Events, conferences and exhibitions are well and truly back on the agenda and what a buzz they are creating! Next week the Firsti® team is heading to Hotel 360 at London’s Excel followed closely by the Independent Hotel Show at Olympia the following week. 

But what does that mean for the hotels and conference centres hosting the events?

Whilst there is a growing sense that we are ‘getting back to business’ there can be no doubt that there is also a certain sense of trepidation. 

• How will venues keep people safe whilst providing the level of service people expect? 
• Can they deal with large groups of delegates and exhibitors in the midst of a recruitment crisis?
• What are they doing to enhance their service offering?

Of course we will all be expecting to see signs reminding us to keep our distance coupled with strategically placed hand sanitation stations. Keynote and breakout speaker sessions are likely to be structured to manage numbers.

But what about the common pinch points that inevitably happen at large events, conferences and exhibitions? 

Because those pinch points are also often the best opportunities for people to do business. They are the times at conferences and exhibitions when delegates aren’t focusing on a keynote speaker but are instead exploring potential collaborations, talking to suppliers, hearing about new products or services. We are talking, of course, about refreshment breaks, lunch and dinner.

Business events and exhibitions recovery

Business events, conferences and exhibitions play an important role in the overall recovery of the hospitality industry – so getting them right is vital! Industry research shows that, whilst the long term prognosis for business events is better than pre-pandemic, the recovery will be slower than leisure travel. 

As you’d expect, there’s not one single reason for this. Rather it’s a combination of the continuing challenges with international travel reducing revenue from overseas delegates whilst businesses are taking a cautious approach to sending their teams to ‘in person’ events too soon. 

All the more reason to make sure that your venue sets itself apart from the competition in terms of what you are doing to make events, conferences and exhibitions a safe, positive experience with tangible business benefits for your delegates. 

Venue challenges

The hospitality recruitment crisis has been well-publicised since restrictions began lifting earlier in the summer. In addition to the obvious challenge of not having enough staff, venue managers also face challenges around a lack of experience. Newly recruited staff may never have worked in hospitality before, whilst even existing staff will be out of practice of running events after more than a year of postponements, cancellations and lockdowns.

Beyond those issues, venue managers also face vastly changed expectations from delegates who will have varying degrees of enthusiasm about attending events ‘in real life’. 

Creating events that feel safe for the more anxious delegates whilst still appealing to those who are more relaxed about being in large groups, will require careful planning and consideration. 

Using technology to bridge the gap

So how can you use technology to bridge the gap – delivering safe and secure events that are also fun, inclusive and (importantly) profitable for your venue?

When it comes to your F&B services, the market leading award-winning solution Firsti® is the natural choice. 

Firsti® has been built from the ground up to facilitate the ultimate guest experience whilst the advanced customisation means bespoke event branding or special offers can easily be applied. 

Whether delegates are ordering room service or table service, are in your coffee shop or using any of the bars and restaurants within your venue, they will be shown the relevant menus and have access to any active special offers or featured products. They can quickly and easily personalise their orders to take account of personal preferences. 

Real time data means you can easily identify where you need to deploy more staff and, if you hold multiple events, conferences or exhibitions at the same time, you’ll love the management information that shows you which events generate the greatest revenue.

Because orders and payments are taken entirely through Firsti®, your staff can concentrate on delivering the service excellence business delegates will expect, building rapport and creating a seamless experience that will maximise every delegates spend through the sheer ease and simplicity of use. 

And did we mention the integration? 

Firsti® doesn’t require any specialist IT hardware and integrates with most hospitality EPOS systems. 

Book a demo today to get ahead of the competition

To find out more about how Firsti® can help you set yourself apart from the competition when it comes to delivering business events, conferences and exhibitions, book a demo by clicking the link above or by emailing damian@wearefirsti.com

Alternatively, pop along and see the team at Hotel360 or the Independent Hotel Show.