A Day in the Life of a Professional Event Organizer

Ever wonder what it is like to be a Professional Event Organizer? Here is a glimpse of what a typical "ADI" day is like! Be sure to have a cup of java handy as you might become tired just "reading" about it!

5:30 AM - You are up early this morning, like every morning of this trip, even before the birds.

It'll be another busy day in Paradise. Fast shower, throw one of the company's monogrammed white shirts and tan trousers, pin on the name badge, grab today's working files, hotel and ground contracts, three sets of menus, coach departure schedule, minute-by-minute running order of the Business Meeting. Grab a pen, clip board, cell phone, stuff all this into the briefcase and make it to the Hospitality Desk by...

6:00 AM - Coffee first. From Room Service, you order a gallon of coffee - make that two - for the Travel Staff to get everyone's heart started.

The Desk is already fully manned, with a staff member on the phone, reconfirming arrival flights. Another outlines the need to meet and greet one of the speakers who will soon arrive and take part in the afternoon Business Meeting. Someone is quickly assigned to go out to the airport to meet him.

You have an early appointment with the Hotel's Convention Service Manager since through this person all our Hotel events are coordinated. Together we enter the dining room at...

6:15 AM - And immediately check the breakfast room set-up. We had 350 guests in the Hotel plus a Travel Staff of fourteen, so we need at least 380 place settings.

Four breakfast buffet lines; yesterday the Hotel had lukewarm scrambled eggs so last night we discussed with our CSM changing the eggs to poached Eggs Benedict. The additional $3.00 per person charge was waived by the Hotel, per our 'suggestion'. The clients will like this better.

While at the buffet table, check the Purchase Order. Everything we contracted for us there, in good order.

The ballroom's air conditioning seems cold, but in less than 30 minutes we will have hundreds of people here, so we don't touch the thermostat. It'll warm up fast.

6:45 AM - We have guests chomping at the bit outside the Ballroom door: While Breakfast isn't scheduled to start until 7.00AM, we let them in early. Two Travel Staff will be stationed inside the Ballroom throughout the breakfast time, answering questions about today's activities.

Meanwhile, at the Hospitality Desk...

6:45 AM - Nine of our own Staff members and two members of the Destination Management Company, (the local specialists we've hired to assist with local tours, transfers, transportation and the like) answer questions from guests. Tomorrow's independent tours and sports events are signed up for, then minds are changed. Air inquiries are made. Some one left their sweater at the theatre last night and reports it this morning. Somebody cannot figure out the direct dialing system on his or her room phone. And so it goes until 10.00AM at the Desk.

With breakfast launched, you and the DMC now meet to review last night's billing. The host decided to add a late night tour of the city after the performance, necessitating hiring the eight coaches for another half-hour beyond the contract.

In the midst of this, a Travel Staff reports that a camera was left on one of the buses last night. The DMC gets on the phone and has all eight coaches searched; the camera is found, put in a taxi and driven to the Hotel and handed to the guest at breakfast. All in a day's work.

9:15 AM - Send two Staffers to the Hotel's side entrance to check on the morning motorcade and tour plan. There should be eight gleaming deluxe motorcoaches for a morning tour of the city. Eight coaches, eight professional guides, 350 bottles of mineral water in ice chests, 350 guide books on seats, custom signs in each windshield with the clients logo and name.

But with thirty minutes to go before the tour leaves we have only seven coaches, six guides, the water hasn't shown up as yet and it may start to rain on our parade.

The ADI Travel Staff swing into action on the phone. The eighth coach is stuck in midtown traffic but will be attached to the end of our two-block long motorcade. The two missing guides have caught a ride with the eighth bus; they'll make it even if they have to run.

The Conference Services Manager calls Food and Beverage; the water and ice chests are en route to the side entrance. ETA is five minutes. And the DMC has brought 350 plastic raincoats, stored in the coaches' undercarriage and ready to be brought out just in case.

The Travel Staff have already been pre-assigned to each coach and then do a last minute review of the minutely planned tour with the coach driver and local guide; the DMC puts on a local representative on each as well. Never can have too much event coverage.

We now leave one Staff Member at the Hospitality Desk and everyone else reports to their coaches.

Boarding 350 guests and making sure we've not left anyone behind takes eight of our staff, five DMC staff and all eight guides. After fifteen minutes we are ready to role...

10:00 AM - Let the Tour Begin! The motorcoaches glide away from the Hotel and you are now ready for a pre-Business Meeting with the client, production company, banquet set-up and Conference Services Manager.

Swing by the Ballroom just as the Hotel staff is clearing the buffet tables. Grab toast and another cup of coffee. That's your breakfast.

On to the elaborately decorated Meeting room where the afternoon activities will take place. This afternoon is critically important. New product announcement by the CEO, sales figures from last year are to be reviewed, promotions of two Regional Managers will be just a few of the items on the Agenda.

For the last two days the Production Company has been building a customized stage, hanging lights, checking their specialized equipment and generally keeping out of our way. Today we all pull together to ensure the Business Meeting is a huge success.

