When
Meeting 13: Thursday 21st August 2008
Time: 11.30am
Attendance: All
Venue: Guesthouse and Prolung Khmer

Objectives
Objectives: Confirming the collaterals, as well as site-recee, together with the guest list.
Items discussed/done: Collaterals are printed, both brochures as well as invitation cards, guest list is confirmed.

Reflections
Counting down: 1 day before event!
It is just one day before the event, and it seems like there is a million things that we have not done!

As we have to confirm the collaterals with centre's manager Yuko-san, we could not send out those invitations nor print them in bulks.

Ash and I were given the task to confirm design with manager Yuko-san and print them out, while the rest were given tasks, like logistic shopping and going through fringe events with the manpower.

Cambodia is totally different from Singapore. One of the worst thing is that, I cannot speak in the Malay language, and the ground handler can only speak Malay and Cambodian's Khmer. I thought I might become crazy. Thank god that I have Ash with me. I could not really communicate with the ground handler that I wanted to print my collaterals and for him to find me a printing shop. The fact that Cambodia isn't that technologically advanced, it took us quite sometime to find a correct shop. We went to about 3 wrong shops and places before we found one. However, Believe it or not, it took us around 4 hours just to print all of our 15 invitation cards and collaterals.

With that, Ash and I took a risk. By right, we have to meet Yuko-san before printing it in bulks, because if she is unhappy, we have to change our designs. Plus, she could only meet us as 6pm at night! It will be too late! With that in mind, we have decided to save time and printed everything. then we went to Yuko-san's hotel to show her the collaterals. Luckily for us, it was given the thumbs up.

then we gave out the invitation cards to everyone to invite the industry players down.

When

Meeting 12: Wednesday 20th August 2008Time: 11.30pm-1.30am
Attendance: All
Venue: Guesthouse
Whom we met: Haris and Carol

Objectives

Objective: Discuss on what needs to be done and of any queries that we have for the operation manager that we need to clarify the following day. Items discussed/done: Clarification with Haris about our program line-ups, brochures, posters and invitations cards. All of which are ready to be presented to the operations manager.

Reflections
Once again, in the wee hours of the night.
As we are representing republic Polytechnic, team felt it was best to inform advisors on what we were doing. we got both down, Haris and Carol to discuss and inform them about our progress.

Apologies to advisors, whom have to sacrifice some hours of their sleep, to further advise us on our project. As there were many hiccups due to communication breakdown between us and the center, our project could not move forward. With that, we only managed to get back on track today, thus only could finish our timeline and event details late in the night.

After finishing the collaterals design, we got the advisors down to take a look. Being in the industry for long, we think that they will be able to provide us excellent advice on how to improve. Once again, I emphasize that we seriously lack of time, and cannot afford rejections by the centre manager, Yuko-san to redo.


When
Meeting 11: Wednesday 20th August 2008
Time: 11.20am-6pm
Attendance: All
Venue: Guesthouse

Objectives
Objective: Plan and design industry event brochure
Items discussed/done: Collaterals and event logistics.
- Brochures, Posters as well as invitation cards.
- Venue has now been confirmed back to the training centre
- Refining of the program line-ups followed by the logistics and manpower allocation

Reflections
Team slept really late last night, but that does not stop us from waking up early for breakfast and continue working on our project.

We have finished the invitation cards last night, but couldn't finish the brochure, thus we took the opportunity to come out with the brochure details and finalize detail and content. As guests from the hospitality industry will come, plus we got the website team, we got the time to confirm the centre details with the other cambodia teams, as we want to standardize the information given out to the public.

From our advisors, we got to know that the center has finally allowed us to use the place for the industry event, thus making us going back to square one, and start our layout designs for the place. I thought we were quite fortunate to get a nod to use the place, as time was really running out. I wonder where can we hold it, if the centre does not allow us for the usage of the place.

With that, the team continued to plan our logistics and operations and fringe event flows on the industry event day.


