HOW TO
…choose an event company without regretting it later
Choosing an event company is a little like choosing a tattoo artist. Many ‘professionals’ look great on Instagram, but can lead to “ragrets” later.
Before you hand over your budget, your brand and your blood pressure, it’s critical that you ask the right questions – and not the polite checkbox kind. Ask the questions that show you how people think, how they behave under pressure and how they handle the moment when something goes sideways.
Here are 10 questions that separate the slick from the solid:
- “What have you done that didn’t go to plan – and what did you do next?”
Don’t rely on the highlights reels. Ask about the wobble. Did a supplier fall through? Did the weather derail the build? Did a keynoter break a pinkie toe? Listen for ownership, decision-making and speed. War stories can tell you a lot.
- “Who will be on the ground?”
That senior strategist you loved during the pitch? They probably won’t be the one taping cables at 05:00. Ask who’s running your event, who your day-to-day contact is and who’ll show up when things get real. Names. Roles. Faces.
- “How do you handle budget pressure?”
Budgets shift. Priorities tighten. The question is: What gives? Does the event company tend to start slicing experienced people from the call sheet or do they get creative? Look for someone who can protect the guest journey and trim smartly.
- “What do you push back on?”
You need someone – perhaps several someones – who can say, “That sounds great, but here’s why it won’t work. And here’s what will.” Pushback is where expertise lives. If everything sounds easy, you’re not getting the full picture.
- “How early do you flag problems?”
There’s a difference between proactive and performative. You want to hear about issues when they’re still small, solvable and slightly annoying, not when they’ve transformed into a 22:00 panic call. Transparency always beats theatrics.
- “What’s possible in terms of timeline?”
If you get a glossy “pretend” Gantt chart, run. Make sure you get a timing plan with pressure points, dependencies, approvals and realistic deadlines. The very best event companies know to plan for friction as much as for flow.
- “How do you work with other suppliers?”
Your event will probably involve venues, caterers, AV, talent and at least one wild card. Does the event company collaborate, coordinate and communicate? Or does it guard territory? You want a partner who keeps the whole ecosystem moving.
- “What details do you usually obsess over?”
Listen carefully here, because this answer will tell you a lot. Is it the lighting levels during dinner? The flow between sessions? The way guests are greeted at the door? Make sure that your obsessions overlap with their obsessions.
- “What would you do differently if this were your very own event?”
Play the honesty game. If they say, “Nothing, this is great”, they’re being polite. They should tell you what they’d elevate, simplify, remove or rework. The best ideas often come from insight that doesn’t have a sales undertone.
- “When should we not hire you?”
This is the clincher, because a confident agency knows its limits. Ideally a solid event company can tell you when it’s not the right fit, when your expectations don’t match your budget or when another partner may serve you better.
#RewindRewireReveal
Want 360° event advice? Contact us for more.
EYES ON
Nine Yards. And then some.
You know that moment when you walk into a space and everything feels easy and green and light? There’s a new precinct in Joburg that brings together retail, food, work space, wellness, arts and breathing room. The whole Nine Yards…literally.
Set between Goodman Gallery and The Gardenshop, with links into the surrounding offices, it’s designed for people to meet, step away, get things done and take a minute. So if you need a reset without leaving the city, spend a few hours at Nine Yards and see how layout, flow and atmosphere can pull in the same direction.
BY THE WAY
New year. New code.
You’ve seen it already: #RewindRewireReveal.
It’s how we keep our pencils sharp at 360.
Why rewind, rewire and reveal? Because this separates repeats from upgrades.
