By anyone’s standards, we’ve done a great job of keeping business moving despite Covid-related concerns and restrictions this year. We’ve learned that we can develop and innovate from our homes, we can market JMP virtually, we can sell despite being locked down, and we can take great care of our customers no matter where in the world we are. We’ve even found that we can reach more of the market by enhancing our online presence and experimenting with virtual programs like JMP On Air, Statistically Speaking and online Discovery Summits.
From that perspective, we are in no hurry to get back to normal. In fact, when we can travel freely again, there will be a new normal that will allow us – maybe even require us – to be more selective about meeting in person. As a division, this is our opportunity to be more strategic in who we travel to see and who we invite to our events.
For now, though, JMP leadership continues to watch how the pandemic fight progresses and to listen to our teams around the world to understand regional and cultural readiness for travel and gatherings. What we do know is that much is still unknown and that things won’t look the same everywhere.
Photo of Diana Levey from Discovery Summit TokyoOne common theme: We are missing social cohesion and connectedness. As Rebecca Surendra so perfectly phrased it in a meeting last week, some of us are “professionally lonely.” We expect our customers are feeling much the same way: missing in-person connections with their colleagues and special clients, eager to do normal things again, anxious for mass vaccines, and apprehensive about gathering too soon and too widely.
While we will gladly put 2020 behind us, the path forward is not as clear as we’d like. There will continue to be hurdles in every aspect of our business. However, even with the uncertainty of the situation, we are in a position to share these hopes and expectations for 2021:
- Statistically Speaking events will be entirely virtual throughout the year, in all regions.
- Technically Speaking events will be entirely virtual throughout the year, in all regions.
- Discovery Summit events will all be virtual throughout the year, with the possibility of small in-person components for some.
- We will not be sponsoring any in-person conferences or tradeshows in 2021, anywhere in the world.
In April, Jon and I decided that we should not commit any funds to live events through the end of 2021. If we make any exceptions, we would do so with care and consideration. For instance:
- In-person gatherings could be limited to as few as 50 people and be invitation-only.
- We won’t sign contracts that leave us vulnerable to significant financial loss should we have to cancel.
- We must consider the additional cost of cleaning equipment, screening guests, etc. before committing to hosting people.
- We will work with SAS Legal to ensure that they are comfortable with SAS’ legal exposure.
- We might require that attendees be vaccinated against Covid-19.
We hope this helps you set expectations as you make your plans for the coming year. If you’d like to have something to look forward to, we’re also beginning to plan for 2022, with these hopes:
- Elite Sales Circle will have an in-person trip in the spring.
- Statistically Speaking events will be virtual or hybrid events, depending upon regional interest in the in-person components.
- Discovery Summits will all be hybrid events, with both online and in-person components.
- Discovery Summit Europe will be online and in Spain in March.
- Discovery Summit China will be online and in April in a city to be determined.
- Discovery Summit Americas will be online and at SAS World Headquarters in September or October.
- Discovery Summit Japan will be online and in November in a city to be determined.
- Discovery Summit Korea will be online and in Seoul in November.
Beyond marketing, what do we know?
For the foreseeable future, there is no change in how we should approach sales meetings. Virtual calls will be the default. In-person meetings can happen in countries or regions that allow such travel if JMP staff feel comfortable – and if they are invited to the prospect’s place of business.
Regional readiness will also dictate when we begin working from SAS offices again. As Jim Goodnight said in today’s webcast, June is the earliest we could expect US employees to return to offices, but September is more likely. Even then, there will be flexibility. Feel free to discuss your personal situation with your manager.
And when it comes to internal meetings like Kickoffs, JMP Academy, Mid-Year Meetings, plan for everything to be virtual at least until midyear 2021. At that point, we will re-address needs and opportunities to gather again.
For now, let’s do our best to stay connected to our current customers, to our future customers, and, just as importantly, to one another. Stay safe and be well.
SAS office in Seoul, South Korea
