Basic Event Information
Date: 22-24 June 2022
Location: Bled Rose Hotel, Bled, Slovenia
Organiser: EGAL, d.o.o., Ljubljana
Client: Panduit EMEA
EVENT CATEGORY: CATEGORY B2I
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Educational Event/Training
EVENT FORMAT: LIVE
Event description and key objectives
Panduit Partner Forum is a partner-centric event where technology and strategy come together to create an exceptional partner experience. Third Panduit Forum was a 3-days event hosting the participants by invitation only from the first to the last day. First two days were conference days, the third day was an entertainment day per choice.
Since 2018, EGAL as a Panduit exclusive representative company in the Eastern European countries, has organized two annual Panduit Partner Forums for partners and customers from Eastern Europe. After 2 years of only digital forums/events, this year Panduit enlarged the scope of the region, inviting also Middle East partners.
During the Forum, along with the conference part, partners, system integrators, consultants, and distributors, were able to visit the Innovation Showcase – an extensive demo area featuring Panduit key products and solutions for network, industrial and electrical infrastructure, including cabinets, cable routing systems, copper and fiber connectivity, identification and labeling solutions, audio and video systems. An immensely important part was also side events, such as music performances of renowned Slovenian musicians, enjoyable program at gala dinner, boutique tourism, and sports entertainment.
Key challenges
Key priorities for the client
- Showcasing key products and solutions by experiencing Panduit innovations in the demo show room
- Meetings with key decision makers for future opportunities and cooperation
- Strengthening and renewing partner relationships and developing new ones within partners’ community
Key priorities for the organizer
- Arranging Visa applications for approx. 40 Middle East partners as soon as possible in order for partners to receive them on time
- Logistically manage all the demo show rooms to be transported on time from different European locations (Belgium, Romania, the Netherlands, Ljubljana)
- Assembling the demo show room a day before the event and disassembling as well as transfering it while on entertainment activities.
- The sense of partners’ feeling good
- Connection of different cultures through Slovenian gastronomy, cultural program and sports activities
- Connection of 5 senses to perceive stories of Panduit as well as stories of Slovenia
Creativity
Almost the whole Bled Rose Hotel, with all available halls, was booked. One meeting hall was for 1-to-1 meetings or meetings for smaller groups. Two halls were merged into one big hall room of 190 m2, which was used for the demo show room area. We have made 7 stations of showcasing products and solutions, for easier presenting to partners. The biggest hall was used for conference room as well as partly as a welcome dinner venue and a gala dinner venue. The hotel restaurant and terrace were used for caterings and informal meetings and coffee/lunch breaks.
During the preparation of this event, we started receiving enormous feedback of partners who wanted to join the event, that is why we booked also two hotels nearby, in Bled and Ribno. As the Middle East group was the biggest (approx. 50 people), we booked Grand Hotel Union in Ljubljana, so they could stay in one group for easier organization. Each participant put his/her choice of entertainment activity on the last day.
Innovation
As Panduit is the global leader in their field, our main goal was to design the demo show room with innovations, in order that partners see the novelties.
A distinguished Slovenian anthropologist Prof Lucija Mulej PhD covered the topics of trust and authenticity. An added value to participants’ knowledge which they can use in their business.
A renowned Slovenian architect Robert Klun combined two industry fields which can support each others’ business.
An enriched side program: Participants were astonished by opera singer Raiven. At gala dinner, an eminent Slovenian moderator walked participants through with all present languages at the event by inviting them to say something in their own language. Announced were awards for the best partners. A Slovenian jazz vocal quartet Vox Arsana invited participants to dance.
Participants choose a desired activity, rowing with Slovenian Olympians, visit of Bled island and castle with a tour guide, or golf in Kranjska Gora with professionals.
Execution
Organization of this event started in January 2022, first defining the magical venue. By defining demo show room equipment very soon, we avoided any possible delays with material shortages and transportation delays. The event was per invite only, targetting key business partners and their opportunities. An early action of providing official invitation/guarantee letters for Middle East partners which they needed for their Visa to be approved. Giveaways gave this event the special touch: especially ornamented biscuits with event’s logo, a magnet with a photo of Bled and event’s logo. Although there were no Covid restrictions anymore, we wanted to make sure that every participants could check with a self-test, if not feeling ok. Three specialists from Panduit World Headquarter were presenters. This was the first time that Panduit high-level management from the USA joined the event. One of the reason was also the great participants’ and management’ feedback from the last two Panduit Forum
Measurable results
- Total number of participants: 111
- Number of internal staff: 36 (high-level management, presenters, Sales, Marketing, Technical Systems Engineers support etc)
- Number of all countries represented by participants: 18
- Number of all countries represented by the client and organizer: 5
- Guest speakers from Slovenia: 2
– Prof. Lucija Mulej, PhD, Slovenian anthropologist, lecturer, writer, founder of 4Q Intelligence Connectivity
– Robert Klun, Slovenian architect and entrepreneur, design author of Slovenian Pavillion at Dubai EXPO 2020
- Keynote speakers from Panduit USA (Panduit World Headquarter): 3
- Presentations: 13
- Dedicated innovation showcases in demo show room: 5
- Number of stations in the demo show room: 7
- Special evening events: 2
– welcome dinner with Raiven, Slovenian mezzo-soprano, pop singer, songwriter and harpist;
– gala dinner with Vox Arsana, one of the best jazz vocal quartets in southern Europe; - Conferenece days: 2
- Entertainment day: 1
- Entertainment options: 3
– Rowing with Slovenian Olympians
– Visit of Bled Island and Castle (tour guide)
– Golf for beginners and HCP players in Kranjska Gora (with Slovenian golf pros) - Number of gastronomy breaks: 9
Communication
- Landing page for participants https://www.panduit-eeu.com/partnerforum
- Sharing posts through social media – LinkedIn and Facebook pages of EGAL, d.o.o., Ljubljana https://www.linkedin.com/company/17941549/admin/ https://www.facebook.com/egaldoo/
- Internal invitations with a registration link sent via email
- Emailing to all registered partners before the event
- Sending Thank you email to all participants after the event
- Sharing to all participants official photos via landing page https://egal-eu.com/en/third-panduit-emerging-markets-partner-forum/ (with a protected password)
The use of sustainable practices
Deliveries of demo show room were optimized to minimize transport and environment effect. Show room equipment, LED screens, pop-up walls, were either re-used or rented (that means re-usable). Arranged were group transportations for participants, having in mind environmental aspect. Through the whole event, offered was Slovenian & especially local gastronomy. With the entertainment day we enabled Slovenian tour guides, and other companies to promote their services. With the rich program we connected people, nature, culture and sports, promoting Slovenia as a tourist destination for the participants’ future holidays with families and friends. We evoked also great interest with investments into Slovenian tourism.
