NEWS
Getting value from your contractor (21/10/2008)
Outsourcing has become an integral part of venue management over the last ten years and under event conditions stadiums and venues up and down the country are taken over by hundreds, even thousands of their contractor's event staff. Necessarily having access to even the most sensitive areas of the venue, the contractors' throng of event staff will work steadfastly, cleaning, fixing, maintaining, and securing. While they provide a valuable service in the staging of events, there are a number of important issues that venue operators must consider to ensure that their contractors are adding to the visitor experience and not putting the integrity of events at risk.
Leisure Support Services is in the spotlight at various major events across the country delivering cleaning, security and maintenance services at a number of high profile stadiums including the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Kia Oval and Ricoh Arena. Peter Watts, Managing Director of Leisure Support Services highlights four key issues that should be considered to maximise the success of major events from a contractors' perspective.
1. Secure employment
Applying for an event job may be viewed by certain organisations as an opportunity to gain easy access to high profile venues and to disrupt events. In a recent document released by the National Counter Terrorism Office, it warns that, "some [terrorist] attacks are easier to carry out if the terrorist is assisted by an 'insider' or by someone with specialist knowledge or access".
It is important that your contractors are abiding by Home Office regulations regarding the employment of event staff, undertaking the necessary checks and taking photocopies of all relevant documentation. In addition, it is important that your contractors have robust processes in place to manage their staff effectively throughout the events ensuring all staff are properly supervised and monitored.
2. Customer service
The contractor's staff will certainly undergo comprehensive skill based training to undertake their role at your venue effectively, but it is just as important to be trained to confidently interact with the general public. Often the most visible staff team onsite during major events, visitors may be forgiven for believing all event staff work for the venue rather than external contractors. Customer service training is therefore important to all staff servicing the venue, ensuring that any interactions with the public result in positive experiences especially in VIP hospitality areas.
A clear and helpful response given by event staff to requests for directions or enquiries about the intervals will add to the visitor experience. Anything that makes the sponsors, box holders and members feel like they are receiving good service and therefore good value from their hospitality spend will increase their loyalty to the venue.
3. Staffing areas
With so many staff onsite at any one time, it is important that there is enough room for staff processing, both at the beginning and the end of a shift. This allows for the effective signing in and out of staff enabling the management to know who is onsite at any one time. Furthermore, having a dedicated area for staff to spend time during breaks is good practice as it keeps staff from blocking public areas and also keeps them out of public view. When the public come across crowds of uniformed staff relaxing and eating lunch during their break it can project a negative image potentially affecting their visitor experience.
4. Contractor relationships
There is often the belief that contractors should get on with what they are contracted to do with no discussion with venue management. However, there are synergies that can be realised by working closely with your contractors and bringing all service teams together to work in tandem. If all teams are working seamlessly in partnership, there is less opportunity for grey areas to exist and for things get missed off the list. Regular planning meetings before events, catch up meetings during events and debrief meetings after events should be encouraged and will result in an improved level of service to your customers.
Watts concludes with his thoughts on the challenges that his company faces in the future: "as more pressure is placed on venue/event management than ever before to maximise revenue streams, there is a constant pressure on contractors to ensure that we are doing all we can to find ways of adding value to the event organisers, members, box holders and sponsors alike. Whether that means making customer service training compulsory to all staff, undertaking green initiatives, or focusing on details such as placing fresh flowers in the washrooms, or arranging furniture in a certain way, we will continue do whatever it takes to improve service to our clients and their customers."
Peter Watts is Managing Director of Leisure Support Services and has over 15 years of experience delivering services at venues and events across the world including three Olympic Games and six Wimbledon Championships. Contact +44 207 801 8555 or peter.watts@leisuresupportservices.com.
