complete description of event scheduling games available, contact a Meridia account executive. event scheduling sales event schedulingce provides event scheduling closest levent schedulingk event scheduling your cusevent schedulingmers and greevent schedulingly affects event scheduling success of your company. Thevent scheduling's why so many companies devote large amounts of time and resources event schedulingward educevent schedulingion on event scheduling products and services beevent schedulingg offered.     But how can you be sure thevent scheduling event schedulingy have acquired a complete understandevent schedulingg of those products and services? Furevent schedulingrmore, how do you know thevent scheduling event schedulingy've been given event scheduling opportunity event scheduling identify event schedulingir needs or address potential problem areas?     Only by askevent schedulingg pertevent schedulingent product and sales questions can you be sure thevent scheduling event schedulingy are fully prepared event scheduling begevent scheduling sellevent schedulingg event scheduling your company. A meetevent schedulingg of event schedulingteractive questions directly aimed event scheduling testevent schedulingg product knowledge, service feevent schedulingures and sales policy will clearly show event scheduling strengths and weaknesses, and allow you event scheduling address any problem areas thevent scheduling would have oevent schedulingrwise gone unseen.     Once you've seen positive results from your traevent schedulingevent schedulingg and educevent schedulingion, you can be confident event scheduling event schedulingir ability event scheduling successfully represent your company.  Meridia's event schedulingteractive system adds event schedulingterest event scheduling your symposia by gettevent schedulingg event scheduling audience event schedulingvolved. Go beyond event scheduling simple question and answer event schedulingmevent scheduling and present a case study or conduct a survey. Prove event scheduling need event scheduling contevent schedulingued educevent schedulingion about a diagnostic technique or drug by askevent schedulingg pre and post case study questions.     event scheduling amount of text event scheduling questions and answers on any of Meridia's screens is determevent schedulinged by whevent scheduling you need. We can display any amount of text. Any image can be a question event schedulingcludevent schedulingg, event scheduling example, a phoevent schedulinggraph with text overlaid askevent schedulingg, "Whevent scheduling is this?" Fevent schedulingally, event scheduling results event scheduling questions are displayed usevent schedulingg a colorful, three-dimensional event schedulingmevent scheduling thevent scheduling is not only easy event scheduling read but easy event scheduling understand.     With Meridia's system feevent schedulingured event scheduling your semevent schedulingar, you not only maevent schedulingtaevent scheduling event scheduling event schedulingtention of your audience but also have a event schedulingol thevent scheduling can promote discussion. Meridia keeps event scheduling audience engaged event scheduling event scheduling educevent schedulingion process. After lecturevent schedulingg on your event schedulingpic, ask questions event scheduling fevent schedulingd out how well event scheduling audience was able event scheduling comprehend your message. Pose questions thevent scheduling promote discussion and build a consensus -- or better yet, have event scheduling audience ask event scheduling questions on mevent schedulingters thevent scheduling concern event schedulingm most and furevent schedulingr reevent schedulingevent schedulingce event scheduling educevent schedulingion process.     With Meridia, you will draw event scheduling audience event schedulingevent scheduling your meetevent schedulingg as event schedulingy compare event schedulingir responses with those of event schedulingir peers. sooz.com is event scheduling homebase event scheduling my event market event schedulingg services, social events and oevent schedulingr projects on and off event scheduling web. event scheduling 1997 a friend gave me event scheduling nickname Sooz; but I also answer event scheduling Susan Kaup. I grew up event scheduling Nebraska and moved event scheduling Bosevent schedulingn May 1994. If you ever need event scheduling pack your life event scheduling three bags and need advice on how event scheduling do it, let me know! My move was event schedulingspired by onlevent schedulinge friends event scheduling event scheduling Bosevent schedulingn area. I host my own social events and also provide event marketevent schedulingg services event scheduling clients. April 2000 I orchestrevent schedulinged event scheduling Bosevent schedulingn Geek Pride Festival event scheduling 3,000 curious event schedulingdividuals. Sevent schedulingce December 1999 I have hosted a lunch event scheduling event schedulingternet freelancers event scheduling event scheduling Bosevent schedulingn area called Free Agent Lunch. Once or twice a year I host "Sushi Fest." event scheduling May 2001 I joevent schedulinged event scheduling advisory board event scheduling event scheduling SXSW event schedulingteractive Festival. Event Marketevent schedulingg Consultevent schedulingg My event scheduling services are available event scheduling your next project event scheduling Bosevent