Pandemi memang ibarat kiamat bagi pelaku industri MICE, termasuk pengelola venue. Tapi banting-bantingan harga untuk bertahan bukanlah opsi yang bijaksana.
Siapa yang tak dibuat sakit kepala menghadapi pandemi. Pembatasan aktivitas dan mobilitas ternyata mempengaruhi banyak sektor industri. Termasuk industri MICE. Sudah dialami bersama, bagaimana kegiatan MICE ‘mandeg’ selama pandemi. Sebagai salah satu cara bertahan ya dengan beralih mengadakan kegiatan secara daring.
Dari peralihan ini yang paling merasakan imbasnya tentu saja venue MICE, pasalnya kegiatan MICE daring bisa dilakukan darimana saja, tak harus menyewa ruang MICE. Walau pada perjalanannya, pengelola venue berinovasi menawarkan paket-paket sewa ruangan berikut koneksi internet yang stabil.
Namun, di era serba efisiensi dan pengetatan anggaran ini, banyak klien juga menuntut harga yang bersahabat dari pengelola venue, sementara kompetisi usaha terus berjalan, dan harga mencari salah satu cara menarik minat klien. Tapi apa iya harus banting harga?
Direktur Utama Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD, Ryan Adrian dengan tegas menolak opsi banting harga. Walau ia mengaku ICE sudah menawarkan harga pandemi, namun bukan berarti jor-joran menebar diskon.
“Kami lebih baik memberi lebih dari yang dibayar daripada menyerah memberi diskon sana sini. Misalnya sewa hall karena pembatasan kapasitas yang tadinya hanya perlu 1 hall, kami beri diskon untuk hall 2 nya,†jelas Ryan.
Menurutnya, banting-bantingan harga hanya akan menyulitkan di masa depan. Ia meyakini, kondisi akan kembali normal, dan kegiatan offline akan berlangsung kembali. Di situasi ini, kalau harga terlanjur sudah terlalu murah, akan sulit mengembalikan ke harga normal.
Trik lainnya dengan menawarkan nilai tambah bagi klien. Antara lain melalui berbagai upaya yang sudah dilakukan venue MICE selama pandemi. Memastikan venue-nya sudah memenuhi standar CHSE dan disiplin menerapkan protokol kesehatan.
Selain itu, dengan melakukan vaksinasi dan tes COVID-19 secara berkala kepada seluruh karyawannya. Ini agar klien dan pengunjung merasa aman dan nyaman berkunjung ke venue MICE.
Pricing yang tepat di masa pandemi juga berpengaruh pada minat klien. Agar tidak banting harga, pengelola venue MICE memang mesti pandai-pandai menjaga cash flow perusahaan. Selain itu portofolio bisnis yang beragam bisa mengisi kekosongan pendapatan, alias bisa subsidi silang dari unit bisnis lainnya.
Ya, setidaknya pandemi ini mengajarkan tentang banyak ketidakpastian yang membuat kita mesti selalu siap menghadapi berbagai situasi.
English
MICE Venues Can Survive without Slamming the Price
The pandemic is like an apocalypse to all MICE industry players, including venue management. However, dramatically dropping the price isn’t a wise option.
Who doesn’t get a headache from facing the pandemic? Activity and mobility limitations have affected a number of industries, and the MICE industry is no exception. We have all seen and even experienced how the MICE industry became stagnant during the pandemic. As a way to survive, many decide to hold online events.
From this change, the most impacted industry is MICE venues. This is because online MICE events can be conducted anywhere, without the need to rent a MICE venue. Even though in practice, many MICE venues have offered packages that include rooms with stable internet connections.
However, in the era where efficiency and cost cuts are prioritized, many clients demand a low price from venues. With high competition in the business industry and price as a way to attract clients, is slamming the price a mandatory strategy?
President Director of Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD, Ryan Adrian, firmly stated that it is not. Although he admits that ICE offers a ‘pandemic pricing’, but ICE does not so leniently distribute discounts.
“We would rather offer more than what is paid than surrender by giving out lots of discounts. For example, events that used to require only one hall now need to rent two halls because of the new capacity limit. We give a discount for the second hall,†explained Ryan.
He thinks that dramatic price decrease will only become a problem in the future. He believes that the situation will return to normal, and offline events will be held again. In this situation, it will be difficult to return to the normal price if it’s already too low.
The other trick is to offer an added value to clients. That is, venues need to do al efforts during the pandemic including CHSE standards fulfillment and compliance with the health protocols.
In addition, venues can also vaccinate and periodically test their employees for COVID-19. This will make clients and visitors feel safe and comfortable visiting the venues.
The correct pricing during the pandemic also affects clients’ interest. To avoid slamming the price, MICE venues need to tactfully manage their cash flow. Additionally, a diverse business portfolio can also make up for the lack of income. In other words, varied business units allow a cross subsidy.
At least this pandemic has taught us to be ready to overcome a milieu of uncertain situations.
