Corporate event entertainment ideas 2018

It’s a new year, and we can’t have a new year without New Year’s Resolutions! As is the case for me every year, my resolution for 2018 is to be and even better corporate event entertainer, team building activity producer and company trivia party supplier than I was last year.

Whether you’re a vendor like me or a planner, we are both seeking the same thing: the highest quality. There are many ways to achieve this, however in 2018 the bar is higher than it’s ever been. 2018 will mark TrivWorks’ ninth year in operation, with me inching towards twenty years as an events professional. I pride myself on TrivWorks being the industry’s go-to supplier for corporate trivia events nationwide, however in order to make such a claim I have to be able to back it up with more than just audacious statements.

Here are the key areas which I have worked tirelessly at throughout my career in order to be a truly excellent corporate entertainment supplier – as well as other things which I am still striving to achieve as we begin another new year:

Client Service Trumps All Else

When it comes down to it, I – and all suppliers – are in the service business. Regardless of what you or I are selling, the customer wants to be treated with an exemplary level of service. Particularly for premium brands and top providers, where the price tag is commensurate with the product, clients who pay top dollar expect and deserve outstanding service.

What does outstanding service mean? To me, it comes down to simply being there – always. I take great pride in the fact that I respond to clients quickly, often immediately. An Email comes in, I write back right away. A call comes in, I take it – even if it means dropping everything I’m doing. Should I need to send the call to voicemail, you had better believe I will bend over backwards to return that call at my very first opportunity.

This doesn’t just apply to existing clients, by the way. Whenever a new inquiry comes in, I respond promptly – sometimes scarily so (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the words “That was FAST!” when responding to a submission on this Website’s contact form). Providing excellent client service means demonstrating responsiveness right from the very start, to show prospects the level of attention they can expect to receive once they sign on.

There is of course more to client service than simply being highly responsive. Professionalism takes many forms: anticipating needs, going above and beyond, being proactive, taking that extra step to ensure that the corporate entertainment activity goes flawlessly. For a list of ways vendors can maximize their level of client service, click here.

Reliability and Dependability

If somebody has hired me to deliver a service, it is my obligation to be there for them when they need me. That’s why I don’t just respond fast to the initial inquiry, but attempt to do so with every subsequent interaction as well. Why?

Because it shows that I can be relied upon.

Being reliable and dependable is what clients are seeking, after all. Yes, they want a quality product and a fantastic customer service experience, but really what people want – particularly so with corporate events, where professional reputations are on the line – is to know that they can count on the vendor. To do what, you ask?

Simply put, to do what we say we will.

When you put pen to paper and hand over a check, you want to be assured that the event entertainment vendor will deliver EVERYTHING they promised they would: to show up on time (or at all), to provide the performance as agreed upon, to represent you and your firm well. Generally speaking, as with anything else you get what you pay for; here’s another article you can check out on the value you can (and should) expect from a higher-priced supplier, versus a budget one.

Customization is King

Now more than any time I can remember, clients are seeking personalized, tailored corporate party ideas. Gone are the days of 1-size-fits-all company team building events, employee recognition ideas, client reward activities or summer associate entertainment. Folks want the experience to be customized to their SPECIFIC audiences, as well as to their specific goals and objectives.

If you’re a event entertainment supplier for corporate or private parties in 2018 and aren’t customizing your experiences, you’re in trouble. It’s as simple as that. Why? Because today, folks have so many more options than ever before for ways to spend their limited event or training dollars. Competition is fierce, and as you can tell from even a cursory online search, there is no shortage of highly compelling options out there – the most compelling of which offer customization.

So why be the one that’s NOT?

For my part, I ensure that I customize EVERY event for EVERY client. Now, to be sure there are different levels of customization; for a full-blown corporate trivia party with all the bells and whistles, I will conduct a very comprehensive customization call in advance, followed by researching and writing unique and original trivia questions specific to the group in attendance, tailored to their goals. However, for clients who opt for our less-expensive TrivWorks Express brand – our turnkey team trivia party package – instead of custom-written questions, they’ll fill out a questionnaire in advance, and we will select appropriate material from our database. However, in both cases the experience HAS been tailored, and isn’t just a boilerplate activity.

A laser-like focus on client service, dependability, reliability and customization is what companies like TrivWorks need to do in order to maintain our status as top-tier corporate event vendors. However, there is always room for improvement. For the year ahead, I am seeking to roll out new offerings to service new audiences, as well as make the customer experience even easier and more enjoyable than I already do.

There are always ways companies like mine can continue to learn and grow. I take great pains – especially at the start of a new year – to ensure the proper steps are being taken so that I can not only claim, but EARN the right to legitimately call myself an excellent, industry-leading vendor.