Top 5 things Event Managers Hate
Event management Is a fun and very rewarding job when you see everyone in an event enjoying themselves and having fun however, there are some things that event manages absolutely hate and it’s usually things that are outside of their control, no matter how well they have planned an event.
Drunk patrons
Most of us enjoy a nice drink at the end of a long week and most events do serve alcohol so as an event manager we do plan for these situations where people might have drank too much alcohol but nothing is worse than dealing with drunk rude and intoxicated patrons who simply don’t care. In the world we’re living now, when people drink, people seem to have much more entitlement which leads them to take actions that they normally wouldn’t do when they are sober, such as complaining to staff about frivolous things, be rude to other patrons and in worst case scenarios conduct themselves in a way that might escalate into physical violence and harm towards others. As event managers, we try and prevent drunken disorder by employing methods such as hiring security and having cut off limits for people who have overindulged themselves in alcohol. As event managers we don’t mind people getting a little bit drunk at an event as long as they do so in a safe manner and know when to stop. It becomes frustrating when people don’t know when to stop and infuriating when they jeopardise the safety of others and themselves because it’s completely avoidable and preventable.
Last minute requests
Events aren’t planned overnight they usually take weeks, if not months and sometimes even years to plan in advance so when someone says they need something done now or make a last request minute request on the day for items that are completely unachievable, it is very frustrating on an event manager to try and procure items that could have been procured weeks, if not months in advance. Some of these requests sometimes come from artists, guests and occasionally clients. Event managers seek to obtain everything they need for a successful event to the client’s specifications however, if the client has not conveyed messages or forgot to tell the event manager it can be very frustrating to try and precure items on short notice, when there is so much that the event manager has to do already in the lead up to the day.
Late Suppliers and Contractors
Event schedules, trucking schedules and production schedules, are usually very tight with bigger events and complex events. When suppliers and contractors run late it means that the whole schedule runs late which can lead to further complications down the road. When there is unexpected lateness from staff whether it be due to strikes, laziness or traffic, it can become increasingly frustrating for event managers who have planned to have a supplier or contractor on site on time
Technical issues
Technical issues are a fact of life in events, they are going to happen, no matter how well you plan an event. Faulty cables, faulty equipment and inexperienced staff can lead to technical issues which puts back an entire production schedule and event schedule. Sometimes it’s avoidable, sometimes it’s completely unavoidable, due to the constraints of the venue, the ability of its staff and simply, technology does fail however, as an event manager it still is frustrating when these faults do occur and it puts back a schedule.
Weather
Weather prediction in the 21st century has become extremely good and accurate however, usually you are creating, planning and designing events that happens months if not years which are beyond the weather forecasts. When it gets closer to the event day and it looks like it’s going to rain or be extremely hot, it puts a lot of pressure on event managers to have wet weather policies and increase their facilities to account for extreme hot weather. In the case of the United Kingdom, there always has to be a wet weather policy regardless if you think it is summer. Wet weather can result in you cancelling your event either before or during the event if it is too severe. It also brings forth a whole bunch of additional challenges when planning an event especially when it comes to production, catering and also reaching event objectives. If the event is a public event, it is likely you will have reduced sales of tickets, and no shows to your event.
Ultimately, a lot of issues can be prevented in events by planning ahead and communicating with all suppliers, contractors and clients.
Does this sound like too much to organise with your current schedule, at Arcadia Agency we can help with your event planning needs. Swing us an email at [email protected]