 MCLEAN,
VA � JULY 13, 2009 � Cvent, the leading provider of web-based software
for the $350 billion meetings and events industry has announced an
agreement with ConferenceDirect, one of the largest meeting sourcing
solutions in the country. ConferenceDirect�s 280 associates worldwide,
who booked over 2 million of group hotel room nights for its 900 customers
in 2008, will now use the Cvent Supplier Network to search for meeting
venues, send electronic RFPs to hotels for group business, compare venue
bids and carefully track client budgets throughout the site selection process.
The Cvent Supplier Network will streamline the site selection and decision
making process so ConferenceDirect Associates are able to focus on leveraging
their negotiating power and securing the best possible contract for their
meeting planner customers.
Over the last year, ConferenceDirect conducted a rigorous analysis across sourcing platforms, followed by a six-month beta test period on the Cvent Supplier Network system. �The Cvent Supplier Network is currently the best tool on the market for site selection and event sourcing,� said Brian D. Stevens, CEO of ConferenceDirect. �Over the past six months, we had ten ConferenceDirect Associates send out over 5,000 real RFPs to test the Cvent Supplier Network and we were very satisfied with the results. Our ten beta testers unanimously agreed that we should move to Cvent from our current RFP provider. Our Associates were impressed by the sophistication of the Cvent Supplier Network. It is user friendly and complemented by a Cvent staff that offers excellent customer care. We also needed a solution that was embraced by hotels. We have been equally impressed by the positive experience hotels have had with the new tool. The Cvent Supplier Network will save ConferenceDirect Associates a tremendous amount of time, which in turn, will give them the freedom to provide better service for existing customers.� ConferenceDirect Associates will use a co-developed version of the Cvent Supplier Network that will empower them to search and source meetings to over 75,000 suppliers in a matter of minutes. This unique technology platform will enable ConferenceDirect Associates to provide superior service to their customers. ConferenceDirect�s suppliers and contacts, including National Sales Offices (NSOs) and Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) executives, will be listed in the ConferenceDirect version of the Cvent Supplier Network platform to ensure that ConferenceDirect Associates continue to build upon their long-standing relationships and secure the best service possible for their customers. �This partnership
is between two companies that are dedicated to delivering the greatest
value to their customers for meeting management. Cvent is committed to
providing ConferenceDirect with world-class software and unmatched service,�
said Chuck Ghoorah, Cvent Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
�We are proud to count ConferenceDirect as our newest strategic partner
and look forward to provide ConferenceDirect�s Associates the booking platform
for hundreds of millions of dollars in group business.�
Founded in 1999, Cvent has over 475 employees worldwide. Cvent offers web-based software with features including online event registration, event management, event website creation, meeting site selection, event sourcing and web surveys. Cvent helps over 14,000 planners manage 175,000 events, surveys and marketing campaigns per year. Cvent users have sent over 500 million event invitations, have processed $1 billion in online payments and have managed over 10 million event registrations and responses using Cvent's software. For more information on Cvent's web-based software, please visit www.cvent.com. About ConferenceDirect:
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