Event Management Philippines Blog

WATCH the highlights of the 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo!

PBEX

Tuesday, September 27, 2016
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Take care of your happiness first

Customer Experience Management Conference

Monday, September 26, 2016
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What infomercials tell us about Customer Experience?

Customer Experience Management Philippines

Thursday, September 22, 2016
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What today's mobile games tell us about Loyalty and Rewards?

Customer Lovefest

Tuesday, September 20, 2016
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Human Resources in Event Management – The Key to the Event’s Success | Event Management Philippines

Human Resources in Event Management

So you have the plan and you know clearly the event objectives of your clients, so what now?

First thing first, you need the right people to execute the plans that you crafted, without the right people say goodbye to your goal of creating a successful event.

Most of the time, the plan is so detailed, so perfect, but come the “Day of Reckoning” will fail to deliver. And when you go back to the drawing board, you will discover that there is nothing wrong with your plan, the fault lies in having placed wrong and incompetent people in the event operations.

This is the reason why Human Resources Management is important in Event Management.

In Human Resource Management, it is best if you have a department or a lead person that will oversee the human resources in an upcoming event, if you do not have, it is important that you have the skills in human resource management.

Human Resources Management involves the following:

Creation of a Culture of Excellence

Easier said than done, this aspect is something that you monitor and hammer to the minds and heart of your staff. Event Management is a service industry; in this industry “going the extra mile” is the rule rather than the exception. A Culture of Excellence becomes critical in this case.

The company is best communicated by how well the people work with the client.

Talent Development Process

You need to develop your talents. They will be the one that will work hand in hand with your clients. How your people implement to achieve the goals of the event is highly dependent on their competence and capabilities.

As such, training, capacity building, and career paths are some of the important aspect you have to deal with when it comes to talent development process.

Recruitment and Firing

What is your Talent Unique Selling Proposition or Human Resources Value Proposition? This element is very critical in attracting the right people and suppliers to help you achieve and satisfy your clients.

At the same time, I consider my event organization as a basketball team, people that cannot deliver needs to be replaced for a better team member. Having said this, firing is a difficult but a must action that one has to take in order to create a better event management organization.

Competitive Wages and Incentives

Let us face it, people will work for you if they can get what they need from you, and people will work hard for you if they feel that their salaries, wages and incentives are at par with the market or better.

In this aspect, you are like walking on a tightrope located on top of two high buildings, the wind is blowing, your life is at stake, and a wrong step will eventually spell your end.

I am saying, you need to be competitive but at the same time, and most importantly, profitable.

Attract and shower your people with an attractive package, but not to the extent of seeing your company in the red.

Clear Organizational Chart and Job Descriptions

Oftentimes, we cannot harness the potential of a staff because we do not have a clear organizational chart that helps the staff where to seek help and assistance whenever he needs it.

At the same time, he was confused and frustrated, because for him, he is already working hard to achieve goals and expectations, but at the end of the day, he is reprimanded, only because he and you do not see eye-to-eye on what are his job descriptions.

Again, remember, these two are easy to do, but most of the time placed in the drawer or at the dark corners of the office.

So you wanted to have a successful event? You wanted to maximize productivity and profitability; you can by putting a priority in your human resources in your event’s company. There is no one-way to do it. It is a process, but I tell you it is a worth your time and effort if you do it correctly.

Saturday, September 17, 2016
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5 Phases of Event Management for Success | Event Management Philippines

phases of event management

So you want to create a successful event?

It is easy to say, but to ensure that your event is a success may take us one to two whole days to discuss it. At the same time, if you are now putting it into action or implementing the event to reality, you will discover that you will give a lot of blood, sweat and luck in order to reach the success you are dreaming to achieve.

But no worries, one of the ways to ensure that you are halfway to your dream success is to know the five phases of event management.

PHASE 1. RESEARCH

So you are face-to-face with your clients, you signed your event management contract, congratulations! Savor the moment of victory because often times this may be the last time you will be smiling alongside with your clients.

I am not kidding. I have heard, know and see a lot of good beginnings between client and event manager turned to ugly endings.

But of course, you can avoid it.

Research is the phase where you have to discover the overt objectives of the clients and, most importantly, covert objectives.

Clients often go beyond the RFPs (Request for Proposals) or scope of work. The client always infuses their personal desires, albeit you have to uncover it.

This is the reason that in this phase you have to ask the clients a lot of Why? Uncover their vision beyond the papers that was given to you.

Lastly, determine the practicality of the client’s objectives, desires and vision.

PHASE 2. DESIGN

In this phase, you are now asking the clients the theme of the events. You are now mindstorming with clients on possible concepts and flow of the event.

A caveat on this phase, do not lose sight of the objectives that needed to be achieved while designing the event.

The bells and whistles that may sprung during the mindstorming can overwhelm you that you may be carried by the waves of colors of these concepts, taking you away from the very reason why the event exists that is to achieve important objectives.

PHASE 3. PLANNING

In this phase, the budget, venue and timelines should now be finalized.

If the research and design phase are conducted well, there will be no or minor glitches will be encountered in this phase.

I recommend using the ICOM Model in this phase. ICOM stands for Input, Constraints, Output and Methods. Using this framework we can see the different angles of the plan and how the actual event will start and end (I recently wrote an article about the ICOM Model).

Planning is important, but the planning process will give you the edge in making your event a success.

Why?

The plan is organic, meaning some details can change because of unforeseen situations and developments. On the other hand, the planning process is an exercise that allows you to study carefully and meticulously all the details of the event.

As the saying goes, God is in the details – the planning process is the best exercise to be detailed driven.

PHASE 4. COORDINATION

This is the phase where the logistics, manpower and other supplier requirements are finalized and most of the work needed for pre-event are completed.

I use the 3 Cs (Communication, Cooperation and, of course, Coordination) to amplify this phase in my organization.

My adrenaline in this phase is high. Adjustments require creative and fast thinking and decision-making – traits that I acquired and are very fond of because it is a full display of how competent the event manager is.

I call myself the conductor during this phase, as I lead the choir to produce a masterpiece performance that will surely ensure a happy smile on the face of my clients.

PHASE 5. EVALUATION

Surveys and post event assessments are part of this phase. In the ICOM Model it is the comparison between the Input and Output. Taking into account the gaps between the input and output.

In simpler terms, it is like getting a checklist of objectives and expectations that your clients agreed to achieve before the event and ticking each item on the checklist if you have achieved it, and explaining the reasons why you failed to fulfill the items agreed on the checklists.

My advice on the items you failed to fulfill, be honest and explain the reasons why you failed to achieve it.

On this particular matter, I hope that your reasons for failing to achieve it is valid, if not, be prepared to lose the client or worse, be prepared not to get paid and lose a lot of money as a consequence.

So now that you know the five phases of event management, I hope that you will become confident in navigating your events against the different challenges that you will encounter, and in the end, deliver the event that you are expected to manage to where it deserves to be – in the Pantheon of Success.