Here at MTA, we pride ourselves on enhancing global event experiences and ensuring all our events and client experiences are unique and memorable. That requires always having new ideas, new locations to pitch, and strong relationships around the world.
Think about all the things we do personally to further advance our careers. We may take an Excel class, we might expand our social and professional networks, or even take on extra projects in our current role to explore new opportunities.
MTA practices a similar philosophy, where our employees’ own personal development helps enhance our clients’ experiences. That’s one of the main reasons we recently attended IMEX America.
IMEX America happens once a year, and it is America’s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings, and events. There are 4,000 exhibitors representing 150 countries, and the show encourages all buyers, including MTA, to schedule as many 30-minute meeting slots with these exhibitors that one can fit in over a four-day period.
Exhibitors range from all top hotel brands, tourist bureaus, event specialists, gifting suppliers, airlines, ground transportation companies, technology suppliers and many more. As strong buyers in the industry, MTA was generously hosted by four different brands – Accor Hotels, Marriott, Carlson Redzigar Hotel Group and Melia Hotels International.
At IMEX, we make sure to get the most out of our time there, whether it’s meeting new suppliers and vendors, or nurturing our existing strong relationships. There is also an educational element to the conference that provides inspirational seminars, workshops, and forums run by leading experts and supporting industry trade associations.
It’s a whirlwind of a week, but we always leave rich with new contacts and inspired to get back to work with fresh ideas and perspective. We believe there is always room to grow and improve our business, and we at MTA are committed to constantly evolving to make sure we are the best in the business for our great clients!
For any organization that does business with clients in European Union (EU) countries, understanding the General Data Protection (GDPR) requirements is essential. The GDPR aims to protect the privacy and personal data of EU citizens. These safeguards enact strict rules, and any non-compliance can impact your company.
While consumer privacy rights are incredibly important, many companies are discovering that the GDPR goes far beyond the usual standard for data security. This has left more than a few organizations facing a significant overhaul of their systems and protocols, even as many leadership teams struggle to pinpoint exactly how GDPR affects their day-to-day operations.
We’re tapping into our data security and technology expertise to bring you an easy-to-understand guide that describes exactly what you need to know about GDPR compliance.
What Is GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)?
“GDPR can be considered as the world’s strongest set of data protection rules, which enhance how people can access information about them and places limits on what organizations can do with personal data.” Wired
The European Parliament passed the GDPR in April of 2016, updating the former data protection directive that had been in place since 1995.
Here is a simplified snapshot of what the GDPR is and why it was adopted:
The GDPR contains provisions that require businesses to safeguard all EU citizens’ personal data/privacy.
It applies to any transactions within EU member states and the exportation of personal data outside the EU.
GDPR rules are consistent across all 28 EU member states.
The EU implemented the GDPR to replace the 1995 Data Protection Directive, which largely failed to address the evolution of the Internet, data storage and collection, and other key advancements.
Public concern over privacy and a widespread lack of trust in how many companies handle consumers’ data fueled the GDPR’s inception.
What Type of Data Is Regulated by the GDPR?
The GDPR has created a new standard for “personal/private data,” which has presented some significant challenges for companies. Under the GDPR, protected data includes:
Basic identity details, such as name, ID number(s), and address;
Web data, including IP address, location, cookie data, and RFID tags;
Health/genetic data;
Biometric data;
Racial/ethnic data;
Political beliefs/opinions; and
Sexual orientation.
Which Companies Need to Comply with the GDPR?
Any company that processes or stores the personal information of EU citizens is required to comply with the GDPR, meaning that your organization does not necessarily need to have a physical presence in the EU to fall under its regulations.
And because equal liability is placed on data controllers and data processors, your company must make sure that any third-party processors you partner with are fully compliant. You’ll want to check your payroll service providers, SaaS vendors, cloud providers, and many other contractors you might work with regularly.
What Is GDPR Compliance Going to Change for Your Organization?
Depending on your organization’s current approach to data security, the shift might be minimal, or it might be extreme. Regardless, updating protocol to maintain compliance is necessary because the alternative involves steep fines.
You might also notice changes in your company’s contracts with third-party vendors and service providers. Those organizations are working to fulfill their GDPR-outlined obligations to notify all customers of their privacy rights under the measure. For example, the Miller Tanner team has updated our contracts, protocol, and other practices to reflect the GDPR, upholding our commitment to the highest standard of client security and privacy.
Learn More about GDPR and What It Means for Your Business
Do you still have questions about GDPR? Maybe you’re wondering how it affects you as a current or prospective client of Miller Tanner Associates, or perhaps you want to understand its impact on your operations better. To read our full privacy policy, please visit www.millertanner.com.
You’re welcome to connect with our team anytime — let’s chat!
Thanks to the evolution of event technology and a significant increase in the demand for virtual events, it is now more possible than ever for your medical meetings to go digital.
