11 what is event management

8/7/2019 11 What is Event Management

1/10

Event management covers

a range of activities involved in

running a small meeting or

seminar right through to an

international conference for up

to 1,000 delegates

In 2007 the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and

Supply (CIPS) produced a guide to buying event

management services with the help of its Event

Services Industry and Procurement Focus Group.

The document stated that the role of procurement

in the management of event services is here to stay,

and their involvement has brought about an increased

level of professionalism and accountability. But at

the same time, it is important that they understand

the category that they are buying, and that by all

parties working together, the business benefits to

all will increase. Event management should be

purchased the same way as commodities with

objectivity, accountability and an established

procurement process.

And yet the leap from meetings to events seems

so small that event management must surely be

the prime candidate for assimilation, deletion, or

extermination. Or, in procurement-speak, the dreaded

consolidation.

In a way, event managers should be flattered. For

procurement to be taking an interest is testimonyto the strides this professional discipline has taken

since, as Fiona Dodds of White & Case puts it,

Event management was born with the chairmans

PA. Traditional event management was about

database management and party planning.

Now, this is a serious profession.

So precisely what is event management?

Event management covers a range of activities

from a small meeting or seminar right through to aninternational conference for up to 1,000 delegates.

What is Event Management?By Terri Godwin

Now that procurement has taken hold of meetings spend in many

companies, what area of expenditure will be next to be wrestled from

the grasp of the independent budget holder?

22

In association with

EDWARDIAN

HBI - Providing meeting & event solutions to the corporate market


2/10

Event management can also include the organisation

of internal parties, corporate hospitality for customers,

small national conferences, exhibitions, sponsorship

and community relations, organising a press

conference or sporting events.

Now I should know a bit about this, having been an

Events Manager for most of my career. In my opinion,

the role of the event manager is to pull together all

elements of an event from concept through to

execution within budget. Whether youre dealing

with an internal or external event you must understand

and identify the event goals, the business objectives,

the requirements of the attendees and, most

importantly, you need to know what the budget is.

In a typical event for, say, 400 delegates, this mightrequire a large meeting area for plenary sessions,

several breakout rooms for smaller groups,

accommodation for all delegates, speakers and

crew members, plus entertainment off site for both

evenings, the second of which is a gala dinner with

an awards ceremony. Not to mention meals

throughout the conference.

As a well-informed event manager youve hopefully

already appointed HBI to help source the meetings

space and manage the accommodation, but you

still need to gather a lot of information before you

can carry out a risk assessment or visit your short

listed venues.

When you do, theres a wealth of criteria to be

assessed in which the venue places little or no part;

how quickly you clear customs and immigration, the

wait for luggage, the number of taxis available, and

the length of time to the venue. If your delegates

need to know, so do you as the Event Manager.

Now youre getting the idea.

Many corporates retain the services of event

management companies, and HBI works closely with

a number of leading providers, as HBI Sales Director

David Taylor explains. In an event you could have

tens or even hundreds of different contributing

suppliers. This is one of the reasons why procurement,

and even internal event managers elect to outsource

to event management companies who then

co-ordinate all these separate strands.

123

Whether youre dealing

with an internal or external

event you must understand

and identify the event goals,

the business objectives,

the requirements of the

attendees

For further information please call HBI - telephone 020 7924 3663 or visit www.hbi.uk.com


3/10

Some larger international events will even require

multiple agency appointments, with perhaps a

logistics agency handling delegate transport and

management; a production specialist looking after the

visual elements of the event and a communications

agency to convey the message of the event to itsaudience.

The CIPS guide to event management identifies

three different models which are routinely adopted

by corporate or association-based buyers in dealing

with the supply chain. The first is Hub & Spoke,

where procurement acts as the former, contracting

directly with each individual supplier. Second is the

Supplier Panel, in which procurement controls each

element of the event through specialist providers in

each of three categories - logistics, communication

and content. In the third single source supplier

procurement outsources every aspect of the event

through a multi-service agency.

There are, of course, exceptions. HBI client Nicola

Handley is Head of Events, Europe at BarclaysGlobal Investors, based in London. Nicolas team is

an internal agency, providing value-added services

ranging from organising dinners to major hospitality

events. What does event management mean in her

experience?

You have to focus on what the objectives are and

measuring the return against those objectives she

replies. We do this by sending out internal surveys

after every event from which we receive feedback.

