Event planner's distress with inquiries & bookings

It is well known how event planners today find the right venue for their meeting or event: The majority rely on personal recommendations, use search engines and study the company websites of event venues and hotels.

Presenting all event spaces, catering options and event services perfectly online is therefore not a “nice to have”, but a must. But is a pretty website enough?

Event planners expect to find exactly the information online that they need at that specific moment for their individual event planning. Digital impatience is omnipresent - those who are used to ordering on the Internet now and having it delivered immediately afterwards don't want to be slowed down. Event planners expect to receive all relevant facts immediately.

Customers expect to receive products and services immediately - now is the new normal.

^{Source: think with Google | "Micro-Moments Now: Why expectations for 'right now' are on the rise", August 2017}

Meeting and event providers need to look through the eyes of event planners - and understand what users (customers) expect on their website. Event planners form their opinion online as to whether a venue is the right partner for their event. They expect “instant” information. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The price and the location itself are decisive factors when choosing an event venue. But that is by no means everything - the overall package has to be right.

Does the event planner only receive a generic 08/15 quote? Is the calculation transparent and accurate? Are hidden costs to be expected that only show up in the final invoice? Does the provider prove that he really wants the event and does he seriously consider the individual requirements of the event planner?

The number of event inquiries is constantly increasing - yet event planners want their inquiries to be taken particularly seriously. An irresolvable contradiction?
 

Questions without answers

Event planners rightly expect the hotel or venue provider to deal with all their questions. However, over a third of event planners complain that they do not receive answers to everything.

Providers who deal with all the details in a qualified and professional manner and clarify open questions promptly have a clear advantage here. The quality of the booking process is a decisive factor for event planners.
 

Do the math, please

Event calculations can be complex: many individual items, different calculation methods, dynamic pricing and, last but not least, different tax rates.

Almost a quarter of event planners demand more precise calculations and more transparency in the quoting process. Hidden costs are one of the biggest annoyances for event planners. What does the event cost in total - and are the quoted prices actually gross or net? Even simple questions remain unanswered in many event quotes.
 

Tomorrow was yesterday

Whether you like it or not, speed wins. If event planners want a quote at short notice, you can complain about the rush. Or be efficient enough to respond reliably. Response times of 24 hours are a thing of the past.

When over 20% of event planners complain that venues do not meet deadlines, action must be taken. After all, event planners are also digitally impatient - and believe that hotels and event venues can improve their bidding processes here.

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