Common Misconceptions About DMCs

In my nearly 20 years of ownership in the DMC industry, I’ve heard it all. While we have many clients who get what we do, appreciate why we do things the way we do, and understand how we operate – there are plenty who are new to working with a DMC or don’t quite grasp the value of partnering with us yet. We spend much of our time dreaming up big events and making dreams come true, but our team also does a fair amount of educating and advocating for our corner of the hospitality industry as a part of their day-to-day.

I’d love to share some common misconceptions we hear about DMCs, and a few thoughts to offer some further explanation, debunk a few myths and in general, share the DMC side of the story.

What actually is a DMC’s product? Do they just have buses that move groups?

DMCs are service providers and our product is our knowledge. We know the best vendors with which to hire, and we know the ones to avoid. Our product is our local expertise. I love to tell clients: I’ve been working for you, long before we met. The events and programs we’ve produced and managed over the years have allowed us to repeat things when they go well and learn from unforeseen challenges to avoid future pitfalls. Our product is peace-of-mind on every aspect of the meeting or conference….from running logistics at the airport to accepting delivery of the furniture to making sure the guests get on the last shuttle  Our clients need to focus on so many other internal details of their programs and not worry if the buses arrived to the right pick up point or if the centerpieces got delivered to the right meeting room. If you plan for things to happen, they will happen as planned…that’s what DMCs do.

DMCs are too expensive and add unnecessary costs.

This might sound crazy, but like most of our clients, DMCs need to turn a profit to stay in business. I can assure you we are in line with all other respectable business models. What is often overlooked are all the benefits our clients receive that may not be itemized on the final invoice. We provide higher-than-the-law-requires-me-to-carry insurance, so in the event something happens, we’re all protected. We provide hourly staff who have received ongoing training and detailed prep before our clients get in town, so program logistics run seamlessly. We attend conferences where we learn about best business practices and get tips and tricks on negotiation skills to get us savings that we pass along to our clients. We attend local events to foster vendor relationships to get better access to the latest design trends, and direct contacts when we need quick answers. 

DMCs will blow your budget and remove your creative control.

Some clients are reluctant to share their true budgets, for fear DMCs will use that number as an end price. In reality, we will fight to use every dollar of that budget to help make the event the best that it can be...often times, providing a little more...on our dime... just so we can complete the vision. We will become an extension of your planning team and implement your vision using our local expertise and resources. We want the event to be as successful and impactful as our clients.  And let’s be honest: our social media guru wants that picture-perfect photo for our Insta page. We thrive in making our clients look good to both their attendees and their stakeholders.

It will be easier and cheaper to go direct.

The local knowledge DMCs provide is invaluable. Add in the peace-of-mind we provide by taking care of all the details and many consider our services a steal. Google can’t navigate all the nuances that some venues pose or know about local traffic patterns. If I relied on WebMD to make all my diagnoses, I’d be a nervous wreck. We search the web to get general info. We see a doctor to get professional help. Why not seek a professional to help you with your most important events? 

All DMCs offer the same services.

While many DMCs may be listed on a webpage and many attend the same conferences, all DMCs are not created equal. Some planning companies only fly the DMC flag when there is an opportunity for big business. Some claim to be the local expert, when in fact, they’re hundreds of miles away. Some will offer lower pricing during the proposal phase, to appear lower than a competitor. A reputable DMC will present a realistic cost estimate during the proposal phase that will not change at final billing. Make sure if receiving multiple bids, you are comparing apples to apples. Don’t fall for a good dog and pony show during the sales pitch…if it looks too good to be true, it likely is. Do your homework to make sure you’re truly working with a local, accredited DMC team.

DMCs are not for everyone.

Actually, this one is true. You need to trust your DMC for the relationship to be successful. Sometimes it’s genuinely a budget thing and clients may not be able to engage a DMC to the full extent. We get it, and it’s ok. We just ask that you be ethical and give us a heads up in the beginning, so we are all aligned. It’s incredibly taboo to shop us for ideas and go direct with our ideas….that’ll cost you some bad karma down the road. For those on the fence, keep this in mind: more often, you’re not saving money, you’re buying regret.  Hopefully, the idea of saving time and hassle intrigues you, so why not give us a go? We are some of the hardest working people in hospitality and will be there for you when you are ready.

If what you read was valuable and you happen to hear any of these common musings when talking with your planner friends, kindly point them to this post - we love what we do and would love to make even more believers in regular partnership with DMCs.

Shannon Gardner, DMCP

Owner