The pre-Meeting is now underway. You once again review the entire Agenda with the client (an event that has been reworked and retimed with your assistance numerous times back at their office), then assist the production folks with a few glitches with Hotel security.

Eighteen special VIP seats have to be reserved; one of your Staff lays out the seating cards to the client's specifications.

The CEO's speech needs to be retyped at the Business Center (you had this retyped yesterday as well - twice) so you run it down.

The DMC has hired three actors to play key parts in the stage production; they've arrived but they don't like their tiny dressing rooms and complain - to you. It's easier to give them the key to your hotel room than go to the front desk, since the hotel is fully occupied. Off they go wardrobe mistress in hand.

Food and Beverage bring in mid-morning coffee and bagels. Thanks, hotel, we all needed a caffeine jolt by...

11:00 AM - And it is up to you to ensure at least 370 seats are set up theatre-style. So you count, not taking anyone's word for it. And sure enough, the Hotel has only set for 350. You contact banquet set-up yourself and get an additional twenty seats set up.

By now a dress rehearsal is underway on the stage. Vice-Presidents are reviewing their lines on Autocues, the CEO is rewriting his speech, the Product Managers are getting their new stuff out of boxes (shipped two weeks ago and in storage at the Hotel, all arranged by you).

Your phone rings. Coach Number 4 has a woman who is short of breath. The coach diverts to a nearby hospital and your onboard Staff takes her into the Emergency Room. She'll be assisted by that Staff member no matter the diagnosis. Her husband continues the tour! (It's happened before, so you aren't surprised.)

Noon.... Already? - With thirty minutes to go before the tours return, you and the Convention Services Manager check the other ballroom to ensure the three course, plated lunch will be ready when the guests arrive back in the hotel.

The tables have been reset in the last two hours and the waiters are putting out the first course, an asparagus and mixed green salad. Water glasses are being filled, the Muzak is turned up, the air conditioning, turned down. You and the Convention Services Manager do a quick visit to the kitchen to meet the chef. He isn't in any mood to be hospitable; he's got 350 hungry people looking for food in 15 minutes so you quietly exit his Sanctuary.

Because guests will want to go into lunch directly from the coaches and not to their guestrooms, you've already ordered three Cloakroom attendants to be on hand to handle any items guests may want to leave on the Lobby Level. All Lobby bathrooms are checked for cleanliness, since there will be a rush there as soon as the coaches pull up to the property.

12:26 PM - Four minutes early and the first coach pulls up at the Hotel. Your staff has already read a written announcement about the lunch, so all you need to do is show everyone to the Ballroom. And the bathrooms. And the elevators. And someone wants to change his or her air arrangements. Now. You pull two Staff members from the lunch and they go to the Hospitality Desk to field questions. On the stroke of...

1:20 PM - 349 happy people are finishing their lemon chiffon pie desserts and having another round of coffee poured. The lady at the hospital is on her way back with your Staff member; she must have over-exerted herself last night but feels lots better after a quick check-up by the doctor. We will take care of the hospital bill and forward it to her insurance for coverage. She misses lunch, but we have made arrangements for her to enjoy a quick box lunch... and so does the Staff.

In the meantime, you are getting the CEO's speech from the Business Center and ensuring the changes have been typed into the Production Company's PowerPoint presentation.

1:30 PM - The Staff guides everyone into the Business Meeting; the lights dim, the show begins. Your workday is already at eight hours and not yet half over.

The afternoon coffee break is scheduled in an hour; check with Food and Beverage as to the correct set-up; have someone ensure enough ashtrays are brought in, the bathrooms clean, etc. The six coffee stations are all in good order; coffee, tea, decaf, lemon, sugar, milk, then eight varieties of cookies as per the contract.

Mid-afternoon - While the coffee break is going as planned - you've already assigned four staff members to circulate the crowd just in case someone has a request. You are off to check the billing on the luncheon. The Convention Services Manager and you agree on everything per the contract except one table apparently talked their waiter into bringing a bottle of wine in and serving it, against our policy and stated request of the clients. You have to meet with the waiter in person and the Hotel, embarrassed at this mistake, gives a 20% reduction in the cost of the coffee break just ending. This $800 savings will be returned to the sponsoring company.

3:30 PM - With the end of the Business Meeting (you've snuck into the projection booth with the production company for the last 10 minutes of the show) the afternoon seems to be winding down.

Well, at least for the guests it may be winding down. However, the ADI Travel Staff of five strong plus three DMC representations are now ready for action at the Hospitality Desk.

The show is over and dozens of guests will have dozens of questions and requests. All descend at once at the Desk. Three outside phone lines will be tied up for the afternoon, contacting airlines on changes, renting cars for personal reasons, calling restaurants for reservations as tomorrow night is a 'free evening' where guests can eat out as they wish, but the Staff still has to make recommendations and reservations. You had the DMC prepare four large bound volumes containing the menus of neighborhood restaurants just for this event and now these volumes are invaluable.

4:15 PM - Run upstairs, jump into the shower, change into coat and tie for the evening event. Race down at...

