Your vendors can make or mar your events

THE event vendors you choose for your events go a long way to determine the final outcome of your events. It is very necessary you carefully select your vendors based on the objectives of your events.

Some of us research price availability and reviews online, but beyond those tasks, we also survey friends and family — even salespeople – to see what brand, make, model and size they think is the best buy. We tend to be extra careful so we do not make mistakes.

We all do this to a certain extent, I think, when choosing most any large personal purchase, whether they be television, washing machine or car. We do the same as entrepreneurs and managers, making sure we are spending our money wisely.

But there is an area that needs our attention and has the potential to make or break our event more than any other single purchase: choosing the right vendor partners.

An event is seen as a whole project that can further be divided into bits to ensure that each bit is overseen by a group of people, team members or vendors to deliver excellent outcome. We all use event vendors to help us achieve our event objective, whether a vendor is a caterer, graphic designer, photographer, printer of our marketing or event materials, videographer or even the MC or DJ Vendors can make us look good or bad, and they have a huge impact on our event/company’s success.

FG targets $1.5bn revenue from new deep offshore contract

But, how many of us put forth the effort we use in choosing that new TV or car into choosing a vendor? What criteria do you yourself use? Does the vendor (or subcontractor or partner) align with your business core values? Do you check references?

Do you ask for referrals from other businesses that have used this vendor? Do you check social media to check for online reviews? Do you check with classified ads, or Google the name to see what comes up?

It’s amazing to me how little business owners sometimes know about their own vendors’ businesses and their reputations. Think about your current vendors and ask yourself how much you know about each and everyone.

What do you know about their business situation? Are you happy with their service and do you feel 100 per cent secure that in an emergency these vendors will step up and do the right thing for you and your customers? Or, are you a little nervous that they will drop the ball, putting you and your business reputation at risk?

As a business owner, you have a responsibility to make sure your vendors are an extension of your business, and that they act accordingly. They should understand that what you require is not a request, but a necessity, if they want to do business with you.

• TO BE CONTINUED