Categories: uncategorized
Date: 27 February 2005 13:16:22
Arrived at seven this morning and had a déjà vu experience. I said goodbye to the Housekeeper who said goodbye to me the night before when I left just after ten pm. That is when you know your at work way too much.
Had one of those days where I was run off my feet and just on the go the whole day. But when you ask me what I got up to I can't really pin point what that is exactly. We had several functions on, one for 1200ppl, one for 400ppl and one for 170ppl. The funny thing is some days the event with 15 ppl total I was looking after the two seminars that were together yet separate and the lunch for 400 and my colleague DeNiro was looking after the 1200. I was on the go pretty much at 7 and did not get back to my desk for longer than 10 minutes till just after 12. The day starts with picking up the paperwork so you know what is supposed to be where. Then check to make sure there were no last minute changes on the supplementary paperwork. I then unlock the rooms and make sure all is in order. The seminar was for 150 and a return client. These usually go well as you develop that relationship over several functions. This client has a history of being fairly independent but niggly little things always seem to happen. This was the case when the room was set at maximum capacity and the client could not understand why we could not fit an extra 15 seats in the room. I explained that it was a little thing called Workplace and Safety and we need to guarantee safe evacuation for all guests. It comes to the point where we just can't fit any more people in. But clients don't understand when the Inn is full the little Lord Jesus has to go to the stable. Or in this case you just can't add a sixth of your numbers half an hour before your event kicks off and expect us to be able to strip the whole room of the tables and chairs and then put smaller tables in.
Then the 1200 from upstairs were just going everywhere. When people get in large groups like that they just become like cockroaches and walk through ropes and staunchions and past signs that say "Private Function". The 1200 were in several rooms and also had displays on the hallway to our big fancy room. They also had their coffee and morning tea stations on the hallway. When my client for the lunch turn up she was shall we say was a little anxious at seeing 1200 people all over her hallway and was worried her 400 could get through. We sorted it with human signage and multiple signage and moving the lunch for the 1200 to other stations. So when the 1200 wanted their lunch and the 400 were walking the other way against the flow. We made it a lot easier by just shuffling the 1200 to the other side. Some days we play puppetry with people by just moving the food or herding them with ropes and staunchions. All tricks of the trade.
In the end the lunch was a massive success and they are looking forward to coming back later on for other events. That goes into the win column. We managed to squeeze the extra 15 in the back on chairs but no tables for them to lean on. That was a win as well. The afternoon continued to be busy but not as bad as the morning. So I left just after 4 and ready to be back for 7 in the morning.
Til Next time just follow the food,
Chops