A panel of experts at an Eventhuddle session discussed how to keep up with clients’ changing requirements, highlighting corporate social responsibility.
CSR was earmarked as one of the biggest issues, as event agencies and in-house corporate organisers are under scrutiny to do more than just push out a policy document.
“Delegates are much more discerning about corporate social responsibility – which is a big buzz word. The biggest thing clients ask for is about our CSR,” Colin Sayers of Seasoned Events said, during the Eventhuddle expert panel session at International Confex on 27 February.
This also touches on sustainability and plant-based options. Sayers gave the example of a food event he organised for a brewing company, perhaps steroeotyped as being populated by beery, meat-loving men. Not so, says Sayers, when questioned by Kevin Jackson, chair of Eventhuddle.
“They chose the vegan starter and dessert. Not one guest picked up on it.”
The industry is fast-changing, dealing with unexpected crises such as the coronavirus outbreak to the more prosaic challenges of budgets and shrinking timelines.
Event planners are under a great deal of stress, said Alana Buckley, commercial director at KERB Food. “We have to be aware that agencies are under tremendous pressure from their clients,” she said.
“Lead times have just lessened. Previously, we had six to eight months of lead time. Now, we have events confirming for the end of March, so making changes in six weeks - a shorter space of time – which is much more time consuming.”
Another trend that Buckley has noticed is the rise of the apps. “Clients are wanting to give delegates as much information as possible, including pre-event.”
Budgets are always a major player in the event planner’s overall plan. Mark Green, the QE II Centre’s UK business development manager, believes collaboration and communicating with the meeting planner are vital. “Just because budgets have been squeezed doesn’t mean that you give inferior food.” He suggests taking time with planners to make some changes such as a client gala dinner to food stations instead.
However, the client is king in this competitive market. Kieran Hogan-Verdon, assistant manager at Ministry Venues put it bluntly. “With high-end clients, you are going to bend over backwards, or if it’s a repeat customer, you are going to give them a bit more wiggle room.”
