Procure Events - Smart and Efficient!

One of the most important parts when procuring an event, conference, or meeting is finding a good selection of suppliers to approach. In addition to being able to offer what you are looking for, whether it is an activity, dinner, or accommodation, the supplier should also be able to offer a price that meets your expectations. Often it is the price that becomes the decisive factor when procuring an event.

Feeling confident in your supplier is also a key factor. If there are last-minute changes, which is almost the rule rather than the exception when planning meetings or events, it is important that you feel secure that the supplier you have chosen to procure will ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. And preferably with minimal involvement from you as a client.

When procuring suppliers for an event or conference, your brief is your best friend -- the clearer the request, the better the quote. To make it easier for you to build your brief, we have compiled our top 5 things to remember:

1. Clarify Priorities

Make sure -- and double-check -- that you understand what your client or manager is looking for and what is most important in the setup when procuring an event. It could be, for example, a flexible schedule, a special meal, or smooth transport/logistics. Then you can specify this when requesting quotes, so you do not get a quote that includes elements that add no value to your event. This also makes it easier for your supplier to understand how they can best meet your expectations. Many suppliers, especially hotels and conference venues, often choose to bundle selected elements into more or less favorable conference packages. Despite good intentions, however, this means it becomes difficult to compare quotes, as different suppliers' conference packages rarely contain exactly the same elements.

2. Include All Details

Think through the entire flow when creating your requirements specification and include all details; from coffee breaks, to whiteboards and extra flip charts in the conference rooms, so you avoid making "last-minute requests" that are often unnecessarily expensive, and in the worst case may not be fulfilled by the supplier.

3. Get Multiple Quotes

Get quotes from more than one supplier for price competition -- it can really pay off. Prices can vary greatly between different suppliers depending on current booking status.

4. Keep Track of Deadlines

Make sure you have control of deadlines from each supplier; how long their quote is valid and when you must book at the latest. Also remember to check when you can make changes without cost. After this date, you risk paying for the number originally registered, regardless of how many actually show up.

5. Bonus Tip

Check out eventlogic.se. There you will find both ready-made conference and event concepts that you can easily modify to your needs, or you can build your own requests based on your specification. All quote requests sent to suppliers look the same, making it easy to compare prices from different suppliers. This simplifies the negotiation process, so you can save both time and money.