When you are commemorating a special occasion, celebrating achievement, organizing a trade show, or holding a conference – events involving many people, branding, and with a lot at stake – you need to be surefooted in your event planning.

Now, consider these:

Guests have arrived and, as soon as the principal speaker has uttered the very first words, there is a power cut. Backup power not planned (who thinks of power cuts these days?). – Budget exceeded.

Delicious spread on the table, with the cake taking the pride of place. Everyone is eagerly waiting for a slice. Eggless variant is yet to arrive. – Poor scheduling.

A 7-minute walk from vehicle parking to reception hall. The sky has been overcast and it starts pouring. Sheltered commute not in place. – Dissatisfied customers.

These are real scenarios. What can happen, often does happen! Now, most of the commonly experienced problems linked to managing events broadly relate to planning, communication, and managing the event team. So, what are the common issues and how can we adequately address them? Let’s see.

There is nothing like over-planning – think of everything from all possible angles and be prepared to handle every situation. Keep a bird’s eye view of things, while you get into the minutiae, the finer points, the detailing. Never lose perspective. From top to bottom, to the last detail: from venue, invitations, and food to equipment and entertainment. A detailed event schedule is most useful, keeping in mind you have adequate time to move from one item to the next.

Before the D-Day, there will be changes in your plan. It is a given. Important changes directly impact the budget and timeline. Think of a convenient tracking mechanism: assess impact on overall cost, review timeline, record changes, and communicate to stakeholders (team members and guests, including customers, clients, and partners).
You have the plan, right? Then try and stick to the plan. Many issues arise when one overlooks the roadmap, drawn up over many cups of coffee and late nights! The plan becomes invaluable to tackle last minute issues, missing items, and, importantly, budget shortfall. Think of an event planner: plot tasks, list activities, set down a timetable, select people suiting the work at hand, note down important contact numbers, and so on.
Communicate at all times. As they say, what can happen, often does happen. In spite of the best laid plans, things go awry. And, it becomes too late to save the situation. Surprise? Disbelief? Regret? Frustration? Disappointment? Emotions tumble over, one following the other. Try and develop a risk assessment tool early on at the planning stage to avoid hitting a wall later on and feeling bad all over. Use the risk assessment tool to identify factors that can impact budget and timeline, look at issues which can adversely affect your company’s brand image, and figure out ways to tone down risks.

Assign jobs to people best suited to the work at hand. Selecting the workgroup is critical to holding an event. There is always more to be done to adequately address this crucial pillar on which success of the event rests. Different aspects of an event demand varied skill sets from the team members. Think of a detailed workforce plan: include in-house people, vendors, and outsourced help, assess all members at the outset, understand skills, review workloads, and assign work.

Planning an event is serious business, especially if it involves a large group comprising your customers, clients, partners, and company employees. Without an experienced event management company leading from the front, the entire process can be dogged by problems at every turn. So it is absolutely imperative to select an experienced (not in terms of years, but in terms of proven track record) event manager – one who understands the requirements of the organizers and the needs of the guests, invitees, or attendees. A vendor who can effectively plan and ably execute; one who can handle risks and mitigate panic situations (if they arise!).

Good to assess problems and look at possible solutions. Essential to locate dependable event management companies and vendors. But where to look for them?

The answer lies in Flikeve, a resourceful online pendant lighting hub that brings search, explore, and select functions to your fingertips! With Flikeve, you can now plan your music concert, family day, product launch, or wedding – a range of personal, public, and corporate / business events – with ease. Catering to a range of needs, budgets, and styles, Flikeve offers a unique, personalized, do-it-yourself experience.