SOCAP International 2012 Annual Conference
Breakout Session Proposal

SOCAP International welcomes your proposal submissions to present at the 2012 Annual Conference, October 14-17, in San Diego, CA. This year’s Annual Conference will provide an innovative and comprehensive program based on the following theme:Connecting with Your Customers through Collaborative Relationships.

CONFERENCE THEME & KEY TOPICS:
Today’s customer care professionals are involved in a variety of important relationships. These relationships involve the ability to build effective, consistent collaboration with a range of audiences—with consumers, internal staff team, other departments within the company (e.g., marketing, C-suite), outsourced partners/suppliers and other entities. For companies in general, the relationship between the brand and the customer often involves building long-term dialogue and engagement.

The 2012 Annual Conference will include breakout sessions organized around the following key topics:

• Consumer Diversity
  • Increasing and changing consumer expectations and demands
  • Connecting with customers on individual level
    • Direct- to- Consumer Sales (as channel for relationship building)
    • Serving the global consumer (global diversity)
  • Meeting cultural expectations
  • Supporting diversity as corporate value (i.e., hiring, recruiting)
  • Demystifying diversity stereotypes
• Loyalty
  • Leveraging consumers as advocates
  • Building loyalty and making it ‘win-win’ for customer and company
  • Addressing Loyalty Programs
    • Criteria and formulas for success
    • Customer care and marketing working together to achieve transparency
  • Ensuring authenticity at every touch point of customer experience (End-to-End)
• Engagement Channels
  • Mobile , Social Media, Gaming (industry case studies)
  • Case studies on employee engagement
  • Traditional engagement channels
  • Customer reviews 
    • Voice of Customer 
    • Net Promoter Scores

Presentation proposals will be collected from May 10 until May 31, 2012. On May 31 all information provided on your proposal will be considered final including presentation title and description, as well as presenters’ information and qualifications.

SOCAP PRESENTATION BEST PRACTICES
SOCAP has identified six Best Practices for Annual Conference presentations. Proposals that adhere to the following practices have the best chances of inclusion in the Annual Conference program:

1. Demonstrate a clear relevance to this year’s conference theme.
2. Show new, innovative and/or original ideas.
3. Include specific learning objectives and outcomes that accurately reflect the presentation description provided on the proposal and in the program book.
4. Facilitate open discussions and group interaction.
5. Utilize specific case studies to demonstrate ideas and processes. 
6. Showcase and demonstrate commitment to high-quality presenters from diverse backgrounds, particularly from industry brands and related business partners.

PRESENTATION PROPOSAL REVIEW, SELECTION & NOTIFICATION
All proposals will be reviewed by SOCAP’s Education Committee based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to conference theme
• Innovation & Originality
• Presenter quality and diversity (including brand and primary role within an organization)
• Overall level of complexity
• Reflection of SOCAP Best Practices for Presentations (see above)
• Completeness of presentation proposal (including secured presenters)

PRESENTER REQUIREMENTS
SOCAP’s Education Committee relies on many criteria when selecting speakers. In addition to considering topic relevance, speaking experience/effectiveness and member references, the Committee also gives additional consideration to individuals who have a demonstrated commitment to the association through active participation in a SOCAP programs or through exhibiting or sponsoring association events, publications and other activities.

SOCAP requires that all information be presented in an educational, non-commercial, non self-promotional manner. Promotional presentations are NOT permitted in any SOCAP sessions and, doing so, will adversely affect future speaking opportunities. SOCAP offers sponsor and exhibitor opportunities for companies seeking an appropriate channel for promotion. Speakers who are also exhibitors may direct attendees to their booth for additional company information at the close of the presentation.

Speaking proposals from business partners are strongly encouraged to include brand clients in their proposals.

Presenters selected to speak at the Annual Conference will be required to provide educational handouts. Please do not submit a proposal if you are unable or unwilling to provide handouts (outlines, slide summaries, etc.)

Presentations will be proportionately awarded by content areas, and will be filled by the highest-scored proposals.

• May 31: completed proposals must be submitted to SOCAP International. All information in the proposal on May 31 will be considered final.
• Week of June 22: SOCAP will notify primary presenters of acceptance decisions via e-mail.
• June 29: To secure a place in the 2012 Annual Conference program, the primary presenter will:
  
  • Confirm they will present at the 2012 Annual Conference in San Diego
  • Confirm final presentation title and description
  • Confirm final presenters’ names, bios, and pictures.