FAMs for those who are unemployed?

[Serenity J. Knutson]

A member of the MeCo listserv, who wishes to remain anonymous, recently posed an interesting question to the group, which I obtained permission to re-post for further discussion. Here it is...

"What do you or the others on the list think about FAMs for planners that are currently unemployed? Should they be invited to go? Should they go? How does this affect ethics?"

There are so many different considerations involved here - I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this subject!

Serenity J. Knutson, Editor in Chief
PlannerWire.com
[e-mail]

[Keith Johnston]

Ahhh, a double edged sword...

Have a planner on a Fam who is unemployed today, but gets a job next week with a major Fortune 500 company and 6 months later a major event happens.

This would have to be a case by case basis, look at the individual and where they have been to judge future potential maybe? Since a property or destination is "subsidizing" travel for someone who does not have viable business, this should be there right. Perhaps a questionnaire that asks relevant questions to determine the odds on future revenue.

Someone who was the VP of strategic events for a major company will most likely land a similar position in the future so this might be a good bet.............

[Serenity J. Knutson]

That is the precise question that adds so much gray to this area: who knows where someone might end up in the future? And, regardless of a planner's next employer, who knows if that company will ever have use of a particular destination?

Of course, there is always the word-of-mouth effect. If an individual is currently unemployed, he or she is likely still in strong contact with industry colleagues. Do potential referrals balance out the cost of providing a FAM? Is that a part of the gamble, anyway?

Serenity J. Knutson, Editor in Chief
PlannerWire.com
[e-mail]