Here it is! The MSPA North America ConferenceProgram for 2010! We hope you will join us in Chicago for a truly spectacular program and an opportunity to mix with your friends and competitors as we work together to keep building our industry! Content Links Featured Speakers About our Host City Accommodations Airport/Transportation Info. Optional Golf Event Sponsorship/Exhibits Optional Cruise Temperature/Attire Program Online Registration |
| We invite and urge every member of the MSPA and executives and staffs of every mystery shopping company to Get on Board and join the Mystery Shopping Providers Association for our Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, September 21-23, at the beautiful, historic InterContinental Hotel. 2010and 2011 will be among the most important times in the history of our industry and we ask you to actively participate in helping our industry make history by attending the Annual Conference and educating yourselves and your teams on all of the latest information. Although a lot of our programming efforts and our energies have been directed toward threats, the results are not to be missed…we promise that the Conference will offer tactical SOLUTIONS to address the problems we face through highly interactive and informative sessions. Ready to register online right now?! Just click on this link! Independent Contractor Status The business model upon which our industry is based is being threatened. It is vital that our industry come together with a united voice to inform and educate legislators and regulators about our billion-dollar-plus industry and why the Independent Contractor Model is absolutely vital to our businesses. The 2010Annual Conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to hear experts clearly explain what we are facing and how we can, collectively, work to ensure that we can retain this vitally important business model. There is NOTHING more important to the future of our industry than your company's presence in Chicago in September. New Tools MSPA is in the midst of launching a whole series of new and exciting tools that will dramatically improve our ability, as an industry, to communicate between members and with the two other critical partners in our industry: shoppers and clients. The Annual Conference will provide the very first face-to-face opportunity to showcase these new tools, including the new Member Community Center. In addition, we expect to have our new logo emblazoned on our new website prior to the Annual Conference. And, of course, the MSPA Shoppers Listening Post will be on display as the new "go to" area for certified mystery shoppers. Scams Solutions to the scams that have given our industry an undeserved black eye will be discussed and addressed. We are all aware of how disruptive, expensive and damaging these scams have been and continue to be. We are all looking forward to moving ahead with solutions that will help protect our industry from these ugly blemishes. Keynote Speakers We are going to round out the program with a host of great speakers who will address members on real world business topics such as succession planning and building great leadership teams. Get on Board! MSPA's National Conference in Chicago! You do not want to miss the great speakers and topics, opportunities to see new products and services, networking and the Optional Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan on Wednesday evening! We are looking forward to seeing YOU in Chicago!  Elaine Buxton, Confero PresidentMSPA North America  Lynn Saladini, ath PowerChair2010 Annual Conference and Exhibition Featured Speakers  Teri Fisher Teri Fisher, acclaimed consultant, speaker and executive coach, is President and CEO of Insight Strategies, Inc. Teri is known for integrating theory, expertise and real world business practices to her engagements. She is recognized in the areas of succession planning and talent management, strategic initiatives, leadership and influence, performance management and team development. Teri has been published on the Financial Times ft.com and the Wall Street Journal's career.com, specifically directed toward corporate executives. She has been featured on the Discovery Channel's nationally-acclaimed American Hot Rod program as their on-air management consultant and coach. In 2006, Ms. Fisher published a white paper on succession planning and in 2008 was a contributing author along with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard for Blueprint for Success.  Russ Hollrah, Esq. Russ Hollrah is an attorney with a national practice dedicated to employee benefits, employment taxes and the specific application of those laws to contingent workers, either directly or through a third-party firm. He also defends companies against challenges to their treatment of workers as non-employees. His clients include both the companies for which contingent workers perform services as well as the companies that engage workers and refer or assign them to perform services for other companies. His practice, Hollrah Leyden LLC, covers both federal and state laws. He has been MSPA's legal and legislative counsel, focusing on issues relating to independent contractors, private investigator issues, and other industry-specific concerns, since 2005.  