When

Meeting 12: Wednesday 20th August 2008
Time: 3.30am-5am
Attendance: All
Venue: Guesthouse


Objectives
Objective: Discuss and tidy up on our invitations cards as well as team logs.Items discussed/done: Invitations Cards and discuss on the tasks to be done the following day.



Reflections

In the middle of the night, the team have got together once again, to confirm the job scopes of one another for the next day.

Since it late in the night, i am seriously sleeping. I felt that any moment I would doze off. The fact that all of the other teams are sleeping soundly isn't helping right now. However, as the team is too worried on the progress of the event, we forced ourselves to be awake, further discussing about the details of the invitation cards and proof-reading them, as we will be printing them soon.

As our clients, involves the japanese ladies, Yuko-san, she is rather strict in the branding and the image the collaterals are potraying about the centre, thus we took more time to finalise our designs and content, as we have not much time to redo it for her.

When
Meeting 11: Tuesday 19th August 2008
Time: 6pm-7pm
Attendance: All
Venue: Guesthouse

Objectves
Objective: Plan contingency plans
Items discussed/done:
-2 contingency plans
1st: Venue changed to Angkor night market
2nd: Venue changed to guesthouse
-Refine of KPIs
Lowered the KPIs from 30 target audience to 15 Why? Due to circumstances that the centre’s lack of support due to their tight schedule and negative past experiences
-Leveraged on the contacts on the guide for the contacts of the tour operators

Reflections
Due to the unhappy meet up with Yuko-san the manager of the centre, it sparked a need for a risk management.

Being "kia-su" singaporeans, we didn't want our event to fill under risks. As we all learnt risk management, it is the best time to put it to use!

We planned around 4 contingency plans, if they are unhappy with us and do not want to lead us the area for the industry event. I can say that I am proud to be in this team, though we are just students, but we managed our crisis well, stayed calm and thought of alternatives to solve our problems.

As we noticed that time was getting shorter, and it might be difficult to reach out to all of our target audience, we have dropped the participant number to half once again, to 15.

I have learnt that, though we have PBL in class, what we presented on slides might not be what in real life. In risk management, whenever we faced a problem, we made it sound easy by saying, just have an alternative venue, but here, we learnt that there are many things behind event management. SUch as just to secure an event venue, we still have to negotiate with event owner, measure the space, accessibility etc.

we still got a long way to go to be professionals in this industry!


when
Meeting 11: Tuesday 19th August 2008
Time: 3.30pm-6pm
Attendance: Ash, Asri, Jul
Venue: Guesthouse

Objectives
Objective: Refine the invitations and tidying up the logistics needed
Items discussed/done:
-Logistics: Chairs, tables, AV equipment etc

Reflections
While Sherwin and I are at the centre, the rest of the team were back in the guesthouse continueing the logictics requirements.
I know they are sweating and tired, but we can make it!


When
Meeting 10: Tuesday 19th August 2008
Time: 3.30pm-4pm
Attendance: Sherwin, Jasmine
Venue: Prolung Khmer Centre

Objectives
Objective: To find out the process and take photos for the video logs
Items discussed/done:
-Limitations

Reflections
first time dealing with unhappy clients, causing a minor demotivation in us.
Sherwin and I went back to the Centre to confirm a few things and take pictures for our video in which we want to show our delegates, while confirming logitics items at the venue.

there we met Yuko-san, the manager of the centre. she do not seem happy to see us. Communication breakdown seems to occur, as we got a dressing down about our presence as she said she wasn't informed about our visitation.

Casting that aside, we still managed to accomplish our tasks, of taking pictures and further site recee. So.. job accomplished to the both of us!


