For more than 10 years, the Convention Industry Council (CIC) has been encouraging adoption of standard terminology, forms, and other elements of the business process for meeting, event, and incentive travel through its Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX). The Accepted Practices are voluntary standards designed by the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry with the goal of streamlining business processes and creating efficiencies.
Did you know that by simply using a SpeedRFP form, you are automatically complying with APEX standards? It’s true! How can you become APEX compliant?
For meeting professionals, it’s as simple as filling out the SpeedRFP form on any website that has integrated SpeedRFP (see list below) and submitting your RFP. We’ve built the form to comply with the APEX recommended standard format, so by simply using it, you are automatically complying with APEX standards. Other benefits for meeting professionals using SpeedRFP are:
- It’s totally free
- You can submit RFPs to any SpeedRFP enabled hotel
- You’ll find the exact same familiar form on every SpeedRFP enabled hotel site
- You don’t have to re-key RFP data from one website to the next, it’s all saved for you and portable using your SpeedRFP account
- You can attach your own RFP document
- Best of all, you can manage all RFPs in one place (regardless of what website you used)
- You can export all responses to a consolidated response grid
For hotels, it’s as simple as uploading the SpeedRFP form to your own website. It just takes a few minutes to create your form, and as soon as it’s on your website, your hotel’s online RFP form is APEX compliant. Let me say that one more time, as soon as SpeedRFP is on your website, you are complying with APEX standards! And, so is every meeting professional that uses your online RFP form. Additional benefits for hotels include:
- Seamless integration into your website
- Can replace OR work alongside your existing RFP form
- No commissions
- The Community Edition is free
- Direct integration with MeetingBroker, Daylight, Delphi, Delphi.net (ProPLUS Edition)
- Higher-quality RFPs
- Access to the SpeedRFP community of meeting professionals
I’m biased, but I think this is absolutely amazing that simply by existing, SpeedRFP is creating an APEX compliant world…one RFP at a time. We’ve taken what was once considered an impossible task, and created a huge solution for the entire industry. We are doing what most said couldn’t be done…we’re getting everyone on the same page. What is the result?
- Efficiencies that will save thousands of hours on data entry
- Standardized data formats create consistent and thorough information
- Streamlined information transfer
- Data integrity
- Less work, higher accuracy
Where can you find SpeedRFP? Well, it’s obviously on EliteMeetings.com, but you can also find it on a growing number of hotel chain, guide, and independent hotel websites. Here is a quick look at the current list of chains and hotels (and hyperlinks) that have integrated the SpeedRFP form on to their website:
- Destination Hotels & Resorts
- Dolce Hotels & Resorts
- EliteMeetings.com
- American Airlines Training & Conference Center
- Aspen Meadows Resort
- AT&T Executive Conference Center
- Aura Cozumel Wyndham Grand Bay
- Ayres Hotel, Hawthorne
- Basking Ridge
- Bolger Center
- The BroAdmoor
- The Carneros
- Casa de Campo
- Dolce Atlanta-Peachtree
- Dolce Bad Nauheim
- Dolce Chantilly
- Dolce Frégate Provence
- Dolce Hayes Mansion Hotel
- Dolce La Hulpe Brussels
- Dolce Munich Unterschleissheim
- Dolce Norwalk
- Dolce Palisades
- Dolce Sitges
- Dolce Valley Forge
- Doubletree Hotel Boston/Bedford Glen
- Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
- Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico
- The H Hotel
- IBM Learning Center
- Innisbrook Golf Resort
- Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre
- Ivey ING Direct Leadership Centre
- Kona Village Resort
- Lakeway Resort And Spa
- Oak Ridge
- Palms Hotel
- Rancho de los Caballeros
- Sandestin
- Seaview
- Silverado Resort
- Wynn/Encore
There are many more chains, hotels, directory sites, CVB’s and others that will be integrating the SpeedRFP form soon, and we will keep you posted. To keep up with the latest SpeedRFP websites, we are keeping track here.
We are working as fast as we can to spread the word, but we could sure use your help! So, next time you land on a hotel website that does not have a SpeedRFP form, please let them know they can become APEX compliant simply by integrating the SpeedRFP form on their website. We can standardize the industry, but as we’ve been learning, we must do it one person at a time. Thank you for your help!
by on August 4, 2010
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
We just held an Elite Meetings Showcase in Atlanta to educate a group of planners from local law firms on the benefits of SpeedRFP. They were ecstatic about the new technology and the ease of use behind one simple form. They will be looking for the form to submit proposals for their groups moving forward!
I will use SpeedRFP now that I am aware of it – it will help me tremendously. I plan several large meetings annually and am quite sure this is the best route in which to plan future events. SpeedRFP is a wonderful tool in my search for accommodations for our sales conference. SpeedRFP is the greatest thing since sliced bread!
my rfp is APEX compliant, but since my clients are small; they do not need all of the APEX detail, so I call my form a MODIFIED APEX. APEX is great, but though it tries to be a one-stop shop, it isn’t.
Sue
SpeedRFP is an efficient, time reducing vehicle by which we should all be doing business these days. It’s a no-brainer, one-stop shopping. I have saved so much time and energy by sending out just one RFP.