EVENT PROBLEMS? REACT AT ONCE!
Hurricane, plane delay, absent speaker, sick staff: you do not have to be pessimistic, to know that everything could possibly go wrong during your conference. It does not matter how good you are in planning. Event problems occur frequently. All you can do is keep breathing and be ready with solutions in case they take place. What are the most helpful tools to deal with conference challenges?
STRATEGY IS YOUR SHIELD
Even if you are very experienced, there are some cases that can make you feel helpless. It might be a big issue like an irregular event venue, horrible weather or a fire alert. However, you are usually distracted by a series of minor problems. These tiny issues can become a disaster if they are not handled properly. Nevertheless, if you have good recovery plans and equipment to implement them, you may still be saved by the bell.
You need to remember to be precautious. Prepare a detailed draft check-in list and share it with your team. Each task should be assigned to somebody. Encourage your colleagues to add their own points. You might have forgotten about something essential. Once it is approved, it’s time to send the final document to everybody. Do not forget to ask your staff to report that a given task has been completed. Confirm that all important things are in order. Verify it twice. Yes, your mother was right — stitch in time saves nine.
THE BACKUP PLAN IS YOUR WEAPON
You have prepared a good strategy. What if problems come up anyway? Don’t panic. Your emergency plans are here. You just have to go ahead with them timely. First of all, assume that your attendees may not be aware that something is wrong. That is why, do not draw attention to such incident unless you absolutely have to give a standpoint.
For example, imagine a microphone or a projector breakdown — it may spoil your event. Most venues offer a dedicated support specialist. If you haven’t got one, you should appoint tech champions in your team. They could react quickly and either fix or replace a damaged equipment. It is best to take your own backup devices. You never know when they may come in handy.
Another frequent setback is the agenda change. Let’s assume that one of your speakers has not arrived on time. Try to rearrange the programme. But what if the worst scenario occurs, and your lecturer is not going to make it at all? You should always have a list of potential speakers that can fill in for the absent one. If you have an event app, you can also modify such shifts on its CMS panel. The content will be automatically updated on your participants’ phones. You can also write some news about it and send push-notifications to you attendees.
Speaking of mobiles, do remember to have at least two phones that work. Such devices usually break down suddenly. If you are afraid of losing both of them, download one of the free phone tracker apps. It can save lots of time. Next, you need to delete all unnecessary data. You will need space for conference photos. Your social media channels demand lots of fresh content. Alternately, you can use an in-app photobooth. It can rescue you if your memory is full.
Moreover, you have to plan the delivery of the event materials carefully. They should be on-site at least one day before your conference starts. This will give you just enough time to review and count all items. Remember to provide your staff with guest lists as well. They should study them just like they do with the rest of materials. It will make the check-in smoother.
FINAL TIP THAT MAKES YOU BULLETPROOF
It is not possible to predict and avoid all conference problems. Nevertheless, a successful event manager is definitely the one with backup plans and enough staff to implement them. As we have just shown, it is nice to bring alternative equipment as well. It is so useful when things break down. Don’t forget to choose the right technology above all. The best event apps can help you get rid of all sudden issues and make it work again.
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