After reading this chapter, you should be able to :

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:• Apply the five stages of ensuring customer service to an

event.• Identify and explain the different types of meetings and

events and their specific challenges as related to customer service.

• Identify and explain the different types of customers or attendees and their specific challenges as related to customer service.

• Describe how to ensure quality service during pre-event, event, and post-event activities.

CHAPTER 7THE GUEST SERVICE OF EVENTS


Special Pressure from Events

Consider the following:• Nearly everyone is emotionally invested.• This could be a once-in-a-lifetime event for the participants.• Tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars or more will go into

this event.• It is on display for everyone to see.• It typically happens once and cannot be re-done.• People’s health and safety are at risk.• Staff intensely plans for several months to over a year.• All of the work will commence within a few hours to a few

days.• Thousands of variables need to come together.


Chapter Structure

• A structure is given for managing these variables:1. Assess the environment2. Predict outcomes3. Plan success4. Monitor weaknesses5. Assess quality

Photo courtesy of S. Markham.

• If handled with professionalism, planning, and appropriate responses to their needs, the event is likely to be a success.


Assess the Environment

• Types of Meetings– Lecture• Formal, structured, speaker

– Forum• Multiple speakers, moderator, open to question-and-answer

sessions with audience– Retreat• Less formal, typically smaller in size and at a location remote

from business offices, great for planning– Convention• Meeting of delegates, cyclical scheduling, general sessions

for all attendees and breakouts for smaller subgroups, may be in conjunction with exhibition


Assess the Environment (cont’d)

• Types of Meetings (cont’d)– Clinic• Specialized training

– Exhibition• Vendors display, in conjunction with another type of meeting,

built-in audience– Conference• Meeting, typically for specialty area to discuss advances

– Seminar• Smaller groups, leader, work on problems

– Trade show• Vendors display goods and services of a specific trade, open

only to people in that specific trade


Assess the Environment (cont’d)

• Types of Attendees– There are many types of attendees. – Each type has their own special set of needs and

expectations:• Corporate• Associations• General public• Social, military, educational, religious, fraternal

(SMERF)


Applying SWOT to Meetings

• SWOT analysis is another great way of assessing the environment. – Things that you control and the things that you do not– The good and the bad of each– Begin by making a bulleted list within these

categories:• Strengths• Weaknesses• Opportunities• Threats


SWOT -Applied

• What are you offering:– Goods

• Rooms• Pipe and drape (the curtains and their support used for backdrops and

borders)• Food• Beverage• Temperature• Lighting• Audiovisual equipment

– Services• Planning• Support• Information• Advice• Safety

– What gets monitored, gets controlled, and gets improved upon


Predict the Outcomes

• Predict the Outcomes– Mission of the parent company– In the event description– In a theme


Risk Management

• Risk Management1. Identify the Issues2. Identify the Likeliness3. Identify the Potential


Plan Success

• Plan Success• Setting the Expectations– Marketing efforts– Past performances– Word of mouth– Meetings– Location– Price


Setting the Expectations

• Theme• Site selection• Site inspections• Layout• Suppliers• Technicalities• Catering and services• Audience


Setting the Expectations(cont’d)

• Financial plans• Well-established program guidelines from which to work• Meal times• Event times• Free times• Transition times• Regulation compliance• Registration• Confirmations• Badges


Promotions Marketing

• Promotions Marketing– Main communication used to establish expectations and

attract attendees. – Builds anticipation. – What is the product?– Who are the customers?– What are the customers’ needs and expectations? – Once this is established, you can begin to tailor your

promotions campaign to achieve your goals. – The answers are mostly intuitive. – All of your promotions should be geared toward achieving

these goals.


Monitoring Weaknesses

• Attendee Needs– Schedule of events– Special events– Weather and climate– Dress/attire– Lodgings


Monitoring Weaknesses (cont’d)

• Attendee Needs (cont’d)– Dining, special diets– Special needs– Changes– Payment options– Restrooms, floor maps, emergency care– Information about the surrounding area– Transportation– Services offered at property


Working with Volunteers

• Working with Volunteers– Essential to most events– Should be • Seen as co-workers• Given responsibility • Held accountable

– Tell them that you expect:• As much from them as you would from a paid

worker, not less• Enthusiasm/belief in the organization/project/event


Working with Volunteers (cont’d)

• Remember, most patrons don’t realize they are volunteers. – Make positions clear– Make expectations clear– Offer promotions within jobs– Provide support– Given suitable tools or materials– Offer open two-way communication– Treat them with respect


Working with Volunteers (cont’d)

• Give them a token of appreciation– Involve them in a token-reward activity– Remember that volunteers are compensated in other

ways: • Social contact• Feelings of usefulness• Feeling a part of something larger, a camaraderie• Satisfaction in helping an organization they believe in• The opportunity to help in something worthwhile• A token of appreciation


Post Event Services

• Crisis Management Plan (CMP)– A detailed guide describing the procedures in the event

of an emergency.– Assembled with a Crisis Management Team (CMT). • Of trained professionals in all possible areas• Many are on staff• May also be on call• Have a system of communication in place • Have a basic plan for almost anything including


Post Event Services (cont’d)

• Crisis Management Plan (CMP) (cont’d)– Fire– Bomb threat– Evacuation– Catastrophe

• First goal is to reduce the likelihood of crises occurring. – Plan.– Have a back-up plan.– Have a back-up plan for your back-up plan.


Assessing the Quality

• Surveying the Event– Content: What Will Be Assessed?– Mission/purpose statement to check it against?– Who do we need to please?– Was their image upheld?– More than “How was it?”– What are the take-away points from this event?– What were the goals/objectives? Were they met?– Are the sponsors pleased?– Are the guests pleased?– Is the parent organization pleased?


Assessing the Quality (cont’d)

• Population: Who Will Be Assessed?– Potential stakeholders may be:• Attendees• Spouses• Parent organization• Sponsors• Purveyors



• Medium: How Will You Assess It?– It may be a: • Formal, printed survey –Mailed–Filled out electronically –Answered by telephone

• Comment card • On-site portal• Each medium has its own advantages and

disadvantages.



• Medium: How Will You Assess It?– General tips:• Make it easy to complete.• Encourage respondents to complete it.• Consider offering a reward.• Meet and ask prospective survey recipients personally.• Send follow-ups as necessary.• Let them know how and why it counts.• Avoid boilerplate or standard phrases such as “Your

comments are important to us” or “We value your input.” Be original and fitting to the group and the event.



• Interpretation: What Will You Do With It?– When reviewing, consider the following:• Who will look at it?• To whom will it matter?• What went right?• What went wrong?• What is at the root of the problem?• What are the possible costs or damages?• What can you fix?• What will you do differently next time?• What will you do the same next time?• What are the take-away lessons?• What are the immediate actions, or to-do’s as a result?


Discussion Questions

1. Describe why there is special pressure to perform well in events.2. List and briefly describe three different types of meetings or events that

are designed for smaller groups.3. Why is it crucial to identify the importance of an issue when

conducting risk analysis?4. List and describe four ways that you can set the expectations of guests.5. Explain the concept of managing touch points.6. In events, you offer the customer both goods and services. Explain this

concept.7. How might a corporation consider a retreat to be a success?8. What is a CMP?9. What benefits might volunteers receive?10. List three ideas for making volunteers feel appreciated.

Documents

After reading this chapter, you should be able to :