Event Planning - week 9

1. Suppliers and contractors
Event Planning | Week 9

2. Learning outcomes
By the end of the session, you will be able to:
 Explain the importance of managing supplier relationships
 Describe the process of selecting suppliers
 Produce a basic supplier specification

3. Procurement
“The act of obtaining or buying
goods and services”
Process:
 Researching the requirements
 Preparing the demand
 Processing the demand
 Receipt of good or services
 Payment

4.  Identify the range and availability of suppliers
 Negotiate the terms
 Establish the relationship
 Monitor performance and reliability
 Review

5.  Directories, trade magazines, websites
 Trade exhibitions
 Attending other’s events
 Other event organisers
 Other suppliers
 Venues
 Clients

6. Adapted from: Bladen, et al
(2012), pp.87.
 Venue
 Sponsorship/exhibition
 Audio-visual (inc. lighting and sound)
 Entertainment/artist
 Catering (inc. food and beverage suppliers)
 Event structures (marquees/staging, set building, fencing
etc)
 Security and staffing
 Event production
 Décor, design and theming (inc. florists, furniture etc)
 Hospitality provision
 Technology providers
 Marketing/PR agencies

7. Features to
consider with
suppliers
 Customer service
 Uniqueness of service/product
 Priorities, flexibility, response times
 Delivery time, method, waiting time
 Location and delivery – distance of supplier
 Cost and premium
 Reliability and trust
 Reputation
 Loyalty

8. Supplier
Relations
 But, how do you ensure quality, service and
reliability from your suppliers?
 And, how do you maintain control of your suppliers?

9.  “an agreement that sets out the responsibilities between two or more parties and
is legally binding” (Bladen, et al, 2012: 86)
 Terms and conditions
 Payment – deposit, incremental, payment dependent upon performance (i.e. not
paying all up front)
 Performance monitoring
 Do not attempt to control your suppliers by late payments or withholding
payment

10.  SLA
 Obligatory framework for overall performance standards
 Service Specification
 Company policy; requirements; statutory requirements; H&S standards

11.  Use of short-term contracts
 Ensure competition with other suppliers
 Portfolio of suppliers – those with strengths in certain areas
 Open channels of communication
 Overseeing suppliers
 Regular reviews of performance
 Evaluation (from other stakeholders)

12.  Do evaluate and reflect what went wrong, and why
 Do open channels of communication
 Do meet face to face
 Do compromise
 Do not withhold payment
 Do not spread ‘black’ PR

13.  Suppliers will push for full and advance payment
 Establish your cash income for the project
 Establish your cash expenditure for the project
 Protect your cash balance
 Spread payments to suppliers
 Maintain control of the project budget for the purpose of expenditure (not to
allow the client to possess control)
 Plan and foresee what cash needs paying, and when

14. Any questions?