Gina Gradley
A mix of ancient and modern, charming and cutting edge, London is a city full of contrasts. Its striking architecture, prime location for global events, abundant transportation options and dazzling nightlife have cast a spell on meeting planners so it’s easy to see why Cvent named the UK capital the top European destination for meetings for the fifth consecutive year.
Although London’s allure ensures more business opportunities for the thousands of hotels and event venues that reside there, it also increases the pressure for venues to provide consistently flawless events.
So, how do you distinguish yourself in this wonderful city and deliver events that will delight your customers time and time again?
Here are 5 ways to impress London meeting planners and win their business:
1. Provide Easy Access to Honest Information
In today’s world, obtaining information quickly and easily is no longer seen as a luxury, it’s a necessity. 90% of adults in the UK are active online but the average person spends just 15 seconds looking at a web page before clicking away. Avoid the possibility of a planner leaving your website prematurely because they couldn’t find what they were looking for! The latest Sales and Events solutions allow you to provide critical details like availability and rates directly online. Honest, up-front information helps event planners determine whether your venue is right for them while saving them time and providing a positive experience. Misleading, elusive information can deter customers and ruin your chances of obtaining future business. Keep it simple, keep it honest.
2. Help Them Visualize the Space
As technology evolves, so do customer expectations. Perhaps the biggest wow in the event planning process is having the ability to provide a digital mockup of your customer’s event. With Diagramming software, you can collaborate with the planner to turn their vision into a reality and avoid miscommunication. Show them how their requested floor layout, lighting, and theme could look at your venue. Use it to explain different A/V packages or additional ways to customize the event. It’s enough to make any event planner jump for joy.
3. Keep Your Customer Service Fast and Friendly
A poll of 2,000 Brits showed that bad customer service is No.1 on our list of complaints, so when it comes to events, providing fantastic customer service is crucial. Don’t rely on manual processes or outdated event software to track every detail accurately. The latest cloud-native solutions allow your team to access records from anywhere, anytime. They can quickly run reports or update a BEO for an upcoming event in seconds. Since the data is recorded in one place and in real-time, there’s no chance a team member won’t see the most up-to-date information. This will keep your customer service streamlined and efficient, no matter who the event planner is collaborating with.
4. Embrace Online Reviews
Word-of-mouth and online reviews can make or break your ability to sign new business. Keep a close eye on what customers are saying about your venue online and consider expanding your footprint to sites such as TripAdvisor. Transient guests leave the majority of online reviews, so distinguish yourself from the rest by inspiring your groups and meeting planners to share their experiences online too. Encourage your delighted guests to become brand advocates and engage the dissatisfied ones on ways your property can improve. Show potential customers that you can take constructive criticism and work hard to ensure everyone ends up with a positive experience.
5. Be Flexible
Event planners juggle a lot of demands and are required to be flexible – so you should be too! There is no one size fits all setup for events. Allow planners flexibility to change the menu, tweak a room layout, or reselect their date within reason. The more you show you how much you value their business and are willing to compromise, the happier they’ll be working with you and the more likely they’ll return for future events. Additionally, if planners ask to bring in supplies or entertainment you don’t currently offer, create a preferred vendors list. Partnering with other local companies you trust to offer out-of-the-box services like photo booths, dancers or custom furniture, is another way to build trust with planners and make them feel comfortable that you’ll be able to deliver their vision.
Even in a busy market like London, you can stand out from the crowd. Put your customers’ needs first and not only can you ensure repeat business, but you can utilize positive online reviews to draw in new customers. Wow them from start to finish and your venue will be a triumph.
Amadeus has a portfolio of outstanding solutions to assist from the moment a potential customer clicks on your website to finalizing those tiny finishing touches. Along the way, you can ensure potential customers have easy access to venue details, 3D tours of the property and allow your staff to efficiently sell, organize and manage wonderfully executed events. Speak to one of our experts today to find out how Amadeus Solutions can help you to compete in this challenging but prosperous market.