Michael Kiefer Michael Kiefer is the General Manager of BrandProtect. For the past 10 years, BrandProtect has monitored and mitigated Internet threats for some of the largest corporations and institutions in the world. As a global business leader, Michael understands reputation, rights, revenue and the current regulatory environment. He is a current ISAC board member (Information Sharing and Analysis Centers Council) whose mission is to advance the physical and cyber-security of the critical infrastructures of North America by establishing and maintaining a framework for valuable interaction between and among the ISACs and with the United States government. Michael has fast become one of the country's top business speakers on Internet risk management. His enlightening and energetic presentations share the experience and journey of Internet risk.  Steve Adelman, Esq. Attorney Steve Adelman is the head of Adelman Law Group, PLLC in Scottsdale, Arizona. He earned his bachelor's degree at Tufts University, master's degree at the University of Massachusetts, and law degree at Boston College. Steve's law practice focuses on significant injury cases, particularly in public accommodations such as stadiums, arenas, hotels, and convention centers. Steve is a frequent author and speaker on safety and security in public assembly facilities. About our Host City  Chicago has one of the world's most magnificent skylines and is located on a splendid stretch of coastline along Lake Michigan. Its central location makes it more convenient and affordable to fly in and out than many other U.S. cities and is within reach of any location in the world. Chicago is a cosmopolitan city with world-renowned shopping, restaurants, attractions, museums, theatres and Midwestern hospitality.Accommodations InterContinental ChicagoLocated in the heart of the famed Magnificent Mile - home to more than 450 shops on 8 city blocks - the award-winning InterContinental Chicago has earned a reputation as one of Chicago's top hotels and meeting venues. Originally built in 1929, the landmark hotel combines historic charm with contemporary elegance and modern efficiency. The hotel features a Junior Olympic-size indoor pool, fitness center, 24-hour room service and business center. Its premier location on North Michigan Avenue is within walking distance to Chicago's most notable shopping, dining and entertainment attractions. A special rate of $209 (single/double) (plus 15.4% occupancy rate) has been secured for MSPA Annual Conference registrants. To receive the discounted rate, please identify yourself as a MSPA Conference attendee. To make reservations, contact the hotel directly by calling 800-235-4670 or 312-944-4100 or book your reservations online at www.icchicagohotel.com. The reservation cut-off date at the guaranteed group rate is Monday, August 23. Reservations will then be accepted on a space available basis only and the Conference rate cannot be guaranteed. Please note: the Conference rate will be honored three days prior to and three days after the Conference dates, based on availability. Airport and Transportation Information Chicago lies at the center of the nation's rail, interstate highway and airlines systems,making the city easily accessible. More than 60 different airlines serve Chicago at two major airports: O'Hare International Airport (ORD) - 16 miles from downtown and Midway International (MDW) - 12 miles from downtown. American Airlines is offering discounted fares to Chicago. Book directly online to take advantage of a 5% discount off applicable, eligible published fares on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection. Go to www.aa.com to book your flights. After you have selected your flight(s), under the "Enter Passenger Details" tab go to "AA.com Promotional Code" field and enter 1990AK. A service fee will be added to the price of tickets for reservations made by calling the Meeting Services Desk (800-433-1790). Shuttle service is available from both airports at an approximate cost of $49 roundtrip from O'Hare and $37 roundtrip from Midway. Taxi service is approximately $25 - $35 one-way from either airport. Tee-Off Tuesday!  Back by popular demand! Planning to arrive in Chicago Monday evening? Are you interested in getting together with your MSPA friends for a round of golf on Tuesday morning at a course near Downtown Chicago? Email (soliver@challenge-management.com) your interest in playing golf on Tuesday (prior to the Welcome Reception at 5pm). Details will be confirmed once we know how many golfers are interested. Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities The MSPA 2010 Annual Conference and Exhibition offers opportunities for companies to sponsor events and activities. Sponsorship levels that will fit any budget are available with benefits ranging from acknowledgment at the Annual Conference to logo exposure on the MSPA official website. Table-top exhibits are also available to MSPA members and non-members. Interested sponsors and/or exhibitors should contact MSPA headquarters at 972-406-1104 ext. 13 or email Suzie Oliver at soliver@challenge-management.com. Optional Dinner Cruise  Come aboard the beautiful Spirit of Chicago and enjoy the most entertaining and unique combination of dining, dancing, entertainment and spectacular views…the most entertaining way to see and experience Chicago! This three hour scenic skyline cruise offers a delicious buffet dinner along with entertainment that includes amazing wait staff singing show-stopping favorites. In addition, enjoy an interactive DJ providing Top 40 hits for your dancing and
