There are so many different things that can pop up and make it difficult for an event to progress. It’s hard to make sure that you plan for everything but it is possible to have backups available to cover some bases. Here are some problems that can pop up and six quick fixes that can help your event stay smooth and keep going. Some of these fixes are going to require a bit of thinking ahead but this can help you prepare!
Guest Disagreements
You never know what kind of disagreement guests can have or if they are even going to have an argument. This is a great guide on the ways that you should work with people. The first is to recognize what is going on, the second is to make sure that you respond to the problem and finally, you take the step to resolve the situation.
Catering Issues
You spent countless hours perfecting the menu and ordering from all of the right vendors, carefully tended to the budget, and then the worst thing happens: the vendors don’t arrive or they are caught in traffic and can’t make it on time to deliver the food for hungry guests. What a nightmare!
This part does take some forethought but there’s always pizza, but better yet, there’s always local! You may be able to find a local eatery that can pop out your way quickly with enough food for the entire guest list and then some! Don’t worry, some restaurants are built to handle large waves of food making and can easily handle your order so don’t be afraid to ask around!
Problems With the Audio
As with each of these problems and their fixes, don’t panic. On your team you will need to have someone who understands the inner workins of audio so this does take some preparation. Usually, a DJ has some basic knowledge of sound and how sound streams work, but that’s not every DJ. Having an audio technician on call, or better yet, having a technician set up your audio and test all streams ahead of time to avoid any issues. If you still run into issues, having an audio technician on call is a great way to fix this problem!
Medical Emergencies
The quickest fix for medical emergencies is to have someone used to handling these types of situations as readily available as possible. Guards and security can handle keeping the crowd under control but sometimes it may be up to you to step in while waiting for paramedics to arrive. As an event coordinator it is your responsibility to have people on your team that are able to handle basic first aid and CPR. If something pops up, call them as soon as possible!
Decor Issues
While not life threatening, decor issues can be very irritating and absolutely frustrating especially with all of the work that you put into making sure that everything was taken care of. An experienced event coordinator will always have an array of quick fixes available. Duct tape, bobby pins, sewing pins, sewing kits, and so on are amazing for taking care of quick decor fixes. If you don’t have things like that available, send out your team to ask others working the event or even the people who own the building or venue. More often than not, they have little things here and there, ready to help fix any problems that come up.
Missing Speaker
This one is a hard fix to take on because it takes you stepping out of the background role of event coordinator and stepping into the role of speaker. The quickest fix for a speaker who is suddenly unable to make it or has a flight delay or what have you, is for you to step in. It’s terrifying and you will be flying by the seat of your pants but if you have the speakers notes and a small knack for speaking with people, then you will be just fine!
Bringing it All Together
Keeping an event running smoothly is a challenge no matter what type of event it is, big or small. From birthdays to V.I.P. events there’s always something that can go wrong. These six fixes don’t just help fix the problem but also give you ideas as to what you need to have in an event bag so that you can be ready for everything. The next event that you have, you’ll be ready!
