If you work in event planning, you know that feeling.
At first glance, everything looks great. The keynote speaker is ready, the lighting is perfect, and the catering is exquisite. But then you notice that the lobby is full of guests with unhappy looks on their faces. The bar line is three-deep, and people are waiting to use the restroom. Despite all your planning and hard work, guests are already unhappy because of bottlenecks in these high-traffic areas.
Simply hiring more people won’t clear things up. You need to hire the right people and place them in the locations where they can do the most good. By identifying and fortifying your event’s pressure points — those critical junctures where traffic spikes and stress levels rise — you can dramatically improve flow and satisfaction. Here’s how to ensure your event staffing strategy covers those all-important pressure points.
What Are Pressure Points in Event Staffing?
In the world of event management, a pressure point is any location where demand temporarily exceeds capacity. Too many people have crowded into a single location, and event staff are too far away to assist them.
Common examples of pressure points include:
- The registration desk during the first hour of a conference.
- The coat check immediately after a winter gala.
- The main bar during cocktail hour.
- The restrooms during an intermission.
Pressure points cause guest dissatisfaction and can have a domino effect. A delay at registration means sessions start late. A slow bar line means guests spend their networking time waiting for a drink rather than connecting with peers.
These delays are often the primary source of attendee dissatisfaction. When guests feel trapped or neglected in a high-traffic area, their perception of the entire event sours, even if the rest of the experience is good.
Benefits of Strategic Staffing at Pressure Points
Customer experience staffing is the practice of strategically assigning event staff to the areas where they can best assist guests. It’s no surprise that placing staff at pressure points is one of the most popular forms of customer experience staffing, and this practice has several benefits.
First and foremost is a conspicuous reduction in complaints. Guests who move seamlessly from the curb to the cloakroom to the reception hall feel well cared for.
For your team, there are improvements in operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. When a pressure point is understaffed, your team is put on the spot — and in the line of fire of upset guests. This inevitably leads to mistakes and burnout. But when you bolster these areas with sufficient support, your employees can focus on high-level hospitality and problem-solving.
Ultimately, a well-staffed event runs more smoothly and with a level of professionalism that elevates the host’s brand image.
Implementing Effective Event Staffing Strategies
To improve your event staffing strategies, take a moment to assess your staffing needs not just by total headcount, but by the event’s timeline and flow. When will the buses arrive? When does the keynote end? When is the meal service? Answer these questions, and you’ll begin to identify pressure points and where you need additional staff.
The best way to address gaps that create pressure points is with temporary event staffing. Temps give you the flexibility that you can’t get with permanent hires. After all, you don’t need twenty registration clerks for a full eight-hour day. You need them for the crucial ninety minutes when most guests arrive.
Partnering with a specialized staffing firm lets you bring in skilled professionals for these surge periods. Temporary staff members act as shock absorbers, handling the intensity of the pressure points so that your permanent team can do what they do best.
Relieve the Pressure Points to Create Happy Guests
The difference between a rave review and a formal complaint often comes down to a guest waiting in the wrong line for just a couple of minutes. But if you can focus staff on the critical pressure points of your venue, guest frustration becomes a thing of the past.
Snelling specializes in temporary event staffing, customer experience staffing, and supporting our clients’ hiring strategies.
To learn more about our event staffing services, contact a Snelling location near you today and tell us about your upcoming event needs.
