“Work ethic is giving great effort to complete a task. Passion is giving great effort to achieve a cause.”
- Simon Sinek
Guest Management – Some would say it's the most important but annoying part of the job. We say it's the most important and REWARDING part of the job. In this post, we'd like to introduce you to the topic of Guest Management: What is Guest Management and what's its core? Why is it such a tough challenge? But more important: What does PIONEERS’s Guest Management look like? And why do we love doing it so much?
SO, WHAT IS GUEST MANAGEMENT?
Well, it's the whole Guest Journey: from finding the right hotel to planning the trip to the venue and welcoming your customers. It's all about creating a seamless experience: from the moment your customers book their attendance to the final farewell on site and the follow-up communication with the customers. Guest Management usually involves strategies and tools that help you take care of your guests across different settings, such as their offices, hotels and of course the venue itself. These tools help you gain insights so you can take the right action to achieve your company’s goals. In addition, you can expect enhanced security, controlled access, and track-keeping of on-site guests, as well as overall boosted efficiency thanks to automation processes. It’s a Win-Win!
IS GUEST MANAGEMENT THE “NEGLECTED CHILD” OF THE INDUSTRY?
There are a few reasons why Guest Management might not get the devotion it deserves. Understanding why that is and finding the motivation to approach those reasons with an open mind and a strong will is key to a well-structured and executed management.
The most pressing issue with Guest Management is that it is very time-consuming. The Guest Management team must inform guests of the basic information and happenings before they take on their journey, and they must also be a part of every single guest and their personal experience and treat them with the same effort. This can be a challenging task if time is of the essence.
Another issue can be the online management tool. While its functions can make the management and tracking process easier, it can also be just as challenging. You have organized a tool for yourself, either through your own specialized IT team or an external partner – great. However, there is still work to be done. As you will be the one using the tool, you need to become an expert in using and maintaining it.
So, the most important questions to ask here are: How do I reach the people? And am I up for it?
MAKE SURE YOU OFFER THE WHOLE PACKAGE
To succeed in Guest Management, you should offer your client the full package: from project management and stakeholder communication to copywriting, design, and event hosting — all through a single SaaS platform. This platform empowers you to showcase your expertise while providing your clients with a streamlined and professional experience. It enables real-time reporting at all stages of an event and ensures a consistent brand presence. The platform supports personalised communication and ensures efficient participant data management. With multilingual support and integrated feedback collection, it provides comprehensive event management solution. Combined with a dedicated travel management service, it creates seamless booking options for guests and VIPs. Your clients benefit from the highest level of professionalism and service.
DON’T FORGET DATA PROTECTION
As you'll be collecting a lot of personal information from your clients and guests, complying with the latest GDPR regulations through seamless integration, implementation and training, as well as meeting TISAX® standards for information security and optimized workflows, is key to ensuring that your clients and guests enjoy a seamless and protected customer experience!
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
Sounds simple, right? But there are several things that can go wrong! A lot of them have to do with time management. Have you ever heard of the common thing called "procrastination"? Well, with Guest Management that’s not really an option.
Here are two things that we feel happen a lot but can really ruin the whole Guest Journey!
- Too little lead time to send out invitations. This tends to result in tight deadlines for participants, as well as more difficult planning for other trades, as the final number of participants is not known.
- Lack of kindness, understanding and patience due to excessive stress. These are essential skills for a Guest Management team, whether it's before, during or after the event. You've got to think from the guest's perspective and try to understand their problems. That's the only way to be successful.
So, whatever you do, make sure your guests feel appreciated and well looked after!
HOW DOES PIONEERS DO IT?
If you want to know more about how WE do it at PIONEERS, check out
PIONEERS Live Unit, the driving force behind the unforgettable PIONEERS live events. Stay with us for a little sneak peek...
...MEET OUR GUEST MANAGEMENT TEAM
As we’ve already established, Guest Management is nothing without a strong base – which first and foremost is the team. Meet Max, Rahel and Lea, our Guest Management dream team!
MEET MAX
Max is a Senior Project Manager with the PIONEERS Live Unit. He's been in Guest Management for over 13 years. His first contact with the event business was with a Guest Management software developer, which is probably why he's so good at working with such tools.
