Choosing The A-Team
You may remember the classic TV series ‘The A-Team’, or perhaps the movie remake a few years ago. In every adventure, these four rebels could take on any type of mission together and out-maneuver and outwit anyone standing in their way. Because of their distinctive skill sets as well as strength as a team, the show gave us a trademark of what it means to have the best backing you up—The A-Team.
When it comes to an event, it’s a challenge navigating through crews and vendor lists to narrow down to a group that can smoothly collaborate and organize the occasion’s needs with precision. No one wants to go through trial and error to find out whether or not they’ve hired someone top-notch. From the beginning, it’s imperative to know the team working towards the goal is not only the experienced professionals with the skill set to match but also intuitive and confident to push to excellence. With over 20 years in the industry, the River Media Team is here to share some tips and insights that we factor in when choosing our A-Team.
“No one wants to go through trial and error to find out whether or not they’ve hired someone top-notch.”
One indication of a high-quality crew is their exceptional customer service. The initial level of customer service in the event world tends to set the stage for the working relationship between client and crew. The response time on emails or voice mails, the constant rescheduling of meetings, the preparation and attention placed on the event details all speak to each team member’s priority levels.
Another tip can be found in touring a showroom and/or inventory warehouse when applicable. Though this may seem inconsequential, a fun outing to a vendor’s facility can reveal a great deal of the company’s care towards their product. Especially, when it comes to event rentals, you can quickly determine not only the quality of pieces, but the priority the company takes in its upkeep. Just as a home speaks of the residents, so the offices of a company speak of its management.
Finding strong recommendations are always beneficial. Most venues tend to have a “preferred vendor list”, so if you take those options and line them up next to what other industry leaders have to say, you’ll be on your way in narrowing down your search. If you have opportunity, leverage the experience of a distinguished event planner in your area and inquire of the professionalism of crews and vendors in a tight spot. If anyone will be transparent with you, it’s the one in charge.
Some vendors present themselves and their role in an event with a “see something, say something” mentality. Others simply hand over their quote and pay little attention to the constant changing in event details. The vendors that are not only mindful to navigate adjustments pertaining to their company but also actively review the event as a whole to catch anything missing are the keepers. They’re the ones who make your meetings productive for the entire team by asking the right questions and addressing the details that have dropped off the radar. At the end of your event, everyone is winning, because someone has gone above and beyond to make it a success.
Has this article on “Choosing your A-Team” been insightful? What questions do you have for our team? River Media would love your feedback or if you have questions on events and the struggles that arise. We look forward to hearing from you and helping in your next project.