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The perfect venue has long been the secret to a successful event. If you get the perfect venue, then you are well on your well to making an event successful. Of course, you need meticulously planned logistics, but the finding of the perfect venue can make or break an event.

There are now many online venue finding tools which claim to take the stress out of venue finding. Many large agencies will use venue finders. They will enter their venue preferences via a quick and easy form. The system is online and requires little to no venue interaction. Sounds great in principal, but often clients get pushed into a venue that’s not ideal. They may even miss out on the perfect venue because the Event Manager has relied on the tool’s database.

Added to this, certain large agencies charge venues for supplier status. By charging, they guarantee enquiries are sent to them. This may be a clever revenue stream, however it is the client who loses, as the venues offered are beneficial to the agency rather than the client.

Personally, I find the tools cumbersome and limited. I believe in picking up the phone and speaking to a venue, asking questions and thinking outside the box (which an online tool cannot do). On paper, a venue might feel right but after talking with the venue, we often find a solution that ticks all the right boxes and more. Building a valued relationship can almost guarantee a better deal is often negotiated. As one famous telecoms company has always said… It’s good to talk.

Delegates are now event savvy. They have grown tired of the standard buffet, the non-descript meeting rooms and the mundane bedrooms. Although these may be the perfect venues for certain event types, there are other times when real imagination is much needed.

I like to think outside the box and offer delegates a chance to experience something out of the ordinary when attending events. By thinking outside the box, you can find the perfect venue that positively impacts the delegate’s experience.

Two night cruises are great value for money. They are perfect for combining meeting time and social activities. Previously, I have been quoted less than £300.00 per person for a two night cruise from Southampton, which offers amazing value. You are not only providing a perfect venue but an unforgettable experience.

Another example of a perfect venue and experience is Centre Parcs. It offers a fantastically good value events package coupled with some of the best customer service in the industry. Once you have grouped delegates to villas, the experience is brilliant with great value meeting spaces, outdoor activities and plenty of fresh air. The ‘In-house’ experience means there is no need for extra team-building companies.

For small groups in the warmer months, Warwick Castle offers a ‘Glamping’ package, which could be a perfect venue option if you’re looking for something which is exciting and stylish. Yurts combined with a spectacular castle make it a perfect incentive retreat.

How about a private house for your perfect venue? A private house comes with all the luxury of a hotel but with a lot more independence and flexibility. With in-house staff, delegates can be looked after whilst meeting – perfect for team brain storming and incentives.

There are so many options out there which could be your perfect venue. Some are often dismissed at the first hurdle due to lack of knowledge, reliance on technology and workload pressure. Often, if a venue finder has 15 briefs on the table, they rely on preferred venues combined with online venue finding tools. It’s a shame as clients potentially miss out on a possible hidden gem and that perfect venue.

It’s a frustrating dilemma. Clients often gravitate to the larger agencies as they feel their experience, knowledge and ability is better than that of smaller agencies. Yet, often it’s the smaller agencies that can offer the knowledge and experience to help you find that perfect venue.

As we work with a greater portfolio of venues and hotels, the more we are surprised by what is considered as good customer service. For me, customer service and delivery are at the heart of everything I do. I have never said no, I am always happy to help and believe that delivering good, old fashioned customer service is essential in helping to grow and maintain a strong client base.

I say, ‘old fashioned’ as I feel that ‘modern’ customer service is very different. Good, old fashioned customer service is about respect, giving time and offering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectation. If you are in a customer facing role, you need to be ready for anything with a smile on your face and a readiness to help. Modern customer service leaves me exasperated these days, especially from certain venues and hotels.

When we receive a new enquiry from a potential client, we respond within minutes, not only thanking them for their interest but, identifying possible solutions. I wonder why hotels and venues can’t receive event enquiries with the same enthusiasm.