When
Meeting 9: Tuesday 19th August 2008
Time: 10am-1pm
Attendance: All
Venue: Cyber Café

Objectives
Objective: Tidy up the itinerary of the event; do up the logistics expect
Item discussed/done:
-Design of invitation cards
-Identification and refining of target audience

Reflections
Good Morning Cambodia!
Waking up to a bright day in Cambodia, the team continues to where we ended yesterday.
This morning is more to the designs of the event, as we designed the invitation cards, brochures and banners for our event. We understand that the technology in Cambodia is not that advanced yets, thus giving ourselves more lead time in the designing and printing.

In the third day in Siem Reap Cambodia, we got to understand the town better, thus identifying our target audiences.
As we often hang around in pub street, we have decided to target all the tourism industry, (tour companies, hotels etc) in pub street and around pub street.
with such a short time, it is becoming a little mentally straining for us.
Especially it is 3 days to our event, and not many things are being confirmed at our side.

When
Meeting 8: Monday 18th August 2008
Time: 9pm-10pm
Attendance: Rest of the teams
Venue: Pub Street

Objectives
Objective: Gather information on the tourist expectations and demand on the traditional Cambodian arts
Items discussed/done:
-Onsite surveys on the tourists
-gather and evaluate the results
-Brief the other teams on the findings

Reflections
I am really grateful with the help from other teams.
As the survey idea was only thought of in the afternoon, with the last minute concept in mind, all other fyp cambodia teams were nice enough to help us, especially in the night.

After I brief the whole cambodia teams about the survey, off we went to pub street at 9pm, to collect feedbacks.

We have started off shy, as we didn't dare to approach the tourists.
As minutes passed, we were kind of warmed up, and went forward to approach tourists much easily.
It is quite funny, as some of the tourists thought that we were selling stuffs to them, in which is common in the streets of Cambodia. Thus a lot of rejections were received. However, we still managed to accomplished our tasks!

the feedbacks were positive, as we managed to justify a demand for the traditional arts, providing a reason for the busy delegates in the tourism industry of Siem Reap to come down to Prolung Khmer industry event.
Thumbs up team Cambodia!

When
Meeting 7: Monday 18th August 2008
Time:
Attendance: Sherwin with the rest of the leaders of the Cambodian FYP crew
Who we met: Sharon; owner of the Prolung Khmer Centre
Venue: Indian restaurant

Objectives
Objective: Communicate event and discuss restrictions; Objectives of the Prolung Khmer Centre Item discussed:
-Souvenir/special rate issues
-Quantity issues on the souvenirs
-Image and branding of the Centre
-Main objective that the centre wants to portray
- Reviving the traditional weaving and pottery in Cambodia, Empowering the women with life skills

Reflections
Sherwin went to meet Sharon the owner of the Prolung Khmer centre.
I wish him good luck!
the rest of the team, continued on the project work, as we decided to have a street survey done, to prove to delegates that there is a demand from tourists to know more about the traditional arts of Cambodia, and may they work with the centre to bring in more tourists down to check out the centre, creating awareness and business.

Excitement was present, as it it the first time we are doing a street survey, moreover in Cambodia!

When
Meeting6: Monday 18th August 2008
Time: 1pm-6pm
Attendance: All
Venue: Blue pumpkin

Objectives
Objective: Settle all timelines and logistics items
Item discussed:
-Structure of timeline of the event
-Duration
-Refine of target audience
-Working with the other teams regarding logistic and marketing issues
-Restrictions and questions to be asked during the meeting with the owner

Reflections
I think the Blue Pumpkin is my favourite place.
It is the closest to home, as it reminds me of starbucks.

After visiting Artisans, we went back to Blue Pumpkin, a cafe which we declare our home base, on the changes needed to our event. Below we mentioned the lack of space, thus decided to cut down to 30 guests!

With information and logistics changed, we have to work with the online teams, to update them of the changes. With that, we continued working on, identifying questions needed to ask the venue owner. Sherwin was picked, to have dinner with Sharon (venue owner of the Prolung Khmer Centre) and ask questions to solve our problems. Hopefully everything goes well.

