London’s Royal College of Physicians is one of only 12 conference and meetings venues nationwide to achieve the highly prized ‘VenueVerdict Gold’ accreditation in results published by BDRC Continental, the UK’s largest independent market research agency. The RCP is the only London venue based at a professional institution to secure the recognition.
The accreditation, which covers the calendar year from April 2010 to March 2011, is based on BDRC’s innovative ‘Net Promoter’ measure of customer service performance, which acknowledges the power that excellent service has when it comes to driving positive word of mouth for a brand. The twelve venues that have been awarded Gold accreditation achieved a score of more than 70 in the new measure. “To achieve a Net Promoter Score in excess of 70 over twelve months can only be done by delivering consistently outstanding customer experiences," commented James Bland, Senior Client Services Manager at BDRC Continental.
The Royal College of Physicians is an award-winning Grade 1 listed modernist building overlooking Regent’s Park in Central London. Its purpose designed conference facilities include lecture theatres, modern and historic meeting and seminar rooms, and a versatile range of exhibition spaces and dining facilities. It hosts a wide spectrum of events, ranging from large international and national conferences and symposiums to private dinners and garden parties in its unique medicinal garden, the largest of its type in the UK.
“Customer feedback is clearly the very best sort of testimony, and the BDRC programme is an exceptional process for capturing and interpreting it,” commented Clive Ostler, the RCP’s General Manager, Marketing and Facilities: “It underlines our success in balancing the demands of a highly successful conference activity with the demands on the College in terms of professional medical activities.”
The RCP is England’s longest established professional medical institution, created in 1518. The venue’s permanent historic collections and special displays are popular with delegates who visit the College for conferences and meetings, with some event organisers actually specifying tours of the collections as part of their conference programme. The venue recently expanded its facilities for exhibitions and displays, installing a total of five large new illuminated display cabinets, giving scope to show more of its collection of historic medical artefacts.
The College’s other treasures include manuscripts from the 12th Century, some of the earliest printed books, paintings and sculptures by major artists including Joshua Reynolds, Zoffany and Annigoni, a magnificent silver collection, and a unique collection of medical artefacts.
The revenue generated by the RCP Conference Centre helps to fund the College’s many significant activities in improving the quality of healthcare. The Royal College of Physicians Conference Office can be contacted on 020 7034 4900, email events@rcplondon.ac.uk. Further information on its facilities can be seen on its website www.rcplondon.ac.uk/venue