Customer service skills are just as vital for event coordination as they are in any other business. This may be obvious to some, but many professionals don’t yet recognize the importance of honing their skills to match those of their customers.
The experience is everything for both event attendees and clients. Not only do good customer-service skills keep clients coming back and spreading the word, but they will also help to define your professional reputation.
When you perform well, you may well get great online and word-of-mouth reviews, but news of a poor job will travel more quickly and reach twice as many people as reports of your good customer service experiences.
Event coordinators must stay aware of both their clients and the attendees if they want the event to be a success. Here are some of the quality traits every planner should possess or cultivate in the customer service realm.
1. Organization
When you’re highly organized, that sends the message that you’re detail-oriented and can manage your time efficiently enough to do a good job. It puts customer concerns to rest and raises client confidence.
This will reduce client stress levels and make them more satisfied with the result. So start making checklists, filing your notes, and collaborating with your team members!
2. Engaging Personality
Though it’s wise to separate personal life and work, your personality can have a lot to do with your success as an event planner. When you radiate a can-do personality, are easy to talk to, and make the clients feel good about their ideas, you’ll garner better business and retain customers along the way.
3. Negotiation
Clients often hire event planners because they don’t know how to negotiate prices and deal with vendors for themselves. One of your tasks is to show off your ability to arrange great deals with all the participants, so strong negotiation skills are essential to accomplish that.
4. Constant Energy
Obviously, if you’re acting lazy, tired, and unenthusiastic about a project, your client will not be happy. Everything you do should scream confidence and energy, and show clients that you’re in charge of everything and know how to handle yourself in any situation.
5. Service
Working with people is at the heart of your business. Clients will expect you not only to be respectful and engaging with them, but also with their attendees. You’ll be more of a lurker at the actual event, but you should be alert and try to anticipate the needs of guests before they recognize them.
This will make your event go smoothly and make you look like the talented party planner you are.
6. Unflappable Perspective
Things will go wrong, no matter how hard you try to avoid it through your planning and preparation. The key is to handle the bad patches with grace and problem solving.
You’ll have to maintain clear thinking under pressure, and show you can make the best of any situation. Don’t let panic overtake you, and if you’re honestly worried about something, you shouldn’t let the client see that.
7. Flexibility
Clients may often change their minds. Instead of telling them there’s nothing that can be done when they request a change, try to offer a little flexibility.
Work with people to make their ideas harmonize with what’s already been established, even if it means changing some of your own plans. This kind of flexibility sets a great relationship between clients and coordinators.
8. Respect
Getting the respect you deserve as a talented event coordinator typically means extending it first. Be kind and professional in all your interactions, and take the high road even if the client isn’t so nice. People will develop a high opinion of you if you keep respect at the center of your dealings with everyone.
9. Availability
Is it easy for clients to reach you at a moment’s notice? If you’re the kind of person who postpones checking your emails and returning phone calls, you’ll foster a poor reputation among current and potential clients.
Both your team members and customers should be able to reach you easily or receive a rapid response. Otherwise, they’ll feel neglected.
10. Management
The ability to exhibit confidence and leadership in any situation will reduce stress for the clients and increase their confidence in you. Being able to act “in charge” is one of the best ways to make customers believe you can handle anything.
