Barry Smith, CEO, Metro Toronto Convention Centre
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) has launched its new corporate Website at www.mtccc.com, creating a higher benchmark for the world-wide hospitality industry to meet.
The dramatic new Web presence represents an entirely re-designed approach to the MTCC's virtual brand, combining the latest in Website design, promotional positioning and user interfaces. It is the result of more than a year's worth of close collaboration between the MTCC and Field Day Inc., one of Canada's leading marketing and creative agencies.
The site's design, functionality and content were strategically developed to provide MTCC with a powerful sales and information tool that communicates the value of the MTCC experience and the strength of the Centre's service-oriented staff. Through extensive use of photos and graphics, the site reflects the Centre's position as Canada's No. 1 convention and trade show facility as well as one that competes at an international level.
Another key feature of the new web design is that unlike most industry sites, the MTCC's new portal has been created to meet the specific interests and information needs of the different people coming to the Centre -- event planners, exhibitors, event attendees and the general public. Targeted pages were developed within the site where each group can easily find all of the relevant information they want -- when and how they want it.
Barry Smith, the MTCC's CEO explained that this was done because the MTCC recognized that the convention business doesn't just have one type of 'customer' where a single set of facts and figures will meet everyone's needs. "We wanted to speak to each of them in their own language and in a way that reflects how they think and approach their work," he said.
To this end, visitors can access a wide variety of helpful materials, from general interest details about the Centre, events calendars, and job applications, to highly detailed floor plans, rigging information, and the specific forms required to book the MTCC's facilities. As well, customers can browse through extensive photo galleries showcasing various MTCC rooms with different set-ups, demonstrating the Centre's unparalleled flexibility and range of space options. Users can even download a special event planner kit to help them promote their event to their prospective attendees. There are also interactive Frequently Asked Questions pages.
"It's set up in a very logical and intuitive way so that everything they need is right at their fingertips. It's very user friendly," Smith said. Plus, the system is fully automated and integrated with the MTCC's sales staff, so that personal contact is quick and efficient. "We see it as a way of enhancing the personal relationships we have with our customers," he added.
Field Day recommended and implemented a database-driven website for the MTCC, with a robust content management system (CMS). The CMS provides the MTCC with a similarly accessible and intuitive user interface to allow the Centre's various departmental staff to make regular content updates as well as upload photos and graphics directly and immediately to the site without having to go back to Field Day each time.
"The system is open-ended as well, which will allow for subsequent expansion and the addition of new technology as it becomes available," observed Bill McDonald, the MTCC's Director of Technology.
Andrew Arntfield, President of Field Day, noted that the agency was very excited to work on this project because of the opportunity it presented. "We discovered in our research that no other convention facility was taking advantage of the potential of the internet. With this new site, the MTCC is now effectively using the selling and branding opportunities of the web. MTCC is also prepared for the future. The infrastructure of the new site ensures that they will be able to take advantage of future technological developments - easily and cost-effectively."
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