Learning how to manage your time, deliver projects promptly and show respect for your clients is something every event manager should focus on perfecting early on in their career. Here are 8 reasons why being late is simply unacceptable in events.
Everyone knows that person who is perpetually late. They might be late to work, late to accomplish tasks or late for just about everything. This is never a good look for an event planner and sets a poor tone for everyone involved in your event. Here are just a few reason’s why time management is so important in our industry.
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Tardiness is Rude
Being late is extremely rude. Of all the event managers I’ve had the pleasure to work with, the most successful ones show up early and always deliver on time. They respect the time of their clients, their coworkers and everyone that they are professionally involved with. By being late you are telling others that you don’t value their time and this can lead to many challenges throughout your career.
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It Can Result in Lost Opportunities
Being late is a very easy way to lose your current and potential clients. If you don’t deliver certain services on time or if you fail to be punctual for meetings or events you will struggle to keep your business up and running. You might also miss the chance to make a great first impression on a potential future employer, or could lose the recommendation of other vendors or people in the industry if you fail to arrive on time.
During an event there are many people attending who will be sure to notice your ability to manage your time and your event team’s schedule. If you do a great job you will most likely obtain additional business, but if you drop the ball and run behind, you may be missing out on future opportunities.
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It Makes You Difficult to Work With
When you repeatedly fall behind on a project you become viewed by your peers as unprofessional. Over time this lack of effort and attention to your responsibilities will impact your entire team and they may want to avoid working with you. This may lead to challenges for everyone involved and could even lead to you being reprimanded for your performance or dismissed.
By turning in your work on time, arriving to meetings promptly and showing your coworkers that you respect their time you will cultivate a quality relationship with your colleagues. Reliable and professional teammates are always a valuable asset to any company or event team.
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It Develops a Poor Reputation
If you continuously fail to meet your timeline the word will spread and you will develop a poor reputation. This will be extremely hard to recover from and could leave a negative impact on you for many years to come. Showing your guests or clients that you have poor time management can be really challenging to bounce back from. Once they associate you with this type of reputation they will come to expect that you are unreliable and unable to deliver on your promises.
If you find yourself in this situation, take time to set new standards and routines. Make a consistent effort to build up a new reputation for timeliness and put your best foot forward. When you are in charge of an event all eyes are on you and you must hold yourself to the highest of standards. By doing this, the only reputation you will build is a positive one!
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It Shows a Lack of Commitment
When you fail to arrive on time it shows everyone around you that you lack commitment. This might come across as a lack of dedication to your event, your client or your fellow vendors. When you don’t show passion and devotion to your job you can bring down the energy levels and atmosphere around you.
This behavior is never welcomed at events and will be noticed by everyone involved. Do whatever you need to do to always arrive in a timely manner, such as setting alarms on your phone and arranging meetings at convenient and realistic times and locations.
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There is a Ripple Effect
Being late can have a serious ripple effect that may impact many different aspects of an event. If you fail to complete a task it may delay someone else from doing their job. If you arrive late it may set back the timeline defined for the event day.
Plan each day with careful thought and do your best to stay on time, even if something throws you off schedule. Take time to allow for changes and shifts in the original plan. This will give you a buffer and allow you to get back on track.
Also, do your best to communicate with all key players if you do end up delayed on a project or a portion of your event. When you keep people informed they will appreciate your willingness to keep them updated and they are more likely to be understanding. This will also give others a chance to prepare if they are waiting on you in order to move forward on a project.
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It Ruins the Attendee Experience
As an attendee you have an investment in the event and you expect for everything to run smooth. When an event is delayed or certain aspects get thrown off schedule it can really tarnish the event experience. Unfortunately, once you burn bridges like this with your attendees they are much less likely to attend your future events and they will almost always spread the word about their negative experience.
The best event planners always make sure that the program can be reworked to be back on time no matter what happens. This shows your attendees that you have everything under control and the ability to ensure the quality of the event is still held to the highest of standards.
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It Impacts on the Success of Your Events
For an event to be successful timing has to be at the forefront of almost every decision that is made. When do certain vendors arrive? When is food and beverage being served? How long is a speaker scheduled to present?
Event management and your success in this career is very dependent on your ability to execute on time. Be sure to account for setbacks in your timeline. Things won’t always run on time and you need to have room to make adjustments. By planning ahead and preparing for these situations, you will be able to stay on track and make timing a top priority for each and every event that you manage.
In Conclusion
Being late can impact not only your event, but your reputation, event team and your future career. Poor time management is something that is a big negative as an event planner and if you plan to succeed in this industry you must make timing and promptness a top priority.
Developing these skills takes work and (oddly enough) time to learn and perfect. By developing your skills throughout the beginning of your career and setting high standards for yourself, you will grow your business, build a positive reputation and you will be headed towards continued success for many years to come!
