Managing expectations

IN VIEW OF WHAT IS PREDICTED TO BE A VERY BUSY YEAR, WE ASK OUR EXPERTS FOR THEIR BEST ADVICE ON HOSTING AND MANAGING EVENTS.

Hosting events can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the scene or if it’s simply your first time organising one. In the aftermath of the Christmas period, which most of us have thoroughly enjoyed, we understand that consumers actively look for something different that will make them feel special – which isn’t always limited to a bespoke menu.

Events are what will make your venue stand out from the competition; from the most traditional acts to the extravagance of modern art, the possibilities are endless. This also means that attention to detail is vital; large-scale rendezvous have no room for error!

Hospitality operators across the UK and beyond are constantly brainstorming to find the perfect idea for their audience; once that is done, however, there’s a lot more to think about. From maximising your space to catering to your guests in the best way possible, we have asked some of our dear hospitality representatives to share a few tips.

Everything starts with training; staff are at the heart of every bar, and there is nothing more important than making sure that every member is equipped for anything coming their way. This goes beyond general training as hosting events often means you will be working alongside a client or partner that has a precise idea in mind – which you need to take into account.

Director at Spirit Lab, Emanuele Mancini, starts with the very best techniques to ensure you are able to meet your client or partner’s needs: “Obviously, it depends on the size and scope of the event. First and foremost, make sure to gather a clear brief from the client and have a mutual understanding of what and how you are going to give as a provider; underpromise to over-deliver in order to exceed expectations.”

Once you have done that, it’s time to think about your staff – preparation is key! Emanuele explains that those members who will be present on the day must be briefed accordingly and should be aware of the game plan; everybody should know their role and duties, and how to minimise or handle issues if they occur.

Emanuele adds: “Managers and supervisors should be constantly on alert in order to spot staff if they encounter any difficulty, so to facilitate their service, link the departments and manage client requests. Make sure you are prepared and that you know the programme for the night; don’t leave any stone unturned and plan ahead, from the type of glassware to the timing between dishes if you are offering dinner.

“Most of all,” he concludes “ensure your staff are able to work under pressure and train them to be calm, to be team players, to be proactive, work in harmony, always stick together… and, of course, have fun!”

Having a designated events team who intimately understand the venue and have ideally worked within the service is another effective way to face the intimidating thought of being a host. Understanding what the space can and cannot do, which items on the menu work best for larger parties and how various requests would affect the running of the services are all elements to consider when briefing your staff.

Coral Anderson, Operations Manager at Swift, says: “Firstly, consider who your audience is. If it is B2B, ensuring highquality AV equipment and simple packages are appreciated. If you are, catering to occasions such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, more options within packages and the ability to decorate the venue itself are of higher priority.”

As a bonus tip, she suggests it might be a good idea to reach out to those who you have worked with previously and find out what worked well for them. What’s more, professional photography and a bespoke offering for different types of events and group sizes are something that will surely make your venue stand out as it shows a willingness to go the extra mile in any situation.

Secondly, you have to consider whether you are the right fit for the client; Coral says: “We are setting ourselves up for failure or complaints by selling ourselves incorrectly. For example, if a client wants extensive AV capability but your venue does not offer the correct layout for it to be visible throughout, you might need to pass on the booking.”

Lastly, on managing your staff, Coral explains that there will be more work to do during set-up and close which require additional staff, so you must ensure to plan ahead in order to avoid a surplus during service time.

We have seen that it is a common denominator to ensure you have the capability to host certain events, and the ability to recognise otherwise if necessary.

Chris Tanner, General Manager at Silverleaf, says: “I think the most crucial thing is to work within your limits. Events and activations come in all sizes, so don’t over-reach and make sure that, no matter the scale, you can pull it off as seamlessly as possible.”

He explains that the number one rule is, of course, to be prepared, and comprehensive knowledge of your space is crucial – including what works best for your venue and guests alike. Chris gives us a very concrete example based on playing around with layout and logistics according to the situation: “Silverleaf is a beautiful but fragile space, however, we found that we had enough magnetic surfaces that we are able to adapt and transform the room for our client’s needs by using some strong magnetic hooks.