listening pleasure. Fee includes roundtrip transportation from the InterContinental Hotel to Navy Pier, buffet dinner - featuring salads, main entrees, side dishes, desserts, nonalcoholic beverages - and all taxes and service charges. Cash Bar will be available. $120 inclusive per person. Reservations must be made in advance. Temperature/Attire September in Chicago is traditionally very comfortable. The normal high is 76 degrees, with a low of 57 degrees. Business casual is appropriate for all meetings including Tuesday evening's Welcome Reception. Attire for the Wednesday evening's Optional Dinner Cruise is business casual (jeans and/or sneakers are not considered appropriate attire). You are encouraged to bring a sweater or jacket as temperatures on the water can be chilly if you are not prepared. Remember also that temperatures in meeting rooms are seldom set at a comfortable level for everyone. You are encouraged to dress appropriately and bring a sweater or jacket in the event you become too cool. Conference Program Tuesday, September 21 12n - 5pm Registration 5pm - 8pm Welcome Reception/Exhibition The 2010 Annual Conference kicks off with a fun welcome reception for you to greet, meet and network with colleagues, new members and guests. Appetizers and beverages will be served while leading industry suppliers exhibit and present their latest technologies, products and services. It will be a great way to begin your Conference experience! Wednesday, September 22 7am Registration 7:45am New Member/1st Timer Continental Breakfast Paige Hall, AboutFace BY SPECIAL INVITATION Welcome and Orientation for MSPA'S New Members and First-Time Conference Registrants. MSPA members who have joined after October 1, 2009 and first time Conference registrants are invited to participate in a special Continental Breakfast hosted by the MSPA Membership Committee and Board of Directors. This event offers a perfect opportunity to meet other new members and firsttimers. Ideas on how to optimize the educational and networking opportunities will be shared. Plan to arrive no later than 8am - a short welcome and orientation will begin at 8:15am. 7:45am Networking Continental Breakfast Join fellow MSPA members over coffee and light fare while preparing for a productive and informative Conference. 9am Opening General Session - President's Welcome Elaine Buxton, Confero MSPA North America President 9:15am - 10:45am General Session/Keynote Speaker Teri Fisher, Insight Strategies, Inc. Succession Planning is Success Planning If you were hit by a truck tomorrow, do you know who would replace you? Would the transition be seamless? Does this person have the requisite skills and experience to take over now and be successful? Succession Planning is a deliberate and systematic effort by an organization to ensure leadership continuity in key positions; retain and develop your company's intellectual capital; and encourage employee advancement. Additionally, you will learn how performance management (or lack thereof) can make or break your organization…and the long term success of your greatest asset, employees. Succession Planning is not just about replacement, it's about building towards the future! 11:10am - 12n NEW! Speed Networking Break Get off your Blackberry's and iPhones for a fun and interactive five to eight minutes with five new connections. 12:15pm - 1:45pm "Get on Board" Luncheon Committee and Task Force Chairs will be available to discuss the opportunities available for MSPA members to get involved in their association. If you are not currently on a committee or task force, select a table and learn more! 2pm - 3:15pm Concurrent Session I Teri Fisher, Insight Strategies, Inc. Cultivating Leadership: Grooming the Best for Long Term Success Research shows, managers spend majority of their time with lower performers at the expense of time spent on higher performing contributors. How do you ensure your most valuable assets don't race for the door? In today's electronic age, the human element of leadership has never been more important. Spend less time managing and more time leading and developing leaders! Learn to coach, develop and motivate employees by helping them understand how their job connects to the vision of the organization. Cultivating leadership and career development efforts are keys to protecting your human assets. 2pm - 3:15pm Concurrent Session II Facilitator: Michael Bare, BARE International SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats in the Mystery Shopping Industry This session will feature an assessment of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) inherent in today's mystery shopping industry. SWOT analysis often leads to creative ways to maximize strengths, minimize weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and counter threats. This session is intended to leave you with a much deeper understanding of what we, as an industry and as individual company executives, can expect to face in the coming months and years, along with highly creative ways of maximizing the outcomes of dealing with them. 3:20pm - 3:50pm NEW! Networking Refreshment Break with Exhibitors 30 minutes of productivity! One last chance to visit the exhibits, return phone calls, emails and visit with your peers. 