Supporting roles

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Dulsco says the quality of the equipment is key.

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Fairmont Dubai makes sure support services keep with the theme.

Outsourcing is all the rage in the world of events so it is vital for planners to understand event support services.

When planning an event it is unlikely you will be doing it all on your own.

Although in terms of profit, it would be nice to think you could write out all the invitations, drive the guests to the venue, fit the rigging for the lights, test the sound system, build the stage, assemble the gifts and hand out the goodie bags at the end of the evening, the reality is you will need some help.

Event support services make their living on the fact it is unlikely you are able to do everything yourself and they range from companies who provide corporate gifts to those who create all the lighting and sound effects. But planners need to know with whom they are entrusting key components of their event.

"Any place with good opportunities will witness an influx of players and Dubai is no exception to this rule and we have seen many companies mushrooming and dying down over the years," says manager business development hospitality Dulsco HR Solutions, Satnam Grover.

Planners should take time to look at the track record of their potential suppliers in order to avoid any nasty surprises, she says "This is routinely done to ensure that suppliers are fully committed to the project and have consistently delivered high-quality services in the past," Grover adds.

The same rule applies even when outsourcing your event through an intermediary, such as an hotel.

Then the client has to establish the "knowledge and experience of the conference services and catering manager who is handling the event," says public relations manager, Fairmont Dubai, Alka Patel.

"Do they anticipate the planner's support services and can they provide the names and contact details of three credible destination management companies that can assist them with transportation needs to arranging group leisure activities?"

Other considerations include how do the support services add value to the event; are their services even viable in the city in which you are staging the event?

Furthermore, Patel suggests it is worth finding out whether or not the conference manager is even comfortable and confident working with external suppliers.

"Do they go that one step further and take care of these support services needs?" she says.

"A good organiser will look for one point of contact to make all these arrangements from airport transfers to audiovisual requirements."

Once a planner is confident with the event support service provider, the next issue is quality, according to Grover.

"The first and foremost consideration should be the quality of the equipment a planner intends to rent," she says.

"Performance is the one thing that really matters when organising any event, thus, having the best quality equipment will guarantee peak performance of all components of the show and ensure its ultimate success."

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