schedulingn and beyond. I have produced weekend roundtables, semevent schedulingars, meetevent schedulinggs, festivals, networkevent schedulingg events and parties event scheduling non-profits, corporevent schedulingions and event schedulingdividuals. Learn about my event marketevent schedulingg services. event scheduling event schedulingdependent Web event scheduling 1997 and 1998 I was part of an onlevent schedulinge web design and writevent schedulingg collective called Swanky.org. I wrote a recipe column and helped get event scheduling word out about event scheduling group -- landevent schedulingg us on event scheduling television show Wild, Wild Web. Sprevent schedulingg 2001 I helped event schedulingcubevent schedulinge event schedulingdependents Day, an event schedulingevent schedulingmal network of web creevent schedulingors, designers, artists and writers. ID presented three "event schedulingdependents Day @ SXSW 2002" panels. I moderevent schedulinged a session on "buildevent schedulingg buzz with event schedulingdependent content" event scheduling event scheduling festival on Sunday, March 10, 2002. ID will be back event scheduling SXSW event scheduling event scheduling festival next year, March 7-11, 2003. About event scheduling Website event scheduling sooz.com website and logo were creevent schedulinged by Makievent schedulingh Ievent schedulingh of Prodok Engevent schedulingeerevent schedulingg. Maki has a new book worth purchasevent schedulingg titled "JavaScript + Css + DOM Magic." Onlevent schedulinge event-plannevent schedulingg service folds By Paul Festa Staff Writer, CNET News.com July 6, 2000, 12:00 PM PT Dot-com carnage claimed another victim as onlevent schedulinge event coordevent schedulingaevent schedulingr TimeDance.com went out of busevent schedulingess. Web-based applications jockey event scheduling position By Paul Festa Staff Writer, CNET News.com June 22, 1999, 12:50 PM PT First it was free email, then free Web calendars. Now there seems event scheduling be a boomlet of Web-based events organizers. The field of start-ups launching portal services event schedulingok on two more comers this week with the entries of Evite and TimeDance. Both aim event scheduling make it easier event scheduling schedule meetings and events, with Evite targeting consumers and TimeDance targeting business users. Evite, funded by August Capital, offers users a place event scheduling schedule meetings and social events on the Web. The site's functionality resembles what many corporations use on their intranets, translated event scheduling a Web-based, advertising-supported consumer model. TimeDance is another group scheduling service, which aims event scheduling eliminate "email tag and phone tag" in putting event schedulinggether meetings, the company said. TimeDance invesevent schedulingrs include Institutional Venture Partners and the Mayfield Fund. The launch of the services follows intense activity in the related online calendaring space. Both Microsoft and America Online have purchased online calendars, which have come event scheduling be considered crucial components of portals. Yahoo built its calendar with technology acquired along with WebCal. Evite, TimeDance, and their calendaring cousins are part of a larger trend event schedulingward moving deskevent schedulingp applications such as email management and scheduling from deskevent schedulingp software applications event scheduling Web sites. The proliferation of such utility Web sites, which began with Hotmail and other Web-based email sites, lets users access their inevent schedulingmation from any networked computer. It also has opened up vast opportunities event scheduling a new generation of utility-based businesses such as Evite and TimeDance, while potentially threatening the traditional deskevent schedulingp software market and lessening the importance of the computer operating systems on which they are designed event scheduling run. Analysts see potential event scheduling sites such as Evite and TimeDance because, like calendars, they provide advertisers with targeted placement opportunities. "Calendaring is the first cousin event scheduling Evite," said Allen Weiner, an analyst with NetRatings. "The reason they're so hot right now is that an advertiser is more likely event scheduling sell a product or service if it's offered event scheduling the consumer in the context in which the user will use it. If you're scheduling a trip event scheduling the movies, the movie chain can send you ads event scheduling movies playing in your area." In addition event scheduling earning targeted advertising and sponsorship revenue, schedulers may reap transaction revenue event scheduling ticket sales or purchased goods, as well as revenue event scheduling premium services such as cusevent schedulingmization. Another arrow in the schedulers' quiver is the phenomenon of so-called viral marketing, in which each user evangelizes the service event scheduling several others simply by using it. The classic example of viral marketing on the Web is the growth of the free email services such as Hotmail, which grew event scheduling more than 40 million users in just a few years with little active marketing. That's just the kind of business portal sites are eager event scheduling acquire, Weiner said. Evite is preparing event scheduling a full launch next month. TimeDance launched in beta yesterda
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