Its all about relationships.

You have to focus on

what the objectives are

and measuring the return

against those objectives.

Nicola Handley,

Barclays Global

HBI - Providing meeting & event solutions to the corporate market24


4/10

Achieving the objective is the top priority. Creativity

and innovation are very important. A great event

doesnt have to mean a big budget. Barclays Global

Investors and other global asset managers are all

competing for the same business so everyones

clients get a lot of invitations to events.

21st century business life places peoples time at a

premium, so the biggest challenge faced by many

event managers can be getting the right people to

attend, as Nicola Handley attests. For many events,

its hard to get people to give up their valuable time.

Thats why weve had some success with events

where clients can bring their families.

The way in which you invite people is important

too. A quirky invitation can make a huge difference.For example, at a previous company I invited a

group of rugby journalists to a tank-driving event

by sending them each a pair of green wellies.

Every event starts with a venue, and as any event

manager will tell you, picking the right venue is

usually the difference between success and failure of

the event itself. Nicola Handley of Barclays Global:

From a venue I look for flexibility and a can-do

attitude, but they need to know what they are

doing, especially when it comes to health & safety.

I look for integrity, honesty and people who know

what they are talking about in my suppliers. Events

Managers are very savvy about suppliers these

days; for example they know what size of lighting

rig is required for an event. They are also more

professional; event management is a sophisticated

business these days.

If you need any further encouragement to deal withvenues via a specialist like HBI, just consider the

multitude of criteria that your chosen supplier must

meet. Apart from the question of whether the main

meeting room is big enough, are there enough rooms

large enough to accommodate all the breakout

sessions? Is there sufficient bed space for delegates,

crew and speakers? Are the ceilings high enough to

put staging and back projection in for the plenary

sessions? Will you be able to use your preferred

room layouts or will you need to compromise?

I look for integrity, honesty

and people who know what

they are talking about in my

suppliers.Nicola Handley,

Barclays Global

For further information please call HBI - telephone 020 7924 3663 or visit www.hbi.uk.com125


5/10

You need to visit and select venues for the social

events, arrange ground transportation, select caterers,

audition potential entertainers and meet local audio

visual companies. And this is only the beginning of

the event management process.

From the venue side, it is those venue operators who

have tailored their products to the needs of the event

manager who are best positioned to comment.

Radisson Edwardian Hotels has 130 spaces available

at its hotels in London, Heathrow and Manchester for

event of all types, as Director of Sales & Revenue

Lisa Smith explains.

Many of the facilities in Radisson Edwardian hotels

are bespoke. The facilities are unique within London

and this allows the company to compete, not justwith other luxury hotels, but with other non-hotel

meetings space that is one of a kind. The food offering

at Radisson Edwardian is certainly very different to

our competitors because it is devised to meet the

needs of each event. Were very creative with food,

which is one reason we attract special events.

As to why Radisson Edwardian Hotels attract so

many special events, Lisa says we ensure that each

event is bespoke. We look for ways to improve the

function and by making sure that we conduct a

debrief after each event, we learn from our clients

experiences and identify how we might do better for

the next event.

At the end of the day, we aim to build long term

relationships so that suppliers and event managers

alike become ambassadors for Radisson Edwardian

Hotels in the future Smith concludes.

What is An Event?

An Event can be defined as an

offsite (outside of the company

offices) or onsite (on the

companys premises) gathering

for two or more people, either

for internal or external purposes.

This could be in the UK or

overseas.

Source: Chartered Institute of

Purchasing & Supply



6/10

Technology and specifically the internet - is now

playing a much bigger role in event management.

Innovative, electronic invitations are a common feature

of events; a robust delegate registration system is

vital, and no high profile event can afford not to have a

dedicated website to provide delegates with informationabout speakers, travel, session topics and so on.

According to Nicola Handley delegate registration

s the key technology element of meetings. Barclays

Global Investors is developing a global calendar

which will be accessible to all regions when planning

events, but overall there will also be greater automation

of authorisation, planning and evaluation.

Ever-advancing technology can present venues with a

dilemma. What level of AV and presentation technologyshould be provided in house, and how should it be

priced?

Radisson Edwardian Hotels Lisa Smith confirms

her companys strategy. We strive to include cutting

edge technology in our rates. Video conferencing has

re-emerged as a must have for event managers,

now that costs have come down and companies are

focussing more on meetings avoidance as a result of

CSR policies.

