Event Know Your IBM  Incentive Programme
Client IBM Australia/New Zealand
Organiser CiEvents
Group size 14
Date March 10-14




The brief
As part of its ‘Know Your IBM’ incentive programme, IBM Australia/New Zealand wanted a high-end incentive event to reward its top ten achievers across Australia and New Zealand for sales of its ‘System x’ IT product. System x is an IBM server designed for IBM distributors and resellers who market these servers to predominantly small-to-medium enterprises.

The aim was to offer a reward trip of a lifetime, with experiences the delegates could only have dreamt of. The event was designed to show them the best Dubai could offer.

Desert banquet in Dubai Challenges
Key challenges included language barriers, heavy traffic across the city and ensuring the delegates had their meals in hotel-owned restaurants and cafés.

“CiEvents managed these challenges by triple-confirming everything,” says event manager, Katie Arnold. “We controlled as many logistics as possible ourselves rather than relying on ground operators. We also ensured everything was communicated verbally as well as in writing to overcome language barriers.”

To address the issue of traffic congestion, the group travelled in off-peak times whenever possible and allowed ample time for travel between activities.

Dune-bashing in Dubai Execution
The group comprised ten incentive winners from Australia and New Zealand, one distributor, two IBM hosts and an event manager. The four-night trip began with the groups’ arrival after an overnight flight to Dubai. They stayed at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.

On day one the delegates took a city tour of Dubai, visited the world’s largest shopping centre Dubai Mall and had dinner on a dhow – a traditional local boat. On day two, the group played camel polo and had a gala dinner at Burj Al Arab, followed by a visit to Sanctuary Night Club at Atlantis The Palm.

Day three saw the team have brunch at Al Qasr Madinat, with drinks in the evening at Bar 360. This venue offers uninterrupted views of the Burj Al Arab and Dubai World Islands.

On the final day, the group tried its hand at indoor skiing at Ski Dubai, as well as an afternoon desert safari that included quad-biking, dune-bashing, desert surfing and a falcon show, followed by a desert banquet that featured traditional belly dancers and shisha pipes.

Sightseeing by dhow (traditional boat)Comment
The delegates were impressed by the event. George Katsabaris, business manager at IBM, says IBM’s System x team plans to hold a larger event in 2010.

“It was amazing and so well run,” says Nick Crofts from Blue Connections, an IBM reseller who attended the incentive. “I will cherish the memories forever.”

Another IBM reseller, Stephen Watson of Tardis Services, says: “CiEvents’ organisation skills were among the best I have seen.”