Why a Strong Venue Relationship is Key to Event Success

In my previous role, I was the VP of Catering and Operations at the largest meetings hotel in the Western Hemisphere. Years ago, one of our clients, a big data company, held a multi-property event with most of the meals at our venue. 

I'll never forget that morning at around 10:30 AM when my longtime client called and said, "Gary, I need to see you right away about lunch." I had a gut feeling something was very wrong, so I quickly gathered our Executive Chef, Banquet Chef, Banquet Director, Director of Meeting Services, and Stewarding Director, and we all went to meet with the client. 

The client, a bit surprised but relieved to see the team assembled, explained that they had found an error in a critical report used for attendance calculations. This mistake led to a significant underestimation of lunch, which was scheduled to begin at 11:30 AM. When we asked how significant, the client replied with a staggering number: over 4,000 additional attendees.

The chefs quickly began making calls and strategizing. Ideas were flying, including the client's suggestion to order pizzas for delivery if we allowed it. However, logistically, this wasn't feasible due to distance, production, and delivery constraints. Instead, we decided to pull from future stocks and ongoing F&B preparations. The team mobilized quickly: salads intended for the next day were prepared in under 90 minutes, pasta and sauces already in production were expedited, and Meeting Services set up additional buffets. 

Banquets reworked their plan to load the room, allowing Meeting Services to set up extra tables and buffets behind a curtained section. Stewarding gathered extra chafing dishes and supplies, and another Banquets team dressed the buffets. By adjusting our setup, we bought enough time to have everything ready and seamlessly revealed the additional setup. 

Attendees were never affected by the count increase and everyone was able to have a great lunch.

Mistakes will happen during your event planning and execution, but a solid partnership with your venue has the power to turn challenges into successes.

Let’s explore why you should establish a relationship with your venue before your next event.

Quick Summary

• It's important to develop a strong partnership with your venue. This teamwork helps you handle problems without attendees being aware there was ever an issue in the first place.
• Make sure you have discussions with the right people. Honest and direct communication with high-level venue staff, like Banquet Captains or Directors, is key to solving problems efficiently.
• Trusting your venue's expertise and being flexible in their methodologies can lead to better event outcomes. This allows for a more personalized event experience.

The Importance of a Strong Venue Relationship

The success of your event depends on the strength of your partnerships with all your suppliers. 

Recently, one of our project managers was conducting a site visit at a venue in Phoenix that had taken the initiative to research our client beforehand. 

Noticing that our client primarily works outdoors at a carwash company, the venue thoughtfully suggested extending the event space outside the conference room to make the employees feel more comfortable in their usual work environment. 

Instances like these, even in the early stages of event planning, demonstrate how a strong relationship with a venue can significantly improve the attendee experience.

Mistakes Happen

During the planning or execution of your event, mistakes are inevitable. 

When you have a strong relationship with your supplier or venue, they are more likely to help you bridge the gap and fix issues discreetly. 

The best outcomes happen when problems are solved so seamlessly that attendees never realize anything went wrong. Even better is when your solution turns out to be an improvement over the original plan. This is where the true magic of a strong relationship shines through.

Related: Have you dealt with the headache of attrition fees? Check out our blog on how to better manage event attrition and group room blocks. 

Be Flexible in Your Venue Relationships

You must be flexible when working with your vendors or event suppliers. 

This doesn't mean flexibility in lowering your standards but being open to different methods or a different route to achieve the end goal. Get out of the “it's my way or the highway” mindset. 

Often, we get stuck thinking things must be done our way, but as long as the end result is achieved, flexibility can lead to better outcomes. 

In event management, one of the biggest mistakes is insisting everything be done your way. Instead, trust your venue, collaborate with them, and leverage their methodologies and expertise to meet your event needs. 

If you're certain their approach won't work, collaborate with the venue to develop a joint plan that incorporates their input and mutually agreed-upon execution.

Remain Calm and Professional

When things go wrong, it's essential to remain calm and professional. You should never start yelling at or belittling your suppliers. 

Treat them with kindness and respect, and they will be more inclined to support you when the chips are down. 

This professional and respectful approach is the foundation of a strong, successful partnership.

