The second half of 2022 were filled with events and we’ve got our fair share of pet peeves. What kinds of things tend to stand out to you when attending an event you didn’t plan—and how would you fix them?
1. Food and beverage options that ignore dietary restrictions.
In this day and age, there’s little excuse for ignoring guests with dietary restrictions which also leads to food not being labeled and waiters who don’t know what’s being served.
Also, not everyone goes for alcohol or soda. It’s good to have plain water and sugarless but tasty drinks as well.
2. Too much waste
Today’s event attendees care about sustainability more than ever. As more people are using their mobile phones to check in at events, there is no real need for excessive printing, swag, glossy signages that can’t be recycled.
That focus on sustainability should extend to packaging and plastic, too. Before plastic water bottles we had water stations placed throughout an event space. We can go back to these stations and replacing bottles with water jugs.
3. Poor audiovisual production or stage management.
There is nothing worse than music too loud to talk when the purpose of the event is networking, and/or speakers who cannot be heard and seen when they are there to educate and inspire.
Event vendors should be well versed with the event flow and alert when it comes to cues.
4. An overpacked agenda.
Coming back to in-person events—we find that attention spans are shorter and people prefer smaller breakout sessions.
Breaks should be long enough to actually be recharging, and that attendees don’t need to walk a long way to find coffee or other refreshments during those breaks.
Multiple sessions that appeal to the same guests taking place simultaneously can be tricky. We recognize that it’s sometimes a necessity so perhaps offering a way for attendees to access the content after the event wraps is a good idea.
5. Event content that doesn’t add value.
Remember to add real value to your content sessions. If your speaker was invited to speak about smart car applications, for example, make sure he doesn’t spend 30 minutes talking about his company’s history before spending 5 minutes speaking about the actual applications.
6. An agenda that isn’t updated
Most event websites have agendas placed online. It may be difficult to update the website when speakers to suddenly cancel on the event day, however, if they cancel a few days before the event, the agenda should be updated so guests will know where to spend their time during the cancelled slot.
7. A lack of signage, or an event space that’s difficult to navigate.
Event venues might have different areas where activities take place. Make sure to have enough signages showing the way and manpower to guide your guests to the respective areas.
8. A neglected focus on the small details.
Finding lipstick stains on cups and empty glasses and used napkins that pile up are a no-no. There should be someone to watch over these things.
9. No guest Wi-Fi, or a lack of power outlets.
If you’re expecting your conference guests to stay at your event for more than 6 hours, this would mean that they might still need to have work done remotely. Wi Fi and power points should be made available.
What other pet peeves do you have?