How to Complain to a Conference Venue About Its Service Delivery
Be certain about your instructions., Use the actions that you have taken in the step above as the grounds for your complaint., Request the manager., Inform the venue organizers that you will be expecting some renegotiation of the prices., Always...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be certain about your instructions.
Before you even arrive at the venue on the day, if possible, you should already have visited it and met with the manager responsible for organizing your event.
Personal contact is the number one key to good service.
However, for events being organized from a distance, this hands-on approach will not always be possible and you will need to aim for clarity in your correspondence and phone calls.
Consider such things as drawing up room layouts and sending or faxing these through, writing letters or emails with precise instructions (bullet points are excellent) and provide precise details of anything that you consider would differ from the venue's normal operational expectations. -
Step 2: Use the actions that you have taken in the step above as the grounds for your complaint.
If you arrive to a poor layout, a missing refreshments table, poor signage, lack of seating etc., immediately seek out the person in charge of the organizing and show them your documentation of how things should be.
This means that you must always turn up well in advance of the event to make sure that any changes needed can be accomplished prior to the arrival of attendees. , If the event organizer is either unhelpful or absent, go straight to the manager of the venue.
Often this person is not the actual organizer but will be in charge of overseeing the work and will want their venue to keep a good reputation.
Tell this person what has gone wrong, point out that you took many steps to ensure that the venue would be properly prepared for your event and that action must be taken immediately to fulfill their side of the bargain to ensure that the event works smoothly. , If the event was not organized well, inform them at the wind-up that you will be disputing the invoice and that they will be receiving a detailed letter with reasons.
Ask the manager if they are willing to discuss it on the spot but if not, send this letter. , Be willing to accept comments about the non-clarity or uncertainty of your own communications at any stage but if you have the paperwork, you can talk this through and hopefully demonstrate that you were not clear.
At the same time, remain firm where you are in the right; events are not cheap and reputation matters because people will talk about its success or otherwise.
It is fine to tell the venue that if they remedy the situation they will continue to be considered, but if not, they will not receive your business again and that you will be letting other businesses know about your experience. -
Step 3: Request the manager.
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Step 4: Inform the venue organizers that you will be expecting some renegotiation of the prices.
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Step 5: Always remain polite as you assert your rights.
Detailed Guide
Before you even arrive at the venue on the day, if possible, you should already have visited it and met with the manager responsible for organizing your event.
Personal contact is the number one key to good service.
However, for events being organized from a distance, this hands-on approach will not always be possible and you will need to aim for clarity in your correspondence and phone calls.
Consider such things as drawing up room layouts and sending or faxing these through, writing letters or emails with precise instructions (bullet points are excellent) and provide precise details of anything that you consider would differ from the venue's normal operational expectations.
If you arrive to a poor layout, a missing refreshments table, poor signage, lack of seating etc., immediately seek out the person in charge of the organizing and show them your documentation of how things should be.
This means that you must always turn up well in advance of the event to make sure that any changes needed can be accomplished prior to the arrival of attendees. , If the event organizer is either unhelpful or absent, go straight to the manager of the venue.
Often this person is not the actual organizer but will be in charge of overseeing the work and will want their venue to keep a good reputation.
Tell this person what has gone wrong, point out that you took many steps to ensure that the venue would be properly prepared for your event and that action must be taken immediately to fulfill their side of the bargain to ensure that the event works smoothly. , If the event was not organized well, inform them at the wind-up that you will be disputing the invoice and that they will be receiving a detailed letter with reasons.
Ask the manager if they are willing to discuss it on the spot but if not, send this letter. , Be willing to accept comments about the non-clarity or uncertainty of your own communications at any stage but if you have the paperwork, you can talk this through and hopefully demonstrate that you were not clear.
At the same time, remain firm where you are in the right; events are not cheap and reputation matters because people will talk about its success or otherwise.
It is fine to tell the venue that if they remedy the situation they will continue to be considered, but if not, they will not receive your business again and that you will be letting other businesses know about your experience.
About the Author
Pamela Harvey
Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.
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