Stephanie Selesnick looks at solutions for venues feeling the post-Covid workforce squeeze
The hospitality business’s challenge in rehiring its workforce is real. Most exhibition venues and hotels are doing more with less. Many workers are new to the job, including banquet managers. After working onsite at some shows the past couple of months, it’s been my experience that most venues can handle communicating to workers or communicating with organisers, but not both.
If your show is new to a venue, your team and budget have probably painfully experienced working with those new in their jobs as well. Conversations had about delivery changes are not communicated to those executing the plan. Or if your show decides to be green and forgo single use water bottles by using water stations, the venue doesn’t communicate optimal locations – then charges you (exorbitantly) to move them.
Some other challenges include the experience of food service workers attempting to deliver food and drinks for a reception on the show floor – two hours prior to the event. That’s especially lovely when there’s alcohol or refrigerated food in the equation.
Or walking a couple of kilometres (a mile) to find a lavatory that’s open during move in or move out. The list goes on, but there’s no need to belabour the point that there has been attrition. Here are a couple of solutions.
- Your pain will be our pain. Inform your customers ahead of the show what post-Covid challenges your venue is dealing with. Organisers and exhibitors are going to experience those shortcomings anyway, so why not be upfront and level with them? Explain you have new hires still getting up to speed, or share you are short-staffed on a Sunday which will affect food service operations or the number of lavatories available for move in.
- Have a city-wide moving in on top of a small conference? Share what and how services and personnel will be impacted. Don’t forget loading dock availabilities for the smaller event.
- Supply a guide for first timers. You and your team know the traffic patterns in the building. Your team knows how things work. Share ways for organisers, exhibitors, and visitors to save money and avoid those budget-busting onsite orders. Special quirks or nuances? Share those too.
- Roll pesky fees into the rental price. The more you help your clients from racking up unnecessary expenses and aggravation, the easier the event will be for everyone on your team – and the easier to rebook the client! Include charges for updating digital signage. Speaker and session changes always happen. Be reasonable. Regularly charge a $50 fee for keys to lock contracted offices or seminar rooms? Add them into the rental price.
Failing to streamline or eliminate annoying costs WILL cost future business. Is charging an extra $1,000 or $2,000 today worth losing future repeat business?
Communicate openly and honestly. It’s your choice to have customers with realistic expectations rather than disappointed and frustrated.
