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Events Management

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This unit applies to individuals managing events in any industry context, but it is particularly relevant to the cultural, community, hospitality, sporting and tourism sectors.



Prepare For On-Site Management

It involves meeting the needs of the event participants or performers. These may be exhibitors, athletes, speakers, players or talent. The customers may include the audience, spectators, visitors, ticket holders, delegates or media.The organizer needs to develop plans and procedures for on-site management based on an assessment of overall event requirements and to collate materials to facilitate effective on-site management.



Travel and Accommodation Arrangements

Speakers, athletes and entertainers sometimes come from distant locations and their travel arrangements need to be organized, allowing for sufficient time for delays or missed connections. It would be most embarrassing for the event manager if the star of the show was still at the airport once the audience was seated. Accommodation bookings during a peak festival period are hard to come by and the performers need the best of these offerings, as close to the event venue as possible. Most major performers and players travel with a lot of equipment, some of which is potentially unsuitable for use with local electrical and other services, thus presenting further logistical challenges.



Technical RequirementMeeting technical specifications for technological and other equipment is another aspects of services management. The event manager generally has the role of organizing all technical elements, including design, scheduling, staging, sound, lighting, audio visual, entertainment and décor for the production aspects of the event. The stage is replaced by the field of play for a sporting competition and there are quite different specifications for the preparation of football fields and race tracks. In most cases, sporting venues are specialists in this area. The bigger challenges occur when a sporting stadium is used for a music event or other untested event.



AccreditationAccreditation badges limit access to various parts of an event site. For major events it is quite common for staff to undergo police security checks and for them to wear photo identification on the lanyard. Once the system is in place, it is then necessary to post a security guard or volunteer at each entry to a zone.



Bump – In and RehearsalThe bump-in and rehearsal process for performers (singers, speakers) or participants (athletes, cheerleader, etc.) needs to be as smooth as possible, so that these participants can give their best performance. This is scheduled and run by the production team. All participants need to be briefed on their rehearsal schedules and the event program. The event is usually “called” by the event producer and the stage manager executes these instructions, making sure people appear on stage at a correct time. All production elements need to be run on cue, including lighting, sound and visuals. A green room or change room should be provided for the performers.



Security

Security staff play a role in both areas of the event, behind the stage area and on front house (FOH). Protecting talent, sponsors, VIPs and dignitaries is essential and once again accreditation processes come into play. Security also acts at the interface between the stage or field and the audience, watching for crowd-related problems. A security plan, which links with an emergency plan, is developed by the event manager in conjunction with venue/site management, security management and local authorities such as police, fire brigade and ambulance services.



Booking and Ticketing

Most tickets to larger events are sold on the internet or through ticketing agencies, bringing a whole range of efficiencies to booking and allocating. A streamlined booking process is absolutely essential for all events, both commercial and not-for-profit.



Registration/ Entry

With the advent of remote scanning devices, runners can now wear microchips that have their identity code and finishing time recorded as they pass the start and finish line.

For events such as exhibitions where visitors either register to pay, this process must be carefully planned to avoid delays and frustration. Where visitors register, the data to be collected must be agreed with the client.



USHERING

Security staff, volunteers and ushers all have the role of greeting visitors to an event, and they play an important role in customer service.



FUNCTIONAL AREAS

While the division of responsibilities, into different functional area has been discussed in previous chapter, it is useful to review the roles of these area, know in most other businesses as department. Each of these functional areas develops its own policies, procedures and performance standards.



PROCUREMENT AND STORES

• This area is responsible for purchasing, storage and distribution of all products required for the event. Such item may include radios, computers, sound equipment and drapes, and these are often hired from specialist suppliers.

• One of the main roles for this functional area during an event is the supply of event merchandise to the sales outlets.



MARKETING

• In the lead-up to an event, this functional area is responsible for the overall strategy for product, pricing and promotion. As the event draws near, image, sponsor liaison and sales promotion become priorities.



TICKETING

• The ticketing area looks after ticketing in the lead-up to an event and during the event. In some cases this function is managed by the local tourism information office in other cases, tickets are sold by charitable organization. For most profit making events, the ticketing function is managed wholly by a major ticketing organization.



REGISTRATION

• Most sporting events and exhibitions, particularly those with large numbers of participants or visitors, need a functional area to manage the registration of participants in the race or other event. This involves completion and processing of relevant forms by participants, as well as acknowledgement that participation is at their own risk.



