Chocolate Making Event

Chocolate making events are undoubtedly the big success of 2009. We do find that there are events that just hit the moment and you see a lot of them at various times. Currently it seems to be the time for chocolate making.

The event is easy to put on in any suitable location and it appeals to people of all ages and abilities. Real teamwork is needed to achieve the aims of the activity and it suits small or large groups.

Chocolate making can be themed as well, so it's an ideal Christmas event idea.

We have a La Gavroche trained chef who oversees the group and makes sure that some wonderful chocolates are created.

It's a good fun team building event.

Qualities of event instructors

Event instructors need to be smart of appearance and intelligent enough to communicate ideas and concepts to the client. They also need experience of the activities they are instructing; people can tell if someone has never actually tried the event and you can't get an all round view without experiencing it first hand.

The one quality which separates an average instructor from a good one is the ability to connect with people. You have to be 'present' on the day, which may seem an odd thing to say but in reality people are often not present when they seem to be in front of you. They're thinking about the weekend or something that is more important to them.

A connected instructor is present, cares about the client and wants them to get the maximum return from their investment.

The corporate event experience

The best corporate events provide a stage on which clients can build on their history together through shared experiences. It's important not to lead participants too much and control their every action. Really the event manager needs to take a step back, because it's not about them. Clients will be laughing at 'in jokes' that the instructor won't understand, and it ruins the flow if they feel the need to be part of the team they're working with.

You may be the best instructor in the world and the event may be the most exciting and novel on offer, but the real value for the client will be the hundred of little moments between the participants.

Archery and Parkinsons Disease

I was at an event instructing archery and met someone who was suffering from Parkinsons Disease. He'd seen archery on holiday in Spain and approached the instructor only to be told that he would be unable to pull the bow.

I gave him a lower powered bow and a bit of time one on one and he did well, walking off with a great smile. I wonder why that other instructor turned him away; did he genuinely believe that he couldn't do it or could he not be bothered to give him time?

I doubt many instructors do what they do for the money. My motivation has always been giving people positive experiences and sending them away with a smile. I can't imagine why anyone would choose this career if they felt differently.

Indoor Team Building

The summer comes to an end and the weather starts to take a turn for the worse and thoughts naturally turn towards indoor team building.

There are plenty of indoor solutions, ranging from taking outdoor activities indoors where space permits through to events which are designed for indoor use. MTA kit, as shown in the picture to the left, is very useful for this.

Larger events include Stock Market Simulations, Game Shows and, of course, Murder Mysteries.

Coming last

Corporate events are naturally competitive. Many clients try to tone down the competition element because they want the outcome to be team building and not demoralising. However, humans are naturally competitive and they want to know how they've done and how that compares to the other participants.

Often there is a debrief at the event of the event, perhaps with presentation of prizes. Most of the time people don't take this too seriously but it remains that if there are, say, ten teams it's going to be disappointing to be the team who comes last.

So, what's the best way to deal with coming last?

Hotels preying on corporate budgets

Compare that last experience with the hotel I work at yesterday and stayed overnight at. It's situated on a huge run down industrial estate and that would make it either a 'hidden gem' if they got it right or add to the general disappointment.

As the corporate event manager I was given a room at the 'special rate' of £50 without breakfast so you can image my disappointment when I discovered that the room didn't even have a coffee tray with biscuits. There was a minibar, in which a small Toblerone was on offer ... for £4.50!

I turned on the television to find the option set at 'special offer' which I clicked to find a warning that the films that I was about to be offered were extremely grown up in nature - classy. I'm choosing my words carefully because I don't want to ruin my blog. This special offer included internet access for 24 hours and cost £24.99, or I could just have the internet for £4.99 for 60 minutes. Aaaargh!

I wandered down to the bar where I saw a sign at around 4 foot from the floor which told me that the bar only served doubles unless you asked for a single.

It's clear that this organisation sees its clients as a production line to extract cash from at every turn. The staff I interacted with were efficient enough, if a little cold. Why would you be any different when you work somewhere with such a cold and calculating culture?

I did at least get one laugh out of the whole experience. The complimentary body wash claimed to contain something called Oligoeelements. I'm of an age where we studied something called The Periodic Table at school and I don't remember every seeing an Oligoe amongst the elements. That's the thing about education; the less we do it properly the more guff and nonsense we're going to see out there masquerading as science.

So, lots to reflect on there for any hoteliers reading. The £4.50 Toblerone is bad, but my real beef remains charging such ridiculous rates for internet access when you're marketing your services to businesspeople. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity. Would you charge £4.99 for 60 inutes of hot water? Hang on, these people don't need ideas.

Sundial Group

I was on an event at Highgate House, part of The Sundial Group, yesterday and I'm a big fan of their venues.

The venue is great and has most of the facilities you would expect, as well as plenty of land for corporate events. Highgate has a really nice Baronial Hall and a lot of meeting rooms. So far, so much like a lot of other venues. So, why am I writing about them?

Firstly they have free broadband (5 megs of it). Venues really haven't cottoned on to this and some of them charge £20 to get connected. They're using it as a money maker, whereas these days broadband is a necessity and not a luxury. Okay, you make your £20 but your client isn't stupid and senses a rip off. So, good for them for realising how important this is.

The second reason I've decided to champion them is that they look after instructors. We were offered breakfast. That may seem unimportant, but at the beginning of a long day it's a welcome offer. Many venues treat instructors like unwanted tradespeople. However, and this is particularly the case in these tough times, teams of instructors are often made up of sales people and even directors of event companies. Please them and they might influence the next booking. Looking after event companies when they're on site costs very little and it may be a pretty good tactic.

Corporate sailing events

Solent Events in Lymington deliver excellent corporate sailing events. These days are challenging some times and relaxing at others and give teams the chance to really get away from the office and bond while partaking in a fantastic experience.

They usually work in The Solent, which is a fantastic stretch of water between the south coast and The Isle of Wight. Although day trips are possible teams usually stay at one of the many luxury hotels close to Southampton or Lymington.