How to Effectively Communicate with Your Venue

The more information you share with your venue, the better they can respond to your needs. 

For example, having a strong relationship with your venue's Catering Manager and CSM can be the difference between running around searching for support and being able to send a quick text to make sure lunch is set properly.

But make sure you are directly contacting the right people to make things happen. 

• For high-level issues, communicate directly with the Banquet Captain, Director of Banquets, or your CSM and Catering Manager at your venue. 
• Don't place unnecessary stress on a banquet waiter or coffee attendant, when their job is to provide service to your guests.
• When immediate action is required, a text or a call is much more effective than an email.
• In-person conversations can be the best approach for solving more complicated matters.
• Another effective strategy is to create a text chain for a major event, like an Opening Reception, including yourself and key personnel. For example, add your Technical Directors who oversee specific areas of the room, along with your Banquet Captains and Catering Sales Manager. By integrating your team with the venue staff in this way, you can collaborate seamlessly and resolve issues swiftly.

Communicate Issues Early On

Clearly communicate your expectations to your venue to make sure everyone is on the same page during the planning phase. Those involved should be aware of how to meet your standards and what success looks like to your company. 

If your venue isn't performing as expected, address the issues early on so the venue has enough time to make corrections.

The worst approach is to pretend everything is fine during the event and then complain afterward. This helps no one. 

If something isn't right, inform the venue immediately and specify what needs improvement. Complaining behind the scenes doesn't allow anyone to address the issue.

Additionally, it's important to communicate with the right person. Don't vent your frustrations to a banquet waiter; instead, speak directly with your CSM, Director of Catering, or Director of Banquets to resolve the problem effectively.

Customization and Personalization

Does having a good relationship with your venue allow for a more customized event experience? Yes. 

Shannon Fouts, one of our project managers, stresses how important it is to build a good relationship with your venue for a more personalized event. The sooner you connect with the venue, the more time they have to add those special touches. 

For example, before a recent site visit, a venue's CSM asked Shannon about her favorite drinks and snacks. When she arrived, these items were waiting in her room along with a personalized note.

Returning to the same venue repeatedly builds familiarity and trust, enabling more tailored service. By doing so, the venue gets to know your preferences, priorities, and key concerns. 

Related: Want to better personalize your next event? Read our 8 tips for customizing your F&B event menu. 

Cost Benefits and Value-Added Services

These benefits can be difficult to quantify, but a strong relationship with your venue or partner builds a level of trust and commitment to excellence. 

Improving Event Quality and Attendee Experience

When there's mutual respect and a solid partnership, venues are more willing to be flexible, go above and beyond, and offer additional services that improve your event.

For example, we have a great relationship with a venue that understands our client's high food intake needs. Because of this strong partnership, the venue quietly increased food output behind the scenes, ensuring guests were full and satisfied.

Even extra hands on deck during the event can be the difference between an okay experience and an excellent one, which can not only save you money in the long run but increase the likelihood of repeat attendees for next year.

Supplier Negotiations

When in the contract stage of your supplier or vendor negotiations, you must first understand how your suppliers operate and where they generate their revenue. 

While it's important to secure a good deal, it's equally important to ensure your suppliers are making a fair profit. This financial understanding is key for maintaining long-term relationships and ensuring the success of future partnerships. 

Related: Learn about common concessions to ask for in your hotel contract. 

Conclusion

At a recent event in Chicago, our project management team worked closely with the venue’s chef and client, facilitating the creation of a customized menu. The menu was tailored to incorporate the client’s products, comprising 15 menu items and 3 cocktails, something some hotels wouldn’t allow. 

However, because of GoGather’s strong relationship with the venue, they were able to work together to make changes to the menu. At the end of the day, it was a full team effort because it made the experience more special for the attendees.

For a successful event, you must build a strong relationship with your venue through communication, mutual respect, flexibility, and trust. Though often overlooked, nurturing these relationships leads to smoother operations, better problem-solving, and ultimately, more successful events.

Related: Learn more about the event celebration of the company's 220th anniversary.

Ready to Plan Your Next Event?

Need help navigating venue partnerships and supplier relationships? Let’s chat about how GoGather can help you drive more value from your events.