Singapore And CDI World Step Up Event Safety.

Rachel Ng

Our certified SG SafeEvents Ambassadors (SEAs) are supporting Singapore’s events industry by mastering safety guidelines and using high-level communication skills.

Humans are a social species. It’s in our deepest nature to interface and connect with one another in shared space, in real time. And in global business, one of humankind’s most interdependent projects to date, the necessity of ‘face-to-face’ interaction is both traditional and irreducible.

we appreciate the valuable work SEAs do in helping organizers, venue owners and suppliers organize and run successful MICE events that combine the best possible visitor experience with the highest standards of safety.

We all know that many companies accustomed to a marketing strategy which relied heavily upon physical events (the vast majority) have seen their status quo upended and confidence shaken.

However, Singapore’s Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions and Events industry (MICE) is leaping in to help. As an industry among those most severely impacted by recent events, it’s coming back strongly, with safety at tip-top of mind.

For reference – in this sovereign city-state, there are 37,400 organizations operating out of an area slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC. That generates a lot of events, and each one adheres to the same, rigorous safety standards.

To provide guidance in the implementation of safer business events, the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), developed the Event Industry Resilience Roadmap (IRR). This includes regularly updated SG SafeEvent Standards to be applied to all MICE events organized in Singapore.

These comprehensive guidelines, fully in concert with prevailing Singapore National Standards (via the Ministries of Manpower and Health) as well as World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, focus on several factors. The top four being:

Singapore, The Supertree at Gardens by the Bay

Hygiene and Sanitisation.
Safe Distancing.
Emergency Management.
Contact Tracing.

With the number of attendees at island events steadily increasing, skilled preparation and implementation at every event is a must, and this is where SG SafeEvents Ambassadors or SEAs play a crucial role.

SEAs employ a human touch when guiding attendees to comply with guidelines, which often restrict physical interaction and intermingling. They are trained to put themselves into the shoes of an attendee as they enter the event space – and to employ empathic techniques in resolving any issues or conflicts.

For example, SEAs are aware that attendees from overseas are likely jetlagged and stressed when they arrive at the venue. Many have endured long, masked flights, lengthy safety checks at airports, been quarantined for days alone in hotel rooms and have gone through PCR testing, only to arrive at the exhibition hall to be swiftly instructed to maintain a safe distance.

Frustration or even anger is bound to surface and SEAs embrace the challenge of transforming negative to positive energy, ensuring high event-safety standards are upheld with patience and empathy. SEA training recognizes that, unconsciously, angry attendees are often asking for:

Help. They need to be confident in the SEA’s willingness to assist them.
Choices. They want the SEA to offer a range of solutions.
Acknowledgment. They want the SEA to sympathize with their situation.

Cultivating deft non-verbal and listening skills in this vital work, SEAs also:

Get to know each organization, organizer and venue they serve.
Understand the products and services of each client and the guiding theme of every event.
Become acquainted with the customers – the attendees and main stakeholders.
Demonstrate a passion for safety in our industry.
Show empathy and compassion in all interactions.
Value relationships and engagement.
Pursue a proactive approach.
Bring a sense of urgency to attendee safety.
Aim to exceed expectations.

At CDI World, we appreciate the valuable work SEAs do in helping organizers, venue owners and suppliers organize and run successful MICE events that combine the best possible visitor experience with the highest standards of safety.

We’re also proud that a number of our staff have recently completed SEA training and are looking forward to playing their part in the responsible reinvigoration of our industry. Bon voyage!