How is event management evolving with latest technology?
Whilst they may vary in size, events today can mean anything from small business meetings to large-scale exhibitions. The expectation of savvy visitors to events has changed
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Why event booking software is essential for your business
Attention to detail is critical to the success of any event. Whether you are managing a large wedding or a small boardroom meeting you want to ensure that each event is memorable – for the right reasons.
The day-to-day business of having to juggle calendars, create accurate function sheets, chasing up bookings and deposits while simultaneously managing client expectations requires a great deal of effort.
While these various tasks can be achieved using tools such as Word, Excel and Outlook it usually leads to a disjointed and time-consuming process which is prone to error.
For forward-thinking venues, a dedicated event booking software solution unifies these processes under one efficient package.
The key benefits of event booking software
An event booking software solution which encompasses all aspects of running a venue is the best investment to streamline your events business while maximizing every revenue opportunity.
You get a consolidated dashboard which gives you all the operational, sales and financial data you need in real-time with 100% accuracy. Let’s explore some of the key benefits.
Better Diary Management
With an event booking software solution you get a flexible and highly graphical view of your venue’s total availability. You can see from a daily, weekly or monthly perspective which event spaces are available – ideal for when clients make an inquiry.
Common issues such as double bookings become a thing of the past. With additional features such as waitlist management, you can rest assured that you do not miss potential event booking revenue opportunities when another client cancels.
Streamlined Processes
Away from the day-to-day management of the diary, having a dedicated event booking software is ideal for driving operational efficiencies.
Previously time-consuming processes such as manually typing function sheets in Word becomes a thing of the past. Thanks to the dynamic nature of the software, any last-minute changes to the event will be added to the function sheet automatically. All aspects of catering and AV can be managed and the potential for wastage is eliminated.
Better task management
Organizing and running an event involves many constituent parts. While having accurate and up to date function sheets provides a high-level view of the tasks in hand, for managing the minutiae of an event we recommend a task manager.
Sophisticated event booking software solutions will have a daily task calendar which users see when they log in to the system. Any overdue tasks are visible to both users and managers so that no task is ignored and staff are fully accountable.
Accurate Cost Capture
When the event is over you need to be able to produce an accurate and timely invoice. Having a dedicated booking solution ensures that all costs associated with your events are captured from time to labor to chargeable add-ons such as AV. With change management built in, any last-minute changes to any event will be captured. With no need to consolidate Word or Excel documents you can produce and email invoices within seconds. Another great time-saver!
Better management information
It is often said that gets measured gets managed. It is also said that fast, yet informed, decision-making is key to success.
Having a central database for events bookings, offers a tremendous opportunity for improvement. At the push of a button, managers can see which clients are contributing the most revenue, which marketing initiatives are converting to enquires and where their stuck opportunities are from enquiries.
The ability to see this data from a graphical dashboard enables managers to quickly see which existing clients need the VIP treatment, where marketing spend can be best invested and which potential bookings need further attention from sales.
Great for show rounds
Having an effective solution for event bookings means that you can speak with potential prospects with the utmost confidence. Pulling up availability while you are speaking with clients helps them in their decision-making process and helps your sales teams edge closer to making a booking. In fact, clients can book on the spot or make a provisional booking – a great time saver for everyone.
Think digital
While the personal touch is appropriate for handling complex wedding inquiries, many organizations today are finding that it is more efficient to offer room inventory for smaller and last-minute meetings online. Integration between the event booking software and the website enables venues to offer their space availability in real-time with the capability to take online bookings while removing the need for staff to enter booking information. You can be selling space 24/7, 365 days a year.
Conclusion
There are numerous advantages to selecting event booking software. Using a specialist software offers a unified and structured approach to managing operations, handling enquiries and processing invoices.
Of course, it is not just about efficiency. By eliminating unnecessary tasks such a typing function sheets or creating to do lists, client-facing staff can better invest their time to offering legendary service. The accounts team can spend less time on gathering data for invoices and more time on chasing payments – a win win for your cashflow.
Looking forward, management get all the information they need for process improvement.
Don’t take our word for it. Check out the video below to find out first-hand from one of our clients to hear how the solution can drive efficiency in your venue.