Hosting an event is hard work. It takes a great deal of organisational skills, a lot of time, so much effort and plenty of patience and resilience. So when you’ve put months of blood, sweat and probably quite a few tears into throwing a great event, the last thing you want is to receive complaints from dissatisfied attendees.
But fear not, because we’ve pulled together a list of some of the most common complaints attendees make so that you can be prepared and cover all bases.
The Food
Whether it’s a wedding, a fundraiser, a networking event or a corporate Christmas party, the food absolutely has to be on point. And whilst there is a degree of taste and personal preference to the issue, there are certainly things you can do to make sure that most people are satisfied with the food.
The best way to satisfy everyone is to have a buffet option so that people can pick and choose what they want. Be sure to have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options as well as options for those with various intolerances. You also need to ensure that the food is fresh (and, if applicable, hot) at all times and the best way to do this is to stagger the servings throughout the event.
Waiting Times
Whether it’s waiting in line at the buffet or twiddling their thumbs waiting for the guest speaker to arrive, event attendees hate hanging around. Keep things moving nicely by having various food stations (or roaming waiters) to avoid lines and carefully crafting an event layout which allows room flow. Make sure you come up with a detailed event schedule beforehand so that things run smoothly and on time.
The best way to make sure that things run smoothly is by hiring local professionals to help. So for example, if your event is based in Sydney, look for event management companies in Sydney who have plenty of local connections and experience. They can help you plan everything and optimise every aspect of your event.
Entertainment
Whether it’s an insightful lecture about environmental sustainability at a business conference or a stand-up session by a famous comedian at a fundraising gala, people want to be wowed by the entertainment or content at your event. When booking guests speakers or entertainers for your event, make sure that they are 100% relevant for the attendees who will be present. For example, there’s no point spending a hefty amount of your budget on a popular boy-band at a high-level business management conference. Likewise, a dry lecture about the future of artificial intelligence in business won’t go down very well at a Christmas fundraiser.
You also need to make sure that the entertainment or guest speakers are well-rehearsed in order to avoid any technical hitches. You should also make sure you have a back-up plan in case of technical issues, last minute cancellations or any other unforeseen problems.
Accessibility
Even the greatest events can leave a bitter taste in the mouth if there are accessibility issues. Even if the entertainment was amazing, the food delicious and the decor delightful, people won’t be happy if they have trouble getting to, from and around the event.
To avoid these kinds of complaints, make sure the event has plenty of parking and is accessible by public transport. If you find a fabulous venue but it’s not close to public transport, then look into providing a shuttle service from the nearest train or bus station. You also need to make sure there’s wheelchair access and plenty of seating available to that people don’t have to stand around for hours.
Conclusion
There are so many things to think about when hosting an event, but by making sure you’ve got some of people’s biggest concerns covered, you’ll already be on your way towards success. If this is your first event, or if you don’t have enough time and energy to do it justice, make sure you enlist a team of professional event managers to make sure everything runs smoothly. Although it will cost you upfront, it will save you time, energy, stress and money in the long run.