FAQ's

Below you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you wish to find out more, please call us or send us an e-mail.

1. Why should I charge a PCO with the organisation of my conference or congress?

2. Does charging a PCO raise the costs of a congress?

3. How much do the services of CPO HANSER SERVICE cost?

4. What are the qualifications of your employees?

5. In what way is CPO different from its competitors?

6. What is your general approach in organising a congress?

7. What is a Core PCO?

Why should I charge a PCO with the organisation of my conference or congress?

A PCO has gained extensive experience with the realisation of conferences and congresses. You can make use of this experience and benefit from the competent knowledge of a PCO. A PCO takes over many organisational tasks, so that you can concentrate almost exclusively on the scientific content of your congress.
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Does charging a PCO raise the costs of a congress?

No. The PCO has a clear overview of the market and can achieve favourable prices for the purchasing of services (for example the production of print media).
The necessary tasks for realising a congress have to be carried out. Working time has to be paid. The PCO is paid for specific tasks over a certain period of time upon which you agree by contract. You do not need to worry about temporary hiring of new employees, overtime, holidays or illness of employees yourself. You purchase specific services from the PCO at a fixed price.
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How much do the services of CPO HANSER SERVICE cost?

This depends on the range of services CPO performs. In general, we calculate a management fee for the organisation and handling of a congress, a registration fee for the administration of the congress participants (depending on the number of participants), the collection procedure and congress accounting as well as a fee for the abstract handling. For the acquisition of sponsors and the realisation of a trade fair we expect an adequate gain sharing.
For each event, we develop a tailor-made agreement that takes individual circumstances into account. CPO is the partner of your event and also shares the financial risk.
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What are the qualifications of your employees?

Our employees have an event managing background and have usually graduated in a course of studies for congress management. Several times a year, CPO conducts periodical in-house trainings. Furthermore, our employees attend external training courses on a regular basis.
Each event is thoroughly evaluated at CPO. New insights are recorded and used in terms of quality management.
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In what way is CPO different from its competitors?

CPO is run by its proprietors who are personally involved in the planning and realisation of each congress. At CPO you will have one responsible project manager who is your direct contact person.
CPO unites 25 years of experience in congress management. We have an expertise in nearly all areas relevant for congresses, particular in financing, sponsoring, electronic media, tax law and marketing. CPO is accepted worldwide as a PCO, for which reason the proprietors Inge and Hermann Hanser hold important honorary appointments:  Inge Hanser is currently Immediate Past President of the world association IAPCO (International Association for Professional Congress Organizer). Hermann Hanser holds, amongst others, the position of the chairman of the German Convention Bureau, the non-profit organisation of the German congress trade that promotes Germany and advises congress organisers from an objective point of view.
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What is your general approach in organising a congress?

After you have communicated your plans and expectations to us, we

• develop a costs projection and financial plan. This helps clarify the financing of the event in advance and all important details can be assessed with you.
• define together with you who should be the ideational and the judicial organiser. This can be an existing association or a society to be newly founded.
• agree on a detailed requirements' document and a coordinated schedule which is continuously updated.
• organise the committees to be nominated by you, such as the Scientific Committee and the Organisational Committee.
• start acquiring sponsors for the event.
• produce first announcements for the participants (Call for Papers) and start with the acquisition of participants.
• close contracts with the most important service providers (congress centres, hotels, interpreters) and of course with you as the organiser.
• continue working according to our common schedule.
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What is a Core PCO?

More and more scientific associations close service contracts with a certain PCO for several years and leave the organisation and implementation of periodical congresses to this Core PCO – independent of the congress venue.
This arrangement guarantees for a high level of continuity. Experience and knowledge are developed and extended from one congress to the next and even costs can be saved in this way.
In collaborating with a local PCO at the congress location, a Core PCO is supported in the implementation of the event, hotel reservations and the supporting programme.
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