Whole teams are in place to bring business in yet, when it does come in, the brief is more often than not treated with lack lustre where I feel the need to apologise for disturbing their very busy day. When you do get a response, it amazes me how little information comes back and how the brief has clearly not been read.

Then there is the issue of payment. A venue or hotel will be incredibly quick to chase for payment of an invoice. Quite rightly so, everyone deserves to be paid on time. But, this is a two-way street. Venues and hotels are often very slack in paying commission invoices. Commission is often the life blood of an agency and helps us keep costs down. This, in turn helps the client afford a specific venue or hotel. Please don’t chase me for payment when my commission invoice is two months overdue. The arrogance of this actually makes me boil over.

This is not to say all venues and hotels are tarnished with the same brush. They aren’t. There are some wonderful examples of customer service in our industry and I will be fiercely loyal as if their service delights me, it will delight the client and delegates too.

But come on event industry, it’s time to pull your finger out and not hide behind your one-way mirror. Customer service works both ways!

7 top tips to work collaboratively with hotels and venues

Here are my tips to get venues and hotels work collaboratively with you:

1. Provide a simple bullet point brief with clear points that can be answered by the venue or hotel. They have lots of enquires coming in, so let’s make it easy!
2. State whether you need rates with VAT, commission, breakfast etc.
3. If you have a budget, give it. This gives the venue or hotel an opportunity to look at rates and try and come in at or less than what’s available to spend. Not giving a budget is not a good negotiation tool and it does not inflate pricing.
4. Be honest, clear and set expectations on deadline dates.
5. Chase once and if you’re feeling particularly generous chase twice. After that, walk away if you can. If they are slow now, can you imagine the response time once contracted?
6. If a venue or hotel doesn’t deliver what has been asked in the brief, again consider walking away. It shows a lack of attention to detail and also shows they don’t particularly care. If you can’t walk away, then push back and set very clear expectation. Don’t be afraid to escalate.

Set a timeline for commission payments and don’t be afraid to withhold payment until commission invoices are paid. After all, it’s a two-way street.

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken the entire world by a raging storm. it has confined people to their homes, with social gatherings becoming almost non-existent. however, now we’re slowly transitioning into the new normal. businesses are opening up and people have started going out again. but we’re still quite far from the normal that we once knew.
So, how do we navigate life events during these uncertain times? If you need to organise an event soon, you’re probably brainstorming ideas on how to make the event safe? Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 4 safety steps you need to take to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in events. Check them out below:

Choose the right venue for your event
The first course of action for conference organisers needs to be the choice of a suitable venue. The ideal option is an outdoor venue. Take your event to a park or an outdoor roof venue. according to recent studies, the chances of coronavirus in an outdoor space are much lower than in an indoor space.

If an outdoor venue isn’t feasible, then you need to take extra measures to make the indoors safe. Make sure there is a satisfactory ventilation system in place. auto-opening doors and opened windows would also help reduce risk.

Make the adoption of safety guidelines mandatory for the event
you must send out health safety guidelines to all the attendees of the event before the event date. you can also take the following measures:

• make the use of face masks mandatory
• check temperatures of the attendees at the entrance
• open multiple entry and exit points
• enforce social distancing rules
• install touch-free hand sanitising stations across the venue
• stream your event online, so people who are sick can participate

Facilitate social distancing measures
You need to ensure that the seating arrangement is made in a way that it allows for at least a 2m distance between attendees. however, people from the same household can be allowed to sit close.
You can designate seats by names to avoid confusion.

Provide hand sanitisers and masks
As an emergency measure, you should keep extra unused masks at the entrance. install hand sanitisers at entry and exit points.
Additionally, make hand sanitisers available at the end of each row of seats in an indoor setting.

Conclusion
The coronavirus is far from gone. plus, the possibility of a widely available vaccine doesn’t seem conceivable in the near future. therefore, it’s crucial to take all the preventive and safety measures advised by the government and healthcare professionals. that is the only way to ensure safety at event