BEM – Events business: Supply and suppliers

1. BEM – Events business: Supply and suppliers Lim SeiKee @ cK

2. Introduction • Can events business be classified as an ‘industry’? • It is difficult to quantify, as: • 1. The fragmented nature of the activities • 2. There is comparatively little explicit structure to it • 3. There is no one single major supply element to events

3. In contrast to many industries, the events business is not wholly driven by the need to make money. • Indeed, the business has a very large element of personal, voluntary, charitable and philanthropicactivity. • The broad range of events allows all kinds of organizations and individuals to participate in an enjoyable way for the mutual benefit of all concerned.

4. The structure of events services • As the events business has developed, • the levels of specialization and technical requirements have increased, • due to greater expectations on the part of organizers and participants, • and this had led to a rapid development in event-related services and support organizations.

5. Many events are organized by voluntary bodies, such as committees, or individuals (either amateur or professional events organizers). • Voluntary bodies can organize a whole event based on • (a) voluntary help, or • (b) a mixture of voluntary help, support from local authorities and other organizations, or with • (c) partial use of commercial organizations in some roles.

6. The events business is not solely concerned with the provision of activities, entertainment, refreshment and equipment; it encompasses a wide range of interlinked activities. • With an increasing complexity of needs and demands, the standard of organization required for large-scale events is very high and a whole series of specialist activities has grown up to service these needs.

7. The type of organizations capable of providing complete packages for events are normally: • Event management companies • Production companies • Event catering companies • Party planners and professional event organizers • Exhibition and theatrical contractors • Technical service and multimedia companies

8. Events organizations • Production • Venues • Distribution • Ancillary Services

9. Production • Event management companies • Event catering companies • Party planners • Production companies • Exhibition and theatrical contractors & designers • Technical services • Professional events organizers • Multimedia support companies • Voluntary bodies, committees and individuals

10. Venues • Event room / hall / ground hire • Catering and kitchen facilities • Accommodation • Food and drink suppliers • Medical services • Information and customer services • Technical support • Toilets, washrooms and public facilities • Security

11. Distribution • Individual events and venues • Event and conference agencies • Trade media • Hotel booking agencies • Incentive travel agencies • Visitor and convention bureau • Exhibition organizers • Ticketing agencies • Trade exhibitors

12. Ancillary Services • Accommodation providers • Photographers and video makers • Transport and guiding services, ground handlers • Music and entertainment providers • Travel companies • Costume hire services • Marquee hire services • Floral contractors • Fireworks display operators

13. Companies and their roles • Event Management Companies (EMC) • Production Companies • Events Catering Companies • Party Planners and Professional Events Organizers • Exhibition and Theatrical Contractors • Technical Services and Multimedia Support

14. Event Management Companies (EMC) • Events, may range from product launches and dinner dances to themed gala evenings or charity sports competitions. • The benefit of having an EMC is the range of expertise, ideas and experience they can draw on. • EG: Gala evening: planning, menu and theme design, full catering support in food production and service, specialist sets, props, special effects and lighting to music (live or recorded) and entertainment.

15. Event Management Companies (EMC) • The creation of special events is highly complex, and above all, requires extremely careful planning and costing. • The choice of the theme itself should be a matter of careful discussion between the event management company and the buyer or client. • However, all these things are within the expertise of an EMC to arrange and sort out.

16. Production Companies • Organizers are often confronted by unique problems when seeking to create an event of a professional standard. • High profile events, VIP ceremonies, roadshows, major competitions or product launches all require specialist technical facilities and knowledge. • Production companies are able to package together the wide range of technical support that high profile activities often require.

17. Production Companies • A production company will probably be able to undertake most, or all, of the following activities: • 1) Project Management • 2) Design • 3) Venue management • 4) Participant or audience handling • 5) Technical support • 6) Training of presenters and speakers

18. Events Catering Companies • All aspects of refreshment for participants, audiences, crew and staff. • Catering can be provided in 3 main ways: • A) Undertaken either in-house • B) By contractors permanently employed at the venue • C) An ad hoc basis at the venue

19. Events Catering Companies • Catering operators range in size and in the types of service they provide. • Types of operators: larger contract catering companies, independent caterers, bakeries, supermarket companies • It depends on the requirements of each particular event: objectives, participants, event complication, etc.

20. Party Planners and Professional Events Organizers • Party planners tend to offer a range of services particularly for the personal events market • Professional events organizers tend to offer to corporate market • Includes: organization of parties, celebrations, weddings, anniversaries and many of similar events

21. Exhibition and Theatrical Contractors • Their function is to provide exhibition (or backdrop) services of one kind or another ranging from design and management for large exhibition-type events to the provision of relatively simple one-off stands. • Typically, contractors will provide the shells in a venue and individual exhibitors will fill a shell with their own material, displays and staff for the duration if the exhibition or show.

22. Technical Services and Multimedia Support • Not all venues have the technical support or equipment to cope with the full range of services sometimes demanded by organizers. • Tasks: provide equipment (overhead projectors to slide projectors and video players), training and technical support, provide multimedia to video walls.

23. Voluntary bodies, committees and individuals • Many events, ranging from charity functions to village sports days, from birthday parties to local traditions, are undertaken by volunteers. • A typical voluntary committee might be made up of six or so people interested in putting on a particular event. • An event might be volunteer managed, through an executive committee, but employ a professional events organizer to plan and run the event.

24. Conclusion • The increasing complexity of events management has seen the development of companies with specialist roles in management, production and hospitality. • The size of this voluntary sector is difficult to judge, but it is as much a key component of events activities as are the developing private and public sector structures.

25. For next week, • Find out any type organizations that are capable of providing complete / half packages for events in Brunei Darussalam. • Research about that particular company, and make a short presentation by either using the board / powerpoint slides. • This is an individual work!