HSMAI.no makeover

HSMAI Chapter Norway relaunched its website, hsmai.no, yesterday, based on HSMAI Europe’s overall functionality and design, but with a domestic twist.

As opposed to HSMAI Europe, the Norwegian chapter also sports a section for career opportunities, as well as a soon-to-launch password-protected member network, Facebook-style.

Rumour has it the redesign and the new functions have been very well received.

“After preparing the redesigned website throughout summer, we’re very pleased to welcome you to our refurbished site, especially facilitating news and two-way integration with the social media,” says Ingunn Hofseth, president of HSMAI Chapter Norway – and the European division – in a statement, branding the new site a lot more “vital, dynamic, copious and informative”.

Up until recently the chapter’s communications have largely been based on the weekly newsletter, HSMAI Weekly, which is now fully incorporated in the new website.

Succesful meeting on social media

OSLO, Norway — HSMAI Chapter Norway’s breakfast meeting on social media last Tuesday was a success, spurring members and other attendants, as well as the Norwegian chapter itself, to explore the Web 2.0 possibilities.

The 45 attendants were met with fresh coffee and croissant outside the auditorium of VG (Norway’s largest daily newspaper) at eight o’clock, before the immensely inspiring lecture given by Sermo Consulting’s Ingeborg Volan, who, for more than an hour gave numerous concrete examples of successful corporate use of the social media, after an in-depth introduction.

“You simply can’t help feeling happy and inspired by someone able to instigate enthusiasm in the audience, as Ingeborg did during our breakfast meeting,” HSMAI Chapter Norway president Ingunn Hofseth says.

And you have to agree. Only hours following the breakfast meeting, new twitterers from the meeting popped up on our screen, full of praise.

If you don’t have a Twitter profile yourself; hesitate no more. Register here.

The success has led HSMAI Chapter Norway to set up a series of courses on the Internet and social media during the upcoming autumn – with just Ms. Ingeborg Volan.

Here’s a YouTube clip from the event (we’re sorry for the distorted wide-screen format):

Top photo: Some 45 members and non-members attended HSMAI Chapter Norway’s breakfast meeting on social media on Tuesday. Photographer: Jarle Petterson

Avis, HSMAI alliance for better service

Avis Norway and HSMAI Chapter Norway have signed an agreement aimed at improving service in Norwegian corporations.

The agreement, initially to last for a year, will give Avis access to important resources within the fields of service, networking and other resources of importance for the business life, while HSMAI’s member gain from Avis’s service expertise.

“We’re very pleased to be accompanied by just Avis, a beacon in the field of service,” says Ingunn Hofseth, HSMAI Chapter Norway’s president.

Service upgrade imperative

She is convinced that Avis, with its long traditions and international network, will contribute to bring important input in a Norwegian area in dire need of an upgrade, namely service.

“There’s no denying that we have a long way to go, which is also the reason why we focus on service especially, not least through our Service Conference and the national competition Serviceløftet [loosely translated: the Service Challenge] in September,” she says.

“A few areas of the agreement are of particular interest to us,” Avis’s sales and marketing director Tonje Fossum says, emphasising just Serviceløftet and the Special Interest Groups (SIG).

“Service is second nature to us,” she adds, with reference to We Try Harder, a slogan the company has lived by since 1962, while underlining the importance of establishing service standards.

“Cooperation rather than deterrence”

“I would hate to find ourselves in a position where we’re surprised in the face of good service. High standards should be the rule, which is where we think that HSMAI plays a key role, with the annual Service Conference, Serviceløftet and its relentless efforts to establish service standards throughout the year.”

Ms. Fossum emphasises that Avis strives to build relations and networks, such as HSMAI’s Special Interest Groups, where businesses cooperate rather than work against each-other.

“We intend to include large parts of our organisation in this. We’re extremely particular when it comes to this kind of agreements, but HSMAI has a good programme, giving us ample opportunity to learn across different trades, but also providing us an opportunity to contribute. Which is a win-win situation for HSMAI’s members and for us,” Ms. Fossum says.

Joint venture from HSMAI Norway and Norway Trade Fairs

The Norway Trade Fairs foundation and HSMAI Chapter Norway have competed with the Norway International Travel and Meeting Fair B2B and The Meeting Exchange. As of now the two join forces in a major effort for meetings, events, conferences and business travel.

The HSMAI Meeting Exchange will take place at the Norway Trade Fairs next year, as an integrated part of the Norway International Travel and Meeting Fair B2B, on Thursday 14 January 2010. The NITMF’s first day will be aimed at visitors from the business life and large-scale buyers of travel services.

“It is time to pull together, not to compete,” says HSMAI Chapter Norway’s president Ingunn Hofseth, while explaining how the organisation has considered new thinking with regards to the Meeting Exchange, its big annual event.

“I am confident that we’ll reinforce each-other, and that both the HSMAI Meeting Exchange and the Norway International Travel and Meeting Fair B2B will become even more attractive to the travel industry and corporate Norway on the whole. This is going to provide added value for the exhibitors,” Torill Engelberg Norway International Travel and Meeting Fair’s project manager, says.

Improved relevance

“The relevance requirements have increased significantly, and the joint venture with the HSMAI Meeting Exchange will contribute greatly in creating a strengthened trade and meeting place. The trade and competence dimension is the very foundation of our annual fair, where we put all our efforts in developing our product in pace with the market’s needs,” Ms. Engelberg continues, adding:

“The cooperation is founded on a joint effort aimed at international buyers (hosted buyers) on this day.”

“Norway Trade Fairs is a strong player benefiting the Norwegian travel industry. They’re deeply rooted in the trade, enjoying immense respect, which is why we find the joint effort quite natural,” Ingunn Hofseth adds.

Imperative cooperation

Ms. Hofseth is convinced that both events gain a tremendous momentum this way.

“We want to show the industry that joint efforts actually make a difference, especially in times like these,” she says, adding that she’s confident that the cooperation is for the long haul, on both parties’ accounts.

Project director Einar Kvalheim at Norway Trade Fairs is very pleased with the arrangement, which has been a give-and-take process, too.

“The HSMAI has positioned itself with the Meeting Exchange, a market channel which increasingly has become an important element with regards to corporate travel services, whereas the Norway International Travel and Meeting Fair B2B is a well-established arena for the domestic and the international travel industry. In joining forces I believe we’ll both have a better product,” he concludes.

Top photo: Norway Trade Fairs at Lillestrøm near Oslo. Photographer: Ole Petter Opøien.

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