Event Management can be a challenging task to undertake. Even the most experienced event planner can find themselves overloaded while trying to manage large events or managing multiple clients at once. Over the years, we have supported a large number of clients with administrative tasks such as telephone answering, booking reservations, payment processing, e-mail handling and database management. Our activities have focused on supporting the event manager during that crazy weeks before the event took place. But we also have experience in the follow-up task such as event assistance feedback and market research. We have created a list of task for you to consider while planning your next event. You can use it as a checklist or as potential activities to outsource.
Event Management Outsourcer Task List
- Database Management
- FAQ’s support
- Booking and information request
- Send Brochures
- Process Payments
- Send confirmation e-mails and text reminders
- Unexpected event management
- Social Media Event monitoring
- After events – Market Research
All these tasks can be supported by a contact centre team or by a personal assistant. Let’s review them!
Event Management: The importance of an accurate Database
Your contact list will be the first step to plan a successful event. The number of attendees will mark your requirements in relation to the venue and catering needs. Therefore, it is paramount to review your contacts database at an early stage and ensure that you have the right contact details.
Depending on what event you are planning (e.g. event for the press, product launch, employees event, meeting clients, a conference…), your contact list can have thousands of entries. An accurate database with up to date information and a homogenous format will accelerate the task of sending invitations by post or e-mail. You can take different steps to verify this information including phone calls, e-mails or sending a letter. We have experience with all this and more.
Event Management and FAQs
It is just too common to have questions about an event unanswered until the same day of the event. This usually creates unnecessary bottlenecks in registration areas and uncertainty for attendees. Your event website can include a FAQs section; and you can provide additional support by phone, email, chat or social media channels. Each of these channels has its strengths and weaknesses compared to the others in relation to personalisation, response time and ease of access. Talk to us if you need to set up an information support team.
In order to identify your FAQ’s, you should walk in your customer shoes. The best approach is to identify the steps followed in their customer journey using a customer journey plan tool.
Brochure and Information Packs Management
Specific events such as charity and fundraising events sometimes require to send information through the post. Brochure and Information packs need to be personalised, prepared and sent using AnPost (or another courier) in a timely manner. We have experience managing information packs for a large range of businesses including charities, travel agencies, public relations companies…
Check the following sample case study:
Social Media Event Monitoring
Before, during and after the event – attendees can quickly take social media and share their experience with their friends and followers. Social media cannot be considered as ‘just’ a marketing tool anymore. Provide a customer support facility through these channels (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) can increase the attendance to your event and the perception of the same. You can have a team that monitors social media conversations and engage with attendees in real time.
Supporting bookings and information request
With all the information readily available, your customers are ready to book that ticket to your event. There are multiple manners to provide them with the ‘golden’ ticket. We have experience working with event booking pages such as Eventbrite or Ticketmaster. As a team, we guide customers through the buying process and sort any inquiries before they press the ‘buy’ button. Questions may include information about the venue or refund processes.
Payment Process
So, your customer is ready to buy but feeling unsure about the payment process, or having issues with their card. A friendly voice at the other end, can ease them and ensure that payment is smoothly processed. Other inquiries that our team can manage on your behalf include the odd time that the customer has been charged twice or when they want to pay over the phone.
Event Management: tickets confirmation and text reminders
After the ticket has been bought, usually the customer receives an automatic message including their event information. However, issues can arise if the email address has been mis-spelt or they choose a different delivery method (e.g. by post). Our team support this type of inquiries and finds suitable solutions for each case.
Text Reminders and SMS Customer Support
Additionally and depending on the exclusivity of your event, you may wish to send a personalised text message to your attendees. Our contact centre can do this for you. You just need to draft the message and provide us with the list of contacts.
Unexpected event management: last minute cancellations
Cancelling an event is a huge liability. The damage can be increased in attendees are uninformed and payment refunds are not managed timely. Our team has experience with times of crisis similar to this. When events had to be cancelled due to weather alerts or other difficulties faced by the organizers. Here we are to help you when you needed the most.
Event Management and Market Research
Lastly, but not least, it is important to evaluate the success of your event. Capture feedback from your audience and ensure that any suggestions are considered to guarantee the success of the next edition. There are multiple approaches to capture this information including online surveys or a quick phone call. We can assist you with this and more.
Our Experience in Supporting Events
Arema Connect has wide experience in collaborating with event planners and marketing departments in order to support the organization of events, promotional campaigns, and registration of participants. We can provide you with examples of case studies and a detailed proposal. Send us a message and we will get back to you in less than 24 hours.