All event managers need helping hands on location that they can rely on, from catering to on-site staff, technical services, hostesses, and bus drivers. But where do you find the right partners?
Organizing an event is a team effort. That goes for the event organizer’s core team as much as for the extra hands that come to help on location. Depending on the number or participants and the concept of an event, the different kinds of help you’ll need can really start to add up.
By way of example, let’s imagine an international conference with 800 to 1,000 participants. In order to pull off an event of such scale, an organizer needs a large number of people in supporting roles on site. Organizers are often based in another location, sometimes even on a different continent; so without local expertise, there can’t be any event.
When an organizer puts together their event team on location, the team should be able to fulfill the following criteria:
Professionalism and reliability: The last thing you need are people who don’t uphold their end of an agreement. Likewise, it’s important for your local partners to have a clear understanding of what your needs are on site. So professionalism and reliability should come first.
Know-how: Those providing services on location need to be capable of meeting the highest standards when it comes to the technology used, the way they run things, and the expertise of the staff members on the job.
Customer orientation: Your desires as the customer should be given top priority, but how everything comes across to the participants at your event also needs to be perfect. At the same time, you don’t need yes-men, but partners who know their stuff and are pros at what they do. They should be able to let you know if something you ask for doesn’t make sense or can’t be done reliably, as this is also part of professional collaboration.
Multilingualism: International events demand that local event teams at least be able to speak English, preferably in addition to 1-2 other European languages. At any rate, guests should be able to have important issues explained to them in their native language. So try to ensure that individual employees are able to speak multiple languages.
The “extra mile”: Customer orientation is a baseline requirement. But it’s even better when you hire someone to provide a service and they fulfill wishes that you never actually made explicit. Do you get suggestions on how you can continue to improve something, any innovations that can be made? A real event pro gets involved, always keeping an eye on the goal of the event and its target audience.
A reasonable price/performance ratio: Obviously, the price has to be right, too. See if anyone is offering rates that are especially low compared to other companies, and ask for details about all-inclusive offers and which services are included in package deals. This will help you avoid any nasty surprises when you get the bill for the event.
An international event of the kind described above usually requires the following support roles and services on location:
Location(s) for meeting and for evening event(s)
A space big enough to accommodate up to 1,000 people in plenary is not so easy to find. And then on top of that you may need breakout rooms, exhibition spaces, and offices. And of course the evening gala’s got to be something the participants are going to love!
Audiovisual technology
Standards for presentation technology have steadily increased in recent years. Interactive and digital formats make it necessary for companies offering tech services to always be on the cutting edge.
Hotels
There have to be enough hotels in the immediate area of the event location – and in a wide variety of price ranges – for all participants, event team members, exhibitors, and/or sponsors. You should also employ the services of a capable agency for booking hotels.
Catering
Not only does the food have to be good – nowadays it should also fit in with the concept of the event. Whether food trucks or a gala dinner, this requires the support of capable local businesses.
Hosting agency and professional conference organizer (PCO)
Hosts und hostesses play and important role in the overall impression of an event. Motivated, multilingual, and customer-oriented personnel are in high demand. A professional conference organizer will not only take care of scheduling your hosts and hostesses, but also a variety of other services surrounding the event.
Transportation / buses and logistics services
Especially when you have participants coming from all over the world, the logistics had better be right.
Decoration, exhibition booths, and graphic design
Companies specializing in booth construction provide their services internationally, of course, and lots of organizers have fixed contracts with particular suppliers. Then again, it’s almost always necessary to make last-minute changes and have artwork produced on location.
Performers and entertainment
Whether it’s a magician for the gala reception, the act performing at your awards ceremony, or cellists entertaining people waiting in line, a lively variety of performers and entertainers on the scene makes the task of designing your event program that much easier.
Local event and creative agencies
The effort involved in coordinating everyone on location is no small task, of course. DMCs, destination management companies, are local agencies that can do a lot of the work for you because they’re more familiar with the local market. From logistics to conceptualization, these agencies are a great help and a major relief.
There’s a whole range of online directories and review portals tor putting together a capable on-site team. Reviews of the companies providing these services play a particularly important role. Google, ProvenExpert, TripAdvisor, etc. often feature good reviews from business clients.
If you’ve already decided on one or more destinations, the local convention bureau is always a good point of contact. You’ll be able to talk to someone there who’s experienced and who can get you in contact with the companies that can provide the most important services.
WARNING: Private platforms are often free of charge for you, the organizer. Nevertheless, many of them are by no means neutral and usually only recommend companies that they have a commission agreement with or some other commercial ties to. Also, the personal consulting they offer is usually limited to finding a location and doesn’t include detailed questions about the destination or hard data.
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