Reception and logistics – important pieces for organizing events

Post date: Sunday, Oct 15, 2023 | 8:37 - View count: 376

The delegation of Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ) just had a short business trip to Liuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The delegation attended the China-ASEAN Standardization Forum taking place on October 13, 2023. The organizer is China Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR), a ministerial-level agency, in collaboration with the Guangxi Institute of Standards and Technology (GXIST) and the Liuzhou city government.

The first impression of the delegation was at Baiyun airport, in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province. At the exit area, when the team had just begun to pass through a series of nameplates that the welcome people held in their hands in the hope of finding the team’s name, they heard a voice calling right across from the exit door. A petite female officer, with a pretty face behind large glasses, raised her hand and waved her nameplate with a voice full of joy as if she saw a relative. The team was a bit “wondering” because they had never met that officer before. As if understanding the group’s surprise, the officer said that she had seen photos of the group members, she immediately recognized them. For the delegation, it was great not to have to waste time searching at the airport when all the members could not speak Chinese.

But that’s not all. Welcoming the delegation were also representatives of the Liuzhou city government, the hosting city of the Forum located about 520 km from Guangzhou. Liuzhou delegation had 3 people, headed by Ms. Yuan Yanzhen, an officer with a rank equivalent to the city’s Vice President.

And those are just the first details that show the high respect and sincere care of the Chinese friends for the delegation. Throughout the Forum, the team always received the due care of Chinese friends, especially from Liuzhou city when they always dine with the delegation at every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and also arrange an interpreter from the city. Liuzhou city officials only really said goodbye when they took the Vietnamese group to Liuzhou station.

The delegation arrived at the hotel quite late (nearly 11 pm). However, as soon as they arrived at the hotel, the delegation had a meeting and discussion with Mr. Do Nam Trung, Vietnamese Consul General in Nanning. When the members returned to the room, the Forum’s documents were already there.

Later, it was revealed that there was a very clear work assignment in organizing the Forum. SAMR is responsible for overall organization of the Forum, including main responsibility for plan, content and guests. GXIST is responsible for communicating with the delegations, appointing officers to act as liaisons and interpreters for each delegation, welcoming and seeing off the delegations, while the Liuzhou city government is responsible for all logistics: accommodation and meals, travel of each group.

Despite large number of participants, the organizers pay attention to every small detail and try to individualize the attention to each group. From arranging and informing the group leader in advance about the position to stand when taking group photos, leading each member to their correct sit in the hall, to quickly and promptly exchanging information about all changes and arranging for the additional programs at the delegation’s request. In particular, the delegation coordinator always reminded to make sure the delegation did not miss or get wrong information.

A noticeable point throughout the event is that the staff always showed a pleasant, sincere and enthusiastic attitude. All the members of the delegation did not notice any, even fleeting, reluctance or discomfort. Before saying goodbye at Liuzhou station, members of the delegation discussed with Ms. Yuan Yanzhen about why Chinese civil servants always show such enthusiastic and professional working spirit. Among the reasons given, Ms. Yuan Yanzhen emphasized that the most important thing is ideological education, especially for cadres and party members. This is especially essential because only when thoughts and perceptions are clear will everything be successful.

In addition to rich and informative content, professionalism and attention to details, especially individualization of care, clear assignment of responsibilities between relevant parties, and exchange of information transparently and promptly, demonstrating genuine respect, and above all, the good working being well educated to each and every individual of the service team had become the necessary “glue” for the overall success of big events like the Forum./.

Tran Quoc Dung