You have the meeting location, dates, and speakers lined up. Phew! Now onto the more intricate part of the meeting planning process, selecting ground transportation, choosing the caterer, renting audio visual equipment, and so on and so on. How do you know the good vendors from the bad ones? The best thing to do is ask around in the industry and get credible references.
Here are 5 great questions to ask those references that can make you more comfortable in the selection process.
Did the Rental Company Anticipate Your Needs?
Did the vendor do everything you asked of them…and more? How educated are they in the meetings and events industry? Do they have a wide network, in case you need more help?
Taking orders is a thing of the past. Meeting planners need partners that can ask the right questions and anticipate their needs. Offering creative solutions to their problems creates value and makes you look good to the client
Did the Team have Critical Thinking Skills?
Was the rental company asking thoughtful questions or are they just handling the logistics? Were they asking a lot of questions and drilling down for more information? Did they challenge the current way of doing things — offering better, well thoughtful ideas?
Critical thinkers question everything and offer good alternatives. In addition, they handle crisis and manage problems calmly with a well thought out plan.
Were They Aligned with You, the Planner?
Was there open communication and trust with this partner? Did the event rental service companies understand what a great attendee experience is all about or were they just there to set up and tear down the equipment? Are they a team player?
Look for a partner that will bring tough issues to your attention, even when they would rather not. How did they work with the rest of the vendors? Did they pitch in when needed?
Did They Learn from Event Mistakes?
Were they open or defensive to honest feedback? Failure actually breeds success, but only if it is corrected in a timely fashion. Truly professional partners realize it is less about them and more about getting it right.
A great event partner doesn't get defensive and they don't play the blame game. Their only goal is to get the event right and make sure that mistake don't occur in future events.
Did They Have The Right Stuff?
Did this event meeting services company provide the right equipment, people, and process to make your event run smoothly? It isn't just about linens, food, or the set up the PowerPoint presentation equipment. It's much more than that…its the people that put on the linens, serve the food, and setup, test, support, and integrate the AV equipment.
AV Event Solutions, provides the right equipment, people, and process to make your event really shine! Give them a call today to learn more about their interactive technology tool rentals and project management team.
