BEM - Venue-finding, logistics and ambience

Lim Sei Kee @ cK

The preparation and development phase and the planning process often run hand in hand.

At the point where the event is starting to be implemented:

The number of people and the quantity of resources involved ⬆

The pace of preparation and development ⬆

Introduction

Different types of events will require different support functions, which can be supplied directly by the organizers or contracted out.

The logistics ensure that all items arrive in time for the event, in their proper place, in good condition, and in the style or format they were ordered.

Key requirements:

location of the event, the range of potential venues available, ease of access, the ability to ensure that all the necessary

items of equipment, resources, personnel and visitors can get to the venue easily.

Finding the venue

Logistics are important to events because of the need to concentrate resources on a particular location for a particular time.

In logistics terms, suppliers are not simply products and services; they also include the flow of customers and customer services.

Venue finding:

What location is required? (the objectives of the event)

What are the available venues within that location?

(any criteria that were set up about selection in the screening process)

National sales exhibition: large and central to the whole country

Town carnival: Several locations in the town, as well as

suitable areas for the assembly and dispersal of the carnival procession.

For example

Visits should be arranged via venue managers, or for larger sites, the venue sales team.

It is important for organizers to make out a list of questions to ask each venue before going, in addition to a checklist of criteria.

Site visits

The first impression an organizer gets may well be the same that visitors and guests get.

What does the site look like? What are its surroundings? What can be heard: is it quiet, noisy, good

acoustics? Are the toilets clean and fresh? Do the furnishings and equipments feel clean?

First impressions are important!

Make sure you see all the areas your visitors will use, not only the main room, site, arena or hall, but also the entrances, corridors, car parks, toilets and food service areas.

All these are indicators of an active and capable management at the venue.

Venue √ Major licensing and official preparation

activities.

The logistics officer has to be conscious of those event activities that have the longest lead times and that have to be dealt with first.

A logistics plan, showing the various needs and plotting them into order, have to be prepared.

Logistics

It is useful to recognize that the nearer the event deadline, the less able one is to make big changes without having to expend enormous amounts of money and effort.

What to do?

Good communications.

Many forms of communication: briefings about plans, the event programme, the emergency procedures, etc.

An event production schedule.

A list of activities that the event involves, in time order.

The schedule should be as detailed as possible for events where timing issues are essential to a positive outcome.

State who is responsible for the given timed activities and what methods are to be used to carry them out.

An event production schedule

Supplies, transport and distribution Catering Technical facilities Backdrop and staging Lighting Sound and communications Amenities and cleaning

Logistics

Logistics is the discipline of planning and organizing the flow of goods, equipment and people to their point of use.

Activities: ticketing and enquiries, arrival and departure of visitors, the flow of people, equipment, suppliers,

artists and crew.

Logistics – Supplies, transport and distribution

Supplies can be ordered and deliveries checked, usually at a central arrival point, and the supplies distributed as required to the parts of the site where they are needed.

For a large event such as an International Air Show, the logistic task is huge.

Many companies will be involved and the integration of the whole operation will be a significant task.

Pre-planningDetailed planning and orderingSite set-upPublic openingSite restoration

Having found a caterer

Questions: The number of people The refreshment times The budget The visitors themselves

Logistics – Catering

The layout for café or buffet-type service needs to be given careful thought.

In an unfamiliar situation, people will naturally lining up in queues.

Queues at catering outlets can be relieved by having smaller outlets that deal only in drinks and small food.

Finger buffet – guests normally stand Fork buffet – guests normally sit

It will take the average diner 20 seconds to load his/her plate – multiply that up by the number of people and you will understand why more than one buffet flow is needed!

Normal buffet service ratio: 1 to 30 diners.

Buffet are popular at events

Menu composition and the range of food provided is significant not only in terms of the menu, but also in terms of what is within a venue’s capabilities.

What are our potential visitors like? What are their demographics? What are their most popular styles of

eating?

Specialist organization Large national operations with many contracts Small individual caterers Ad hoc business

Advantages? Organizers do not need to concern themselves

with the technicalities of food and drink provision. Only act as a link between client and the caterers.

Alternatives?

Certain loss of control A contract caterer interested in cutting costs

may have no incentive to provide a quality service

Loss of flexibility Contracts may be badly written, ignoring a

wide range of needs, some of which may only occur occasionally but are vital.

Disadvantages

The number of visitors attending and expected to eat may not be the same. Eg. A summer evening open air concert.

A deadline must be enforced for bookings.

The time of refreshments should also be checked between the organizers and the caterers on the day.

Event dining often relies on casual staff, even on volunteers.

Such staff may have limited food preparation knowledge, or poor hygiene training.

Briefing is needed. Service about the food, drink, whom to serve first, how to look around for diners trying to attract attention.

Common weaknesses in event dining

Indoor event caterers: Poorly cooked food, indifferent service and

poorly presented staff.

Outdoor event caterers: No main services, electricity, drainage, etc.

to having to bring in fresh food in chiller lorries, or even having no proper access to muddy fields.

Problems

A guest discover there is no salt pot Demand one Staff go to wash-up area to get one Search for, was, dry, and fill a fresh salt pot ‘Special’ salt pot

In the meantime, the rhythm if service for the whole function will have been destroyed.

‘Salt pot’ Syndrome

Technical facilitiesBackdrop and stagingLightingSound and communicationsAmenities and cleaning

Logistics

Submit your presentation slides ASAP.

If we are not meeting next week (July 18th), Next meeting: AUGUST 8th (Friday)

Happy advanced holidays!

Have a fruitful one!

No exercise for today!