Corporate ski weekends weather the storm!

The UK economy is facing challenging times. However, the outlook is not seen to be unanimously bleak. Peter Dixon at Commerzbank says "Although we are not looking for the economy to fall into recession, growth over the next couple of years will proceed at a rate well below trend," and this view is shared by a poll economists taken May 15-22, showed economic growth at 1.7 percent in 2008, level with the April poll's forecast, and then slowing to 1.6 percent in 2009. The UK despite higher inflation should avoid outright recession with careful management of interest rate policy and a tighter fiscal stance by the Government. Mirroring the circumstances in the economy most firms are carefully weighing up capital investment plans along with their internal budgets and marketing spend. In times of tightening credit conditions and a slowdown in demand, purchasing managers are beginning to show increased interest in any tools that can generate increases in orders from key clients and in core markets. “We are finding that despite the adverse news flow, the majority of our corporate clients are revisiting traditional methods of retaining clients and building deeper relationships,” says Adam Honey at Mountain Leap, a leading provider of event solutions. He goes on to say, “Client entertaining is a key tool in the armoury of marketing resources for global firms and financial institutions. Entertaining clients at well organised ski weekend, produces a very high return on investment. For example, our financial sector clients repeatedly entertain core clients year after year no matter what is happening in the wider economy. The value of getting to know clients during in a beautiful setting outside the office generates more business and more loyal customers. The alpine based corporate ski weekend can do more to cement relationships in 3 days, than other marketing channels can in months or years.” The importance of increasing business activity against the economic trend is inestimable. Purchasing managers, marketing executives and advertisers tend to agree on one thing. In times where it is harder to secure business, firms have to work harder and spend more to do so. Cutting spending in key areas of marketing does not produce long term rewards; in fact it seems that for many firms considering their spending plans for the next year corporate hospitality remains a sacred cow. “Mountain Leap’s level of new enquiries and repeat bookings”, says Adam Honey yesterday, “is up year on year by 25%!” Good news it seems for the economy and for those who enjoy escaping to the Alps for a few days of skiing in Verbier or other top ski resorts.