“Over the last 10 months, this has meant we have been able to create an underwater environment and even turn it into a Japanese Izakaya complete with neon signs and paper lamps.”

The power of adapting and tailoring your offering to achieve what your client truly wants shows an eagerness to execute the job perfectly and therefore will make you stand out from the competition. In addition, Chris explains that it is vital to know what you and your team are capable of and set goals ahead of speaking with the client: “Always whole-arse, never half-arse! Make sure you have clear lines of communication between yourselves and a representative for the client and try to minimise those points of contact to avoid confusion.

“In my experience, it’s always frustrating when there are too many people involved in the decision-making process.”

It is important to trust your staff, ensure that everyone has a clear idea of what their role is and that everyone knows who the key clients and their representatives are ahead of time.

The team at Silverleaf have a clear idea of who they work with and what they do, making it much easier to put together events that suit their guests.

Chris adds: “I believe it’s critical to identify the kind of client you want and not diminish the branding too much. This is important to us since we are open to the public as a bar and, as such, we have to act as collaborators and not just the owners of the space, putting together great parties that show Silverleaf and our clients at their best.”

Events are valuable potential revenue streams for bars, so you must work towards getting it right. Luckily, we are in the 21st century, which means we have plenty of technology to help with that. Trusted tech expert company Zonal shares insights on how technology platforms allow venue operators to meet expectations effortlessly.

Booking platforms are the way to go to make sure you are well-prepared ahead of the event. Olivia FitzGerald, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, explains that ‘it’s vital that any potential guests have full visibility of venue availability in real time, 24/7’.

She comments: “Technology that can deliver is key. Event booking systems enable you to specify the areas within your venue that can accommodate large groups and make those available for customers to book online. Giving customers this realtime, full visibility of available areas means enquiries and website searches can be converted into confirmed bookings with minimal effort from either side.”

Olivia recommends that systems should also be set up to take a deposit at this early stage to avoid the dreaded no-show –which would be of a much bigger impact in view of a special occasion as you wouldn’t be able to market the offering to other customers in time to fill that vacancy.

She also suggests featuring special offers on the booking platform, meaning that operators can capitalise on the occasion and entice customers: “Welcome drinks on arrival, celebration cakes, decorations or bottles of fizz, to name just a few ideas, are all valuable revenue drivers. For those who don’t take the bait at this stage, the system can then send automatic prompts and offers from the time of booking up until the day of the event itself.”

Once a booking is secure, it’s time to organise yourself for catering. A great way to get the perfect idea of what you’ll need is to ask guests to pre-order food and drinks; this takes away a lot of stress, meaning that your team will be able to completely focus on the night without any surprises.

Olivia says: “Within an integrated booking system, pre-ordering will give realtime information to staff, helping operators plan an inventory well ahead of the event. This means no more worrying if the kitchen can cope with a flurry of identical orders, or panicked staff because they have run out of a key dish.”

Alleviating pressure on staff is sometimes underrated or even forgotten as a secondary need. however, think about it; if your team is at their best, your event will reflect that and be a great success. This means that they will be efficient and you’ll be able to guarantee high-quality service at all times during the event – which favours guest satisfaction and in turn drives footfall.

Olivia explains: “All the enquiries, booking information and guest communications are stored in one convenient place, saving time and reducing the risk of mistakes being made. Kitchen teams can be confident they have the right orders, for the right numbers, at the right time, and that they have the correct amount of ingredients in stock on the night.

“On the customer side,” she continues, “event planning and booking tech give each guest access and the ability to check event details, pre-order food and drink and make amends. This reduces the burden on both the event organiser and operators, as well as removing the stress of last-minute changes or the danger of changes that are missed or not communicated properly.”

There’s no doubt that while events are a valuable revenue stream, they are also a complicated business with large numbers, many moving parts and demanding guests. Customer expectations are never higher than when celebrating special events and so the pressure is on teams to deliver. However, with the advice our experts have provided we hope your next event will be a tiny bit easier – and a lot more successful!