In terms of actual facilities its about expecting the

unexpected. For example, Radisson Edwardian

Hotels has venues that are equipped to the highest

standards including, in various locations, surround

sound, digital cinema projectors, 4 channel translation

systems, 35mm film projectors for wide-screen and

cinema-scope productions, interactive audience

response systems, video and audio feeds between

meeting rooms and bedroom suites. Thats a lot of

technology.

The skills set required of the 21st century event

manager is as wide as it is varied. As well as the

expertise in project management, people and logistics,

the event manager must also adept at marketing or

work with someone who is! From creating the logos

for the theme of the event, to producing the website,

documentation, signage and menus; then to deciding

how to publicise the event, creating and issuing the

invitation. All are on the event managers to do list.

Delegate Registration

Systems

Ennect

CVENT

HCUK

Regonline

Bthere

Source: Travel Intelligence Network



7/10

But having identified the various responsibilities and

of event manager, the skills required and some of the

challenges to be overcome, what actually makes a

good event manager? We asked another HBI client

- Jo Walker of global management consultancy

Oliver Wyman.

Good event management is about ensuring the

smooth running of an event from start to finish,

and ensuring that every attendee has a seamless

experience she replies. Value for money is crucial

from the companys point of view, but for the event

attendee its about the quality of that experience.

Event management isnt about working your way

down a checklist.

We started by asserting that procurement hasidentified event services as its next conquest. But

just how interested is procurement in subsuming

events space? As weve seen, commoditising events

will be even harder than it has been for meetings.

And, at the end of the day, is it worth it to even try?

David Taylor of HBI believes, there is evidence that

procurement is beginning to segment event spend

separately to meetings. Event spending is becoming

more sophisticated and procurement are no longer

focusing on the big ticket items.

I believe things will look different in 12 months. The

challenges facing procurement in controlling events

spend are so similar to those affecting meetings

spend that the answer to whether procurement will

subjugate events spend may well lie in the degree

of financial payback which will, inevitably, vary from

company to company.



8/10

The Barriers to Effective Management of Events Spend

1. Lack of senior management focus

Many companies do not know how much they spend on events and it does not appear

to often have the support and focus from senior management

2. Absence of formal guidelines and policies

Only 20% of the companies have an events policy. Events is usually a sub section in

the Travel Policy

3. De-centralised execution without central co-ordination

Without central control and coordination the look, feel and the quality of each event may

vary and there may be no overseeing of all the various contracts being signed by the

people involved.

4. Lack of management information / spend data

Companies cannot accurately report spend, as often the spend falls across a numberof different cost categories.

5. Lack of demand management

Demand management is about reducing consumption or improving the return on investment.

In many cases, there was little or no proven business benefit for the event to be held.

6. Fragmentation of purchasing

Purchasing power is often not leveraged in this category due to the fragmented spend

possibly across fragmented business units.

7. Difficult in measuring effectiveness

Measuring event effectiveness in a meaningful and insightful way can be difficult. Many

post- event survey forms can be about the superficial elements such as the food and the

temperature in the room.

8. Resistance to change

Who controls the meeting budgets can be an emotional issue.

Sources: American Express, AT Kearney, CIPS



9/10

U-SHAPE

Seating around three sides of the room - good for presentations from front

Square layout conducive to discussion

Presentation space in middle of the room

BOARDROOM STYLE (can be adapted to a hollow square layout)

Centrally located table

Classic layout ideal for debate and discussion

Popular for smaller meetings

THEATRE STYLE

Used for product launches, presentations, displays

Used to present to large numbers of delegates

Allows for optimal room occupancy

CLASSROOM STYLE

Used to present to small to medium groups

Delegates (in ones or twos) have own workspace Ideal for testing and individual training

CABARET STYLE (also known as Bistro or Cafe Style)

All delegates facing front-centre on round tables

Large space in the middle of the room

Ideal for small-group work

DINNER/DANCE LAYOUT

Tables around the outside of the room

Dancefloor in central area

Used mostly for weddings and evening entertainment

HBI - Providing meeting & event solutions to the corporate market

Room layouts

30


10/10

Conferences.Think differently.For 700 to 2 people at 13 luxury hotels in London and Manchester. Visit radissonedwardian.com

11 what is event management

Documents