Last Updated on Apr 1, 2020 by James W
When it’s up to you to organize an event, you of course want it to go as smoothly as possible. However, there are many problems that you can run into, which probably isn’t something you want to hear. However, being prepared for them is essential if you want to run the most spectacular event you can imagine. To help you out, here are some of the most pervasive problems you’ll experience when running events:
Vendor Delays
Vendor delays are a very common problem when running events. It’s important that all vendors are kept in the loop, and that you double check with them on times and availability. It’s not unusual to be told last minute that a vendor has double booked you by accident, so checking and making sure everything is good to go will help you to avoid problems like this. Make sure you call and only use reliable vendors. Once you’ve found a good vendor, it’s a good idea to build a good relationship with them and treat them well, as you’ll be able to use them again in the future. They’ll work harder to make it a good experience for you too.
Not Getting Your Supplies On Time
All events need plenty of supplies to pull things off properly, whether that’s food, decorations, or anything else you may have ordered. Not getting your supplies on time is another big problem many people face. You must check that you’ll get the supplies on time before ordering, or you could end up left in the lurch on your big day. Sometimes, things like this can’t be helped no matter how often you check. It might be the postal service, an accident on the road – you name it, something can happen that slows things down. Be prepared and have a plan B in place incase something does go a little wrong.
Making Sure Everybody Is On The Same Page
As an entertainment or events company, you must make sure that your team are on the same page. In this industry, it’s easy for wires to get crossed, which stops everybody from co-ordinating effectively and actually understand what is supposed to be going on. By just sending texts or using emails to get the word out, you can expect problems to arise in this area. You should find a better way of communicating and making sure everybody is on the same page – there are many systems you can use to help you. It’s worth investing a little if you need the means to keep everybody up to date together.
Failure To Track Changes Properly
Small changes happen all the time, and they can’t always be helped. You should make sure you have an appropriate way of tracking these changes and working out what you’ll do. Changes can happen when it comes to budget, security needed at the event, space, food – just about anything you can think of. Make sure you track these changes so you can effectively alter the event accordingly. It’s a good idea if you have a system for this too, and you do it as soon as you realise something has changed or will change. Don’t leave it too long or it might slip your mind.
Anything That Can Go Wrong, Probably Will
This is Murphy’s law. It isn’t a law that anybody likes, but it’s a law just the same. It’s a very well known law in this industry too – anything that can go wrong, probably will go wrong. You really need to make risk assessments so you can work out what to do in the event something does go wrong. Where are the weak links in your chain? What can you do about them? Make sure you take the time beforehand to do this properly or you’ll end up disappointed.
Not Finding A Skilled Event Manager
Maybe you’re not planning on taking control of this event yourself. You’ll need a skilled event’s manager to work alongside you and help you to get the results you want. Make sure the event manager you find is skilled and has plenty of experience. Having somebody that just wings it working on the front line here will definitely result in issues. By looking at sites such as Poet.co/vertical-integration/ you’ll be able to get some great ideas and tips on what to do.
Rise In Costs
There’s always going to be a rise in costs, even if you’re using the same services you’ve used 1000 times before. Prices go up all the time, so you need to take that into consideration. It isn’t necessarily about finding a different service either, as finding something that costs less will probably cost less for a reason. You may need to work out how to save money on the budget. Taking control of the event budget and knowing where everything is going is a must. Tracking all and any changes in price is imperative to knowing what you’ll do.
It’s All In The Event Planning Process Beforehand
Running a successful event is all in the planning of the event. The further in advance you can plan, the more of a success it’s like to be. But planning months in advance doesn’t guarantee nothing will go wrong, which is why taking the steps as outlined above is still essential. Plan, plan, and plan some more to really make your event stand out.
Now you know what the biggest and most troublesome problems are in events, you can take the steps to stop them from happening. Bear in mind that no matter how tight your own planning and organizational skills are, you can still have things go wrong. Always have a plan B in place for times like these, as you just don’t know what could happen. Don’t worry about it, as this doesn’t help matters. Instead, stay relaxed and do whatever you can to get back on track. Even if all you can do is apologise and learn from it for next time! Leave any of your own tips below. See you soon!
