Okay, since your managers are too wishy-washy to decide for themselves what time you should be invited (not ORDERED, but INVITED) to go to the staff conference, here's a couple of voting buttons. They read 'morning' and 'afternoon'. Answer by, oh, today, as I need to pass on the information asap.
 

You might find that you don't get your choice, because no doubt you'll all want to go, en masse, to the same session. Our customers might find that there's no one to answer their queries, because, rather than make sure there's enough people from each department to cover, they've instead let you choose, and - as mentioned - you'll all go in departmental clumps. Apparently you're too scared to go on your own. So much for that customer satisfation initiative, eh?

Other department managers have simply sent me a list saying 'morning' or 'afternoon' beside each staff member they manage, and if someone really can't make the session to which they've been invited, they'll be allowed simply to switch. Don't let that bother you. Similarly, don't let the endless emails I'll send out, chasing up the answers I've still not recieved, bother you. If the servers seize up once again, hey - at least you got a choice, right?

Regards,

Me.