MTUCI’s Congress Center: an ideal combination of innovations and comfort
Issue:
October 2012, Vol. 7, No.9
Tags:
Mtuci
Moscow has been a key business center in Russia for a long time. Everyday, there are dozens of large or small business forums and conferences. To meet this demand, the city offers a wide variety of conference facilities and services. In this interview, Andrei Nemykin, the CEO of Congress Center at the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI), highlighted the key advantages and features of this facility.
How did the idea of creating such a congress center come up?
Today, it is a well-known fact that the information communications technologies (ICT) industry is growing very fast. This has an increasing influence on the growing needs of people and organizations, their knowledge and experience. The need to satisfy these desires that made our university’s administration and the Federal Communications Agency decide to build a congress center at MTUCI, which has become one of the main information communications areas in the ICT industry today.
What types of services are available to clients at your center?
We offer a variety of services in organization, holding and provision of technical support to such business events as seminars, forums, exhibitions, conferences, etc. Moreover, we also offer audio- and video-recording of events; help clients design and create banners, flags and printed materials. Our partnership with some catering companies enables us to offer clients some services in this sphere, too.
How often are forums, exhibitions and conferences held at this center?
Of course, the recent economic crisis had affected us and we felt this in the decline of demand for conference services at the peak of the downturn. Our reaction to this was to focus more on boosting the quality of our services. By doing so, we guarantee clients that they can constantly rely on us for top quality services, friendly atmosphere, etc. Today, the economic situation has stabilized, and this evident from the high occupancy rate of our center. Lots of events are being frequently organized, but our aim is to push the occupancy rate to the maximum level.
“Our center’s conference halls are well-equipped, thanks to the best MTUCI acoustics experts, who designed a special covering to ensure maximum acoustic effects.”
What are your center’s key competitive advantages over its peers in this industry?
Our center has six different conference halls capable of accommodating from 10 to 300 guests. Also, we have transformable halls, which can be made smaller, wider or larger, depending on the number of event participants. Besides, we’re right in the center of Moscow, not far from a subway. We’ve a large parking facility that enables carry out exhibitions and conferences simultaneously. We pay a special attention to selection of personnel, and this is why our staff is always friendly and attentive to clients’ needs. The key features of our work are hospitality and high quality of service.
Today, ICT industry is growing at astronomical rate. In this regard, which innovative technologies and services can your center offer to clients?
The two-storey building that houses our center has a special elevator for disabled people. I think this is very important, as I’m sure that no other congress center has such facility in Moscow. Also, clients can access the Internet both via Wi-Fi and traditional connection via Internet-Cafe. Clients can book or reserve a hall online from our site after viewing the photos of the halls and choose the most suitable place for their events. The upper and lower lobbies are equipped with independent audio systems that help broadcast speakers’ speeches from conference halls or add background music. Our center’s conference halls are well-equipped, thanks to the best MTUCI acoustics experts, who designed a special covering to ensure maximum acoustic effects. Moreover, there are cabins with cameras for synchronic translators. This camera helps translators to see the speakers, whose speeches they are translating.
Who are your key and regular clients?
Our clientele includes corporate entities, state ministries and departments. National Instruments, a U.S.-based corporation that produces measuring equipment, sensors and software, is one of our partners. The Russian National Association of E-Commerce Industry Operators, which include most online shops and express-delivery and logistics firms such as the Russian Post, DHL, QIWIPost and other large companies collaborate, is also among our regular clients.
What is the biggest event ever organized and held in this center?
One of these is the informational security directors conference, which we hosted for three consecutive years. At each event in each of the three years, almost 450 people were present in different halls at that time. All the guests were satisfied with the level of the events’ organization.
Which was the most unusual request or wish that you have ever received from clients?
I think the most unusual wish was to book/reserve a conference hall on the same day of the call. But it was done, as we are always ready to satisfy our clients’ request as fast as possible.
What are the future plans for further development of the center?
Currently, there are no plans to expand the center, as our main goal today is to attain maximum occupancy and achieve this via provision of top-quality services. We want our clients to enjoy the time spent in our facility, have lasting positive impressions from our cooperation and thus be ready to recommend us to relatives, friends and business partners.
This text was translated from Russian by the author and edited by Chrisbon Business Services Agency (www.chrisbon.ru)
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