4pm - 5pm General Session Russ Hollrah, Attorney, Hollrah Leyden LLC Legislative Issues and Mystery Shopping: What's Next? This session will cover the important federal and state legislative issues affecting mystery shopping companies, with a principal focus on independent contractors and state "nexus" issues. MSPA has been actively involved in the legislative effort to preserve independent-contractor status. "Nexus" issues chiefly concern a state's right to tax out-of-state businesses. 6:30pm - 10pm Optional Event: Dinner Cruise on Spirit of Chicago Reservations must be made in advance! Thursday, September 23 7:30am Registration 7:45am Breakfast Admission by Invitation Only 7:45am Continental Breakfast Join fellow MSPA members for informal networking and discussion of Conference events thus far as you enjoy beverages and light fare. 9am - 10:40am General Session Moderator: Mark Michelson, Synovate State of the Customer Experience Research Industry Panelists: Stan Hart, Ritter Associates, Inc.; John Hsu, SurfMerchants; Veronica Karlsson, AB Better Business World Wide; Mike Mershimer, HS Brands; In today's customer experience research industry, we are bombarded with news about amazing new technologies...intelligent video and still cameras that capture customer interactions and flag positive and negative attributes of those interactions...audio listening devices that capture and count the number of times certain words or phrases are used in conversation... RFID chips that measure customers' shopping patterns as they walk through the store...interactive kiosks that encourage customers to record their impressions of store layout and employees and inventory. With all of those as competition, has mystery shopping as we have come to know it run its course? Are we in store for huge shifts in the way customer experience is measured and managed? We want to believe mystery shopping is here to stay, but are we deluding ourselves? Don't miss this thought-provoking panel that will give you good news, bad news and lots to think about! 10:45am - 11:15am Networking Refreshment Break Time to return phone calls, emails or just relax with a refreshing beverage. 11:20am - 12:20am General Session Michael Kiefer, BrandProtect<br> Internet Risk Mitigation: Scams Away Mystery shopping companies have experienced and heard about scammers who spoof mystery shopping company websites, create email addresses that suggest they are in the business, or otherwise present themselves as legitimate, hurting a company's reputation in the process. Unfortunately, the problem seems to be getting worse instead of better. When one offensive site or bogus email address is successfully shut down, two more pop up to take their place. How can mystery shopping companies possibly keep track of the situation? How can they protect their identities and get on with business? This session will discuss how the scammers can generate so much grief so quickly and how MSPA member companies can keep pace with scammers' efforts. 12:30pm - 1:45pm Awards/Installation Luncheon The 2009-2010 Board of Directors will be recognized for their dedication and contributions to MSPA and the industry. The newly-elected slate of officers and Board members will also be introduced. 2pm - 3pm Concurrent Session I Steve Adelman, Esq., Adelman Law Group, PLLC A Shot of Prevention: Alcohol Service Lawsand Mystery Shopping The Dram Shop laws of nearly every state make it illegal to serve a patron who is visibly intoxicated. But bartenders and cocktail servers may be too busy pouring drinks and earning tips to notice. This session will explain how mystery shoppers can play an essential part in the alcohol service team. 2pm - 3pm Concurrent Session II Moderator: Melinda Brody, Melinda Brody & Company, Inc. Recruit/Retain: ROI…Finding and KeepingGreat Shoppers Panelists: Jodi Bray, Instant-Replays, Inc.; Kimberly Nasief-Westergren, Measure Consumer Perspectives. This session will address the various ways to successfully recruit great shoppers using social media. It will also cover how to attract the right shoppers and where to find them - including some unexpected places! Methods of building skill levels and ways of retaining and building the loyalty of the best shoppers also will be discussed. 3:05pm - 3:20pm Networking Refreshment Break Plan your calls, emails and networking during this time with a refreshing beverage! 3:25pm - 4:30pm Closing General Session Panel Paige Hall, AboutFace; Ann Jennings, BestMark; Arcadio Roselli, Service Evaluation Concepts Making the Most of your MSPA Membership: the New Tools! Do you know how to get access to the plethora of information resources available to MSPA members? Are you familiar with the latest social media resources developed to serve as a communication vehicle for shoppers? Are you prepared to market your company aggressively to prospective clients on the new MSPA website? To know more about the MSPA Member Community Center, the MSPA Listening Post, and the new look, feel and functionality of the MSPA website, this is one session you will not want to miss! Registration Fees The Registration Fee includes registration for the Annual Conference, all materials and scheduled food functions.  Online Registration To register online, simply click on this link. |