Medical conferences, training, and networking events are an integral component of the healthcare field. These events provide essential opportunities for professionals to learn, connect, and expand their expertise. Whether your events are in-person or virtual, Miller Tanner Associates can help improve your events.
Tapping into our extensive years of experience in event planning and management for the life sciences industry, the Miller Tanner Associates team shares what you need to know about virtual medical events. In this handy guide, we will cover the perks of taking your medical event to the virtual world and some valuable tips for launching a successful event.
Benefits of Virtual Medical Events
There are certain advantages to virtual events over in-person events, both for life sciences and other industries.
Convenience
The most obvious perk of attending a virtual event is how easy it can be. Instead of arranging travel and accommodations, enduring travel time, and navigating the event venue, attendees can be ready with just a few clicks. This places significantly less demand on attendance, often increasing the overall participation rate.
Going virtual can open a new realm of possibilities for event planners. Imagine there is a specific expert you would like to have speak at your event, but their limited availability makes an in-person presentation impossible. With virtual events, it’s much easier for them to appear as a virtual guest speaker.
Innovative Methods to Encourage Engagement
Audience engagement is undoubtedly one of the most critical aspects of planning any event. A virtual event offers interesting new ways to connect with the audience, setting up interactive activities and other attention-grabbing strategies for success.
Options for Archiving Content for Future Use
We have all left a professional conference with pages of notes mixed in with handouts and presentation documents. Although the actual content contained within these documents may be extremely valuable, the hassle of organizing it often renders them useless.
But with virtual medical meetings, people can digitally catalog all of the notes and resources associated with a presentation for anytime access. Sessions can be recorded and uploaded to a digital platform, and participants can use advanced search mechanisms to locate the information that interests them. This is a significant advantage for attendees and hosts alike.
How to Host a Virtual Life Sciences Event
There are also challenges to virtual event planning and management. But with a few smart tips and a team of professionals by your side, you can be ready for anything.
Here are some things to consider when planning your next event:
Pinpoint your audience’s specific needs and wants. Like any in-person event, a virtual conference requires the host to understand their audience’s wants and needs. However, the virtual setting introduces a new assortment of potential needs – so be sure to assess accordingly.
Provide ample pre-event information. Although virtual events are becoming increasingly common, they are still a relatively new experience for many. Your attendees don’t want to feel left in the dark regarding various event details, so focus on clearly communicating what they can expect. Make it as easy as possible for attendees to figure out how to access the virtual event and what program or platform they need (if any).
Expect the unexpected. Just about every type and size of event comes with at least one surprise hiccup, even if you’ve worked to plan every last detail. For virtual events, these issues can show up in technical problems. Be prepared with an expert team that can quickly resolve any problems so you aren’t left scrambling for IT solutions mid-event.
Collect feedback after the event. The best event improvement tips come from the participants themselves in many cases. Devise a thoughtful post-event survey to get audience feedback, and make sure that you take their suggestions to heart.
Host Virtual Medical Meetings with Help from Miller Tanner
Whether you decide on an in-person, virtual, or hybrid setting for your next medical event, Miller Tanner Associates is the experienced and creative team you need. We will craft an exceptional event experience that achieves your goals and makes a lasting impression on your audience, specifically tailored to your needs.
Check out more of our tips for virtual medical conferences below, then connect with our team to find out how we can help you.
If you haven’t tried virtual training solutions, then there is no better time than now! Train on-demand, anytime, anywhere. What’s not to like about that? We’ve got 18 smart reasons why you should stop wasting your time on redundant, ineffective training methods and start training effortlessly with our VALTs on-demand training. Work smarter not harder. Continue reading “18 Smart Reasons to Use Our On-Demand Training/Learning Management System”
Face-to-face events still rank as the best method for training and engaging intellectual discussions among attendees; however, with that, comes many challenges when planning a medical meeting. Patients are healthcare professionals’ first priority, so it’s important that these 5 aspects of event planning and coordinating should be taken into consideration when creating your event.
We are pleased to announce our “Superlatives Awards” for the 2016-2017 year! At our recent Miller Tanner Global Workshop, we recognized and awarded distinguished team members for their outstanding contribution to Miller Tanner throughout the year. Their special talents and skills contribute to the “Miller Tanner Difference”. We thank them for their dedication and hard work this year.
For the past 20 years, Miller Tanner Associates (MTA) has brought our global team together for training and team building at our annual MTA Workshop. One of the highlights of this time together is our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project. Every year, our team dedicates part of the day to work together on a project that benefits the local community. Take a look at our recap highlighting this year’s project:
Why CSR Matters
With our team dispersed across the globe, it’s an important opportunity to connect with each other and also with the community at large and the needs of those around us. It’s become a foundational and favorite component of our own Global Workshop and our company culture as a whole.