MERCHANDISING

• The merchandising area is responsible for the sale of merchandise, ranging from caps and posters to CDs and DVDs. The range is frequently extensive and is sometimes advertised on the internet. Merchandising is usually subcontracted to one or more firms.



FINANCE

• As the event draws near, the main concern of this functional area is to maintain control processes, minimize expenditure and manage cash during the event.



LEGAL

• In most cases, legal advice is sought before the event and it is only with very large events that a specific functional area is established to cover this role



TECHNOLOGY

• Networks linking different reporting systems can be developed to include those for sales of tickets and merchandise, registration of attendees and athletes, and recording of results, as well managing rosters and payroll



MEDIA

• This function area deals directly with the media, and during an event it needs to be constantly informed of progress. If a negative incident should occur, it is the unit the writes the press releases and briefs the press. it also manages media interviews with the stars or athletes.



Community Relations

This functional area is only represented when there is significant community involvement, for example, at non-profit events or those with a social or environmental impact.



Staffing

• As the event approaches, the staffing area looks after training, uniforms, rosters and other schedules, and staff meal vouchers. Recognition of their efforts is needed to ensure that all are retained to the end of the event, particularly if the event runs over several days and fatigue is factor.



Services & Information

• The provision of the guest services & information to the event audience is obviously at its peak during the event, requiring staff to be extremely knowledgeable and resourceful. Most large event venues and sites can be confusing to the audience, so a clear traffic flow for ingress and egress, as well as routes, areas and facilities, should be planned with clear sign-posting.



Cleaning & Waste Management

• Very often this function rests with venue staff who undertake cleaning as a routine operation before, during and after an event. For larger events, such as street festivals, the local council may ask current contractors to expand their role for the period of the festival.



Catering

• Venue catering is outsourced to a catering company and there are is generally a long-standing contract in place with that company. Sometimes, however, a decision needs to be made as to whether to employ one caterer to take on this role of several caterers, each offering different types of cuisine or beverages. Most often organizers leave this area to catering professionals. A food and beverage manager is often employed to oversee this aspect for complex events.



Venue Operations

• The management of the venue, in particular the operation of facilities and equipment, maintenance and the like, is the responsibility of the venue team. Health, safety and emergencies are the key areas of concern of this functional area.



Production

• Matthews (2008) points out that the term ‘event producer’ can be used interchangeably with a ‘event manager’; however, ‘producer’ generally refers to the role of coordinating and executing the technical side of the event: the production. This team usually comprises several specialist staging contractors.



Sports Operations

• All aspects of a sporting competition, including results management and award ceremonies are managed by sports operations.



Medical

• The medical functional area provides first aid to both attendees/spectators and performers/athletes. In some cases, this area is responsible for drug testing.



Monitor Event Operations

Murphy’s laws says that if something can go wrong it will! Here are some things that can go wrong, and have gone wrong, in the event business:



All volunteer contact details & rosters are accidentally deleted two days before the event.

The sprinkler come on during an outdoor cocktail party. The speaker is so short she cannot be seen behind the

lectern. There is no accessible toilet for someone in a wheelchair. Fans find their way into the VIP area. Beer runs out. Children vomit in public. The ATM is stolen. The seat numbers are so faint they can’t be read. The prawns are left out overnight. The toilets get blocked.



• The event manager’s role is to monitor event operations through observation and appropriate communication and control mechanism and to identify and analyze operational problems, such as the need for additional services, as they arise and take prompt action to address them.



If all reasonable ‘what if’ questions have been answered, then there will be fewer problems to deal with. Common deficiencies and discrepancies for business events may include:

incorrect room set-ups incorrect staging faulty or unavailable technical equipment lack of equipment to manage displays and

signage shortage of food and beverage insufficient or dirty toilets inappropriate space in registration areas.



Of these, the importance of sufficient food and beverage promptly served cannot be overstated. Nothing upsets a business client more than a long queue that leads to an almost empty banquet table.



Oversee Event BreakdownWhen the event is over, the event manager has to ensure that event breakdown (bump-out) is completed according to contractual arrangements. This may involve supervising packing and removal of items (not before the audience leaves) and liaising with venue and site personnel to check the site before leaving, particularly making sure that everything has been turned off, lost property logged and a full inspection of any damage conducted. It may be necessary to debrief operational staff and contractors, with a view to future operational and service improvements. For major events, the legal team is the last to leave the building as they have to deal with outstanding issues such as claims for compensation.


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