Finding a conference production company that you can trust in to deliver your company’s next conference or awards dinner can be a huge task. Your bosses expect the best, your colleagues will be in attendance and, as the overall organiser, you are putting your personal reputation on the line with your choice of the conference production company. If it goes wrong, it will be your responsibility. This article looks at a few tips for finding one you can trust.
Even the Smallest Thing Going Wrong can Ruin Things
Imagine this scenario. The technicians have done their job and the audio visual kit is all set to do its job, so wouldn’t you expect the whole conference to go off without a hitch? The answer is yes, except if one element fails, unexpectedly – perhaps the microphone failing during the Chief Executive’s keynote speech – then despite all the months of planning the one thing people remember is that and the event will fall flat on its face.
As the organiser, it’s a horrible position to be in. We know from experience that if you deliver a superb conference, it can have huge positive repercussions as to how you are perceived within the organisation. On the other hand, if the end result isn’t perfect, the opposite can be true.
So What Should You be Looking for From a Conference Production Company? Clear Communication for a Start
Most importantly, you need a company who understands your brief, understands what you are trying to achieve with your conference and provides a solution to match that brief and deliver the required end result. All communicated clearly.
A warning sign is if the company blinds you with technical jargon. What this usually means is that they want you to use kit and equipment that you either don’t need, isn’t the right solution for your particular event, and is probably more expensive than you want. In our experience, any company trying to confuse you with high end technical knowledge should be avoided.
What you do need is a conference production company that explains what you need, and why, in easy to understand terms. A good conference production manager will not only have a high knowledge base of the type of AV equipment that is available and needed, but will also have the ability to communicate clearly with you as the client.
Good communication is vital. Throughout the planning period right up to when the show goes live you need someone at the helm who communicates with you, explaining to you what is happening and why. Conferences are live events and there are no 2nd chances so you need complete faith in the audio visual team you select.
How do You Find the Right Conference Production Company? It’s About Recommendations, not Price
First and foremost it’s all about the three Rs -recommendations, recommendations, recommendations!!!! When you get a company to quote, any company of any quality will have no difficulty providing you with a number of references from clients who have already used their services. More often than not, these are available to see on their website, and there’s no need to be reluctant to ask them to put you in touch with any of their references.
The worst selection criteria you can go on is price. Yes we all have budgets to hit and we understand that. But if you go for the cheapest price, chances are that corners will be cut resulting in the cheapest kit and the cheapest crew. This is a recipe for things to go wrong and it is almost always counter-productive.
For example, consider the production company that includes in its quote spare projectors, spare microphones, spare laptops all of which are live and ready to go ‘just in case’. Is this excessive? With live events, things can and do go wrong, quite often, so it’s being prepared to react and respond that counts. If there is a problem you will thank your lucky stars that you spent a little bit more money and used a company with contingencies in place for all eventualities. Imagine the alternative, where a laptop shuts down at a critical moment, you look to the technician and they simply shrug their shoulders because no back-up is available. It isn’t worth thinking about.
So, to Find a Conference Production Company You Can Trust, Do Your Research
Our advice is do your research when trying to find a conference production company. Look into the company you are considering using, speak to them and see how they present their solution for you, check references and most importantly don’t search for the cheapest option. It almost always won’t work out.
If we can help, then please contact us or call us on 01295 770933. We’ve been producing exceptional conferences for many years and here are some of our testimonials.