Running Order with Venue or Hotel
- This is like the Bible of the event and should be the reference that all the event team have access to so that they understand what is happening at any given time during the event. The more complicated and involved the event the more important it is to understand and refer to the running order. It should contain all contacts, facts and procedures for the smooth running of the event and programme.
- The organiser of the event will have drafted their own running order and the venue will also have their own version of the function sheet. It is most important that both running orders reflect the same timings and actions so that the entire programme is covered and that they both agree on the details about each venue and part of the programme. This all should have been reviewed in a pre-conference meeting between the event manager and the venue staff.
- Always run through the duties and responsibilities of all the staff involved on-site with them. Have a regular team meeting to go through how things will happen during the event so everyone knows what is expected of them and what their responsibilities are. Go through each day with the venue staff to make sure that any last minute changes or amendments to their Function sheet reflect those on the event managers running order.
Suggestion for the items to include in a conference running order:
- Contact details of all staff involved in the event from the organiser’s side as well as the venue and client. Listed should be their name, job title, responsibility, and mobile phone or pager number.
- All suppliers involved in the event with name, responsibility and contact details
- Contact details of hotels where any of the delegates are staying as well as other venues where social events or meetings may be happening
- Destination Management Company (e.g. when event is abroad), transport, exhibition builders, shippers – basically anyone or company involved in the execution of the event.
- A miscellaneous section that can contain the following:
- Account information: what is to be charged to the master account
- Signature authority
- Special instructions referring to any part of the programme, such as food and beverage information, dietary considerations, security, and delegate bags
- VIPs: who and when they are coming, any special groups and activities
- Any extra meetings apart from the official programme and when and where they are to be held
- Extra staff/hostesses: when they are expected at functions, their roles and allocation
- Conference meeting room information to contain the following, normally in date order:
- Name of the room, where it is found, date and time the room is used
- Set up of the room for each stream, date and session
- Audio Visual equipment to be present in the meeting room, and the name of the person responsible for making sure the set up is correct each day
- Signage for the programme:
- What signage is required, when it is to be set up and where, when it is to be taken down, and who is responsible
- Day by day schedule of the event – this contains all the detailed information regarding what is happening in organising the programme, to include:
- Schedule of specific timings, what the activity is, where it is located, notes and comments, and who is responsible. This can include the pre-event day that covers set up of the event and arrival of client etc. as well as the actual event day, and post conference activities
- Catering schedule to include what is served when and where. This should include menu and drinks for each refreshment break, social receptions and meals, plus an indication of quantity
Every one involved in the events team should be supplied with a running order of the event. At the start of each day there should be a run through of what will be happening by the event manager with the team, as well as with the venue duty manager and banqueting manager. Hold a review at the end of each day to make sure that any mishaps do not recur the following day, to note any amendments and identify any ways to improve the smooth running of the event from day to day.
Good communication, and keeping everyone who needs to know informed of what is happening, is paramount.
B2B Event Management 