We asked our team of event experts why CSR is important to them and why it’s an asset for ANY company event. Here’s what they said:
1). Creates a Memorable Experience Together
Our task was to clean and paint the dining room and furniture, and it was neat to see how everyone quickly offered their expertise to create a plan. Some had experience in refinishing furniture; some liked cleaning; others were great at taping; some helped with the heavy lifting; others took to the paint brushes. Throughout the project, we all contributed methods and ideas from our own life experience and got to know each other better while doing it! The opportunity to get to know another team member while serving alongside them is unique. It creates a memorable bond – one that began with the focus on someone else’s betterment rather than your own. – Carolyn Hendricks, Global Event Specialist/Special Projects
2). Strengthens Comradery and Team Building
I think it’s awesome that Marnie, our founder, has CSR activities at the workshops. I enjoy working alongside co-workers because it gives me a chance to see them in a different light that I typically don’t see when working together.– Lori Flicek, Accounting Manager
I believe other companies could learn more about their staff and their company as a whole if they participated in these programs. It is a great team-building exercise with the bonus of helping others. – Wynema Ware, Lead BT Specialist
It definitely brings a company together because most of the time we all work in different departments, and don’t interact regularly based on the different roles we play. However, in a CSR project, you come alongside individuals that you probably have never had a real conversation with, and that’s where the bonding can happen. I think that the bond that is created allows you to become more productive in your day-to-day position. – Carla Mahlberg, Technical Projects Lead
Our team assembling gift baskets to benefit a local children’s hospital at our 2016 Workshop.
The laughter, the purpose behind the project, and the spontaneous jumping in to offer aid to the others whether if it is bringing water to thirsty colleagues or carrying heavy stuff. I also enjoyed finding out secret skills from some of the folks – such as nice handwriting or technique at repairing wood. – Gemma Plans, Global Service Director
It is great to be able to work with colleagues in a different way and on a different project than our regular work. I think you see a different side to people which can help your working relationship. – Natalie Lowndes, Global Event Director
These projects have provided an opportunity to get to know others on a personal level and not just through business. – Bonnie Sheets, Global Event Director
3). Gain a Sense of Accomplishment (Both Individually and as a Team)
It was amazing to see how much work we were able to accomplish as a group. It gives one a sense of pride, job well done, and feeling that every little effort goes a long way. I think it is important for companies that have been as blessed as MTA to do something for others. It really creates a feeling of community – both locally and abroad. – Julie Hacker, Global Service Director
Our team helping with painting and repairs at a children’s facility at our 2017 Workshop.
CSR reminds me that many hands make light work, and a big impact. I am always amazed by the scope of influence we have as a group, and how much we can accomplish. I’m also encouraged by the generosity of our MTA team – it speaks to the depth of character and genuine kindness of our employees. – Carolyn Hendricks, Global Event Specialist/Special Projects
CSR projects show the true team spirit of MTA and demonstrate what hard workers we have at MTA. Give us the task and we just do it. Whether it was decorating, painting, scraping, or repairing, we went to work. – Wynema Ware, Lead BT Specialist
4). Inspires Gratitude
I love being able to contribute to a project locally in the city where we have our MTA Workshop, this makes me feel more connected to the community and the needs they have. Whether it is building bikes for children or painting an office it is so fulfilling to see how much many hands can do together when they have time and resources. I have enjoyed every minute we have dedicated to the CSR projects with MTA – memorable moments with the local communities and MTA colleagues, being grateful for what we have and seeing graciousness in the others. They say “we are what we do” and doing good for others makes us and everyone else feel better and little bit happier.– Gemma Plans, Global Service Director
Our team participating in the Build-A-Bike project at the MTA 2015 Workshop.
5). Makes a Difference
Participating as a company in CSR projects makes a strong bond for all employees by providing a common goal. It makes one realize that making the bottom line is very important to a company but giving to others, gives one satisfaction on a different level. In the end, I feel that it brings all employees together for the common good of the company. – Bonnie Sheets, Global Event Director
MTA donated 7,050 school meals through the Feed Projects at this year’s MTA Workshop.
I love how at every workshop, Marnie plays a video about living a life in such a way that impacts the entire world. This is what the CSR projects are all about – leaving behind a legacy. MTA will always be remembered for its generosity and that is because of Marnie’s heart. I wish I could do a CSR project all the time. When one says “Thank you”, you can’t help but feel like you have made a difference. This is what life is about, in my opinion. We were put here to make a difference whether big or small. – Carla Mahlberg,Technical Projects Lead
Transform your event with CSR! Miller Tanner Associates can help you find a rewarding CSR project that best suits your teams and your event!
The Miller Tanner difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients. Today, we introduce you to Global Experience Manager – Production, Tomas De Dominicis. Tomas is an audiovisual whiz and brings his exceptional creativity and vast media skill set to our Global Experiences Team.
For business travelers, getting a good night’s sleep can be challenging at best. Our global team members have a few tips to help you beat jet lag and soundproof your hotel room so that you can get a more restful night’s sleep while traveling.