With that, we scrape off our tiki theme, as we noticed that it cannot reflect the cambodian spirit. Continueing, the team decided to work on the orginal look of the centre, brainstorming on more ideas on the concept of the event.

When
Meeting 5: Monday 18th August 2008
Time: 10am-11am
Attendance: All
Venue: Cambodia, Siem Reap, Artisan D’ Angkor

Objectives
Objective: To experience how a similar social enterprise evolve into a private corporation.
Item discussed:
-How can we turn Prolung Khmer into some what similar?
-What are the areas that we can learn from Artisan D’ Angkor
-What is the unique selling point of Artisan D’Angkor and discover our own USP

reflections

Second day in Cambodia~
Though we had setbacks, but we are still excited of the trip.

Today, we got to visit our "competitor" Artisan D' Angkor, another centre, that does the same thing, just that they have their own visitor centre, in which is nicely built and decorated for tourist. they even have aircon!

Artisan D' Angkor was a morale booster for me, as it gave me ideas and motivation on how far our own centre Prolung Khmer Centre can become. Artisan also started out small, thus with determination I feel that we will be able to make it, just like artisan or better.

When

Meeting4: Sunday 17th August 2008
Time: 4pm-5pm
Attendance: All
Venue: Cambodia, Siem Reap, Prolong Khmer training centre

Objectives
Objective: Site recee and understanding of the Prolung Khmer Centre in details
Items discussed:
-Logistics
-Location for various events (registration etc)
-Detailed pictures of products

Reflections

Jasmine says: "Hello Hello Cambodia!"
Cambodia is.......... totally different from Singapore!
Honestly, I could not really adapt to the country on the first day.
With no HDB flats, with dirty streets... with no internet services in the house we are staying.

On the first day, the whole of Cambodia teams were brought to the Centre.
Rather shocked to see the centre. though I have seen the pictures, but i didn't know it was that of a small range and kind of run down. The pathways were dirty with mud, and the shed that we want to hold our event, was kind of small and filled with clay here and there as they were making ceremic utensils.

Casting that aside, the team were positive as we site recee-ed the place, identifying several spots and routes for the industry guests to be at.
We have agreed to have the small shed as our main event space as that was the only place with shelter and a space enough to fit around 20 people.

With the lack of space, the team noticed the need to change our Key Performance indicators, as the area capacity wasn't that big enough to fit a 100 guests. Plus with the area size, Siem Reap is a small town, finding a 100 guests will also prove to be a difficulty.

Though met with a lot of obstacles, but i believe we will be able to make it!

When

Meeting3: Tuesday 5th August 2008
Time: 5pm-6.30pm
Attendance: Ash, Asri, Jasmine, Sherwin
Absent: Ju (leisure project work)
Venue: School library
Who we met: Advisor Harris

Objectives
Objective: Come out with a possible timeline of the event
Items discussed:
-What are the various types of fringe events that can be done in a corporate open house
-Components to a corporate open house (logistics: Goodie Bags; Operations: Manpower etc)
- Possible timeline

Reflections
Panic shall be the word to describe how I feel right now.
It is just 2 weeks before we leave, and I still feel clueless about the whole event.
Without site recee, without understanding the country well, without experience, i am starting to have doubts on whether we can accomplish our tasks well.

With the main structure already planned out, today's meeting was to go further into the details, such as theme of the event, the fringe events and the components, logistics and operations, and whether we need more manpower in the other areas.

It seems like there is a million of stuff to do, but the team is stuck!
Without site recee, we cannot plan our event space layout, haven't confirm the venue place, as we haven't met the venue owner/client.

I just hoped that we will spend our time meaningfully in Cambodia, as we really lacked in preparation time, plus a lot of things to be confirmed.

Casting the above idea aside, I am happy to see that our team managed to got together to brainstorm ideas for the event, such as a tiki tiki theme, as our event venue is really run down to me somehow.

With that, off we go, to Cambodia!