"I'm really passionate about Guest Management. Without guests, there'd be no event, so I love being able to play my part in making them feel welcome and having a great time. To do that, they need to be fully informed and taken care of from start to finish. I can also contribute my own expertise when setting up online registration, the associated mailings and creating customer reports, and round off the overall picture with small details."
MEET RAHEL
Rahel is a Junior Project Manager in Mainz and plays a big part in PIONEERS’ Guest Management. Just like Max she’s really passionate about events and guest management was a big factor in her entry into the event industry. Before joining Pioneers, she’d already had some experience in the sector, having worked with Guest Management tools through her training as an event manager.
"As a junior project manager in Guest Management, I coordinate guest services and enquiries, organise events, make sure everything runs smoothly and that the project is completed carefully. I work closely with customers and guests to make sure they’re happy. What I enjoy most is seeing the planned event come together and seeing the satisfied faces of the participants."
MEET LEA
Lea joined the PIONEERS along with Max! She is an incredible addition, bringing so much valuable experience from her background in events. Lea is part of our Munich project management team. She also supports her colleagues Max and Rahel in their Guest Management duties and always brings great ambition and passion to the table!
"My roots are in Guest Management, and I have had the privilege of overseeing numerous events in this role with great ambition and passion. I genuinely enjoy the direct interaction with guests, and it brings me joy to personally welcome them upon arrival. In addition to Guest Management, I also support many events on the organizational side, where collaboration across various interfaces is essential. This combination of guest-focused and organizational tasks allows me to contribute to a seamless event experience while ensuring that all aspects are aligned."
PIONEERS BEST PRACTICE
VIAN 2024 – Vorwerk International Award Night
For VIAN 2024, our teams were responsible for the entire project management, from idea and concept to guest management and implementation. The event is dedicated to exceptional talents in direct sales, who stand out for their outstanding performance and great teamwork. The 2000 guests took part in various activities the day before and during the event. On the final evening of the event, all the guests came together to celebrate their successes. Throughout the night, they experienced an immersive adventure as they walked through different stages of the venue. The Awards Night began with the arrival of the guests and the Walk of Nations, followed by the Awards Show on the ship, which ended in the entertainment area where the guests had the opportunity to eat, drink, relax and party all night.
Both Guest and Travel Management played a vital role in this event! Every part of Guest Management was covered, to make this event a seamless Guest Journey:
- Invitation mailing and online registration with a GM-tool defined by the client.
- Hotel research and booking as well as contingency management and invoice control.
- Further mailings and push notifications on the event app before and during the event.
- On-site hotel check-in by event staff as the guests' first touchpoint with the event.
CLIENT QUOTE
With the ASICS Running moves your mind event, we wanted to create an unique and unforgettable experience for our guests. We teamed up with PIONEERS Live to take it to the next level and to guarantee a seamless invitation and guest management which was exceptionally implemented.
- Carolin Rudolph, Sports Marketing & Activation Specialist
ASICS STORE STAFF SUMMIT
The ASICS Store Staff Summit at Hoch5 in Munich and the Bauwerk in Cologne is another of our youngest highlight cases. Both events were all about educating, having fun, engaging with the brand, keeping it moving and making connections. After a morning welcome, staff were treated to a series of engaging presentations, interactions, showcases and learning opportunities throughout the day. The highlight of the day was the community run with all participants through the city and back to the hotel. The evening programme included a fun ride on the famous Umadum Ferris Wheel in Munich, an activation where staff could customise their own T-shirts and - of course - a photo booth to capture all the great memories! The event ended on a high with a great BBQ and an exhilarating after party!
Another great example of PIONEERS Live Guest Management. From the moment they arrived to the warm farewell, our team was with them every step of the way:
- Invitation mailing and online registration with a GM-tool we defined.
- Hotel research and booking as well as contingency management and invoice control.
- Further mailings and telephone hotline before, during and after the event.
- On-site location check-in by event staff and hotel check-in inclusive of luggage handling.
CLIENT QUOTE
With the ASICS Running moves your mind event, we wanted to create an unique and unforgettable experience for our guests. We teamed up with PIONEERS Live to take it to the next level and to guarantee a seamless invitation and guest management which was exceptionally implemented.
- Carolin Rudolph, Sports Marketing & Activation Specialist
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