Confessions of a corporate event planner

Let’s be honest: even the best jobs aren’t hassle-free 100% of the time. The same goes for being a corporate event planner. While there’s so much to love about this job, there are some aspects that are guaranteed to annoy even the most patient planners in the industry. Curious? Here’s what corporate event planners confess to each other when their clients aren’t within earshot:

Clients have no idea what goes into pulling off successful corporate events

Corporate events are really easy to plan. I mean, how hard could it be? All you need is an interesting speaker, snacks, a bar, and a couple of chairs, right? Wrong. Some clients really have no idea how much planning, preparation, and effort goes into conceptualising and pulling off a smooth, memorable corporate event. For starters, organising ‘a few snacks’ requires ensuring that all attendees’ special dietary needs are catered for, that the canapes aren’t too fiddly or messy, and that the venue’s kitchen is able to handle the menu. The lighting needs to be just right; too harsh and the atmosphere is wrecked, too dim and guests will be squinting at each other through the gloom. So much can go wrong on the technical side, too; we need reliable video equipment, perfect audio, enough power points, and to somehow keep that viper’s pit of cables from becoming a health and safety hazard. Then there’s the RSVPs; how do we ensure a good response to invitations and what’s the best way to collect useful data from guests? That’s not even the tip of the corporate event management iceberg; there’s marketing, audience engagement, waste management, vendor contracts, insurance issues, parking space, and, and, and…the list goes on. So, you can understand why a corporate event planner’s face drops when a client shows up with a demanding event brief, a ridiculously tight lead time, and a tiny budget to boot.

Sometimes we want to throttle event attendees

Any good corporate event planner takes attendee expectations and satisfaction very seriously, and goes out of their way to investigate and act on legitimate complaints. But there’s a particular breed of participant that loves nothing more than to grumble about absolutely anything and everything, and those participants can be the bane of a corporate events planner’s life. For example, attendees who bring extra guests along and are then outraged that extra meals don’t magically appear to feed them, or attendees who complain about the temperature of the venue, the music choice, a slightly-slower-than-lightning-fast WiFi connection, and, best of all, the weather.

Sometimes we just want to go home to bed

The most passionate corporate event planners tend to have a very hands-on approach to event management. That means that they’re personally present at every event they manage. Now imagine this (sadly, quite common) scenario: Your client has come to you at the last minute asking you to pull out all the stops and put together a magical event in just a couple weeks’ time. You’ve worked against the clock, pulled consecutive late nights and early mornings, and consumed enough coffee to kill a horse. On the night, the event goes beautifully, the guests have the time of their lives, and the client is happy. Of course, you’re thrilled. But your smile isn’t 100% genuine, it’s 11PM and the revelry shows no signs of stopping. You’re dead on your feet and you only want one thing: your duvet and 12 straight hours of shut-eye. Long and often unpredictable hours are part and parcel of a being a corporate event planner.

Corporate event planning is one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet

Despite the gripes above, it’s true: most corporate event planners truly love their jobs. The events planning industry is full of smart, creative, upbeat ‘people’s people’ who get a deep sense of satisfaction out of pulling off successful, smooth events that exceed both the client’s and the guests’ expectations. Understanding a client’s needs, coming up with dynamite ideas, and then bringing those ideas to life in a glitch-free event, all while staying within the client’s budget – there’s no better feeling.

TS&A Events provides professional event planning and management services. Contact us to chat about your corporate event planning needs.