4:45 PM - You and two DMC's, hit the bricks outside the Hotel. There are twelve different restaurants to be visited in the next 90 minutes, all having been reviewed months ago during the early stages of program planning. Long before tonight menus were discussed, budgets and prices wrangled over, wine selected, guarantees placed. All this in readiness for tonight's dine around dinners.

Each restaurant is visited, the number of diners confirmed, the separate, custom printed menu cards placed on reserved tables, agreed-upon meals checked one last time, final payments and gratuities worked out with the owners, etc. Back into the cab, to another restaurant. All have to be ready by 8.15 PM tonight.

Meanwhile, at the Hotel, your second-in-command is checking arrangements for the cocktail reception that precedes the dine around.

The Ballroom Foyer is now turned into a Reception Lounge by the addition of six freestanding mobile bars, complete with house and call brands. The contract calls for two waiters per bar, plus eight waiters to tray pass hot and cold hors d'oeuvres. There will be three separate 'stations' for beef, shrimp and dim sum service as well. Your assistant spends the late afternoon reviewing the contracts with the Hotel.

You contracted through the hotel for a stringed quartet to play at the reception. They'll arrive 45 minutes before the event and try to talk a bartender into giving them drinks on the sly. Your assistant will firmly tell them no. They start tuning their instruments and change into their tuxedos.

7.00 PM - You are back at the Hotel just as the reception starts. Naturally all your Staff are on duty, greeting guests but not drinking or eating. One of them spots five members of the Brotherhood of Elks sneaking into the Foyer; the Elks are politely asked to roam elsewhere for the next hour while our client has their party.

The musicians sound great, by the way.

The professional photographer hired to snap informal pictures works the reception crowd. You did brief him on the VIP's and winning couples from this afternoon's Business Meeting, didn't you?

Oh, you didn't?

Fortunately, your second in command had it on her work schedule and is now leading the photographer from group to group. The pictures will be developed and put into special leather picture frames for delivery to each guests room tomorrow night during the Gala Farewell Banquet.

The DMC says the flowers are back stage. Only a few people know what is coming next.

7.30 PM - Back to the Lobby level to check on the coaches for the evening transfer. All guests will be driven to the restaurants (the exigencies of the Hotel's location) and again, each coach has to have a driver, guide and DMC on board plus one of your ADI staff. Whoops, where are the coach signs? They've been left upstairs in one of the Staff's rooms, so someone moves fast.

7.40 PM - Your Staff bring in twelve different bunches of roses, fifteen various shades. Why? Well, the guests will find out. As they leave the Foyer the female from each couple will select a rose color; that color is matched to the coach signs that indicate the restaurant they'll be dining in tonight. It is a random, but fair, way to get people to mix and mingle together. You have to have the right colored rose to get on that particular coach. So at...

7.59 PM - You'll be up on a small platform the quartet has been using, microphone in hand. As for silence, explain the rose/color/coach/restaurant idea - 95% of the guests will understand - the other 5% your Staff will have to explain to them, anyway.

Ten seconds later the bartenders close their stations, as previously arranged. The Reception is over at the stroke of...

8.00 PM - Everyone surges out of the Foyer, heading for the coaches. Your Staff is downstairs sorting 175 couples out into eight different coaches. It works very well, just as you guaranteed the client it would a year ago when we first proposed this evening. There are eight no-show couples, so we call each restaurant and reduces the head count by two people. We won't be penalized by any of the restaurants, by the way.

8.15 - 8.20PM - All coaches reach their restaurants in the time allocated; you've kept track of everyone via portable radios. Time to eat dinner yourself as you slip into a booth at your restaurant and survey the happy crowd.

Because you've reviewed all the guest registration back at your headquarters you know there are four birthdays being celebrated tonight. The Travel Staff has already spotted the restaurants where these guests are dining and as if by magic, at dessert time, birthday cakes with candles and a bottle of champagne are served to their individual tables. A nice touch.

10.00 PM - Dinners are all winding down; each coach and guide offers suggestions as to late night possibilities in their particular neighborhood. Some guests take up the offer to keep the evening going, others are ready to head back , via the coaches, to the Hotel. Just before leaving each restaurant, the final bill is checked and signed off by your Staff member. Any questions are forwarded to the DMC for discussion with you tomorrow morning.

10.25 PM - You open the Hospitality Desk for thirty minutes more; there are always questions and requests, even in the evening hours. Three Staff hold the fort down and the rest gather in your room to start on Departure Notices. Tomorrow you'll be sending out 175 individual letters customized to each couple's specific departure from the hotel, air arrangements, luggage handling, in fact, a complete checklist that fully explains the procedures for the day after tomorrow. The Staff work until just after midnight and finish them all in time to give them to the Bellstaff for delivery tomorrow afternoon in each guest's room.

12.30 AM - Work a few minutes on your expense report, pull out tomorrow's contracts and review the Staff work schedule. And finally, lights out. Just another sixteen hour day on the job as an Event Manager.

Isn't it time to call ADI? Contact us to make your next program spectacular!