How to Ensure Your Corporate Guests Feel Extra Special

PenniBlack team setting up tables for an event.

When organising corporate meetings or promotional events for your special guests, be it for directors or prospective clients, it can be easy to simply focus on the content of the meeting or event topic. Whilst focusing 80% of your efforts on planning the meeting or event is undoubtedly important, the remaining 20% that should be dedicated to the venue and catering is often overlooked.

If your guests arrive at your meeting or event, soaking wet and highly stressed, due to having to walk two miles to the venue because there was nowhere to park, will they be in the optimal mindset to absorb and consider your content? Therefore, it can be very useful to spend a good amount of time looking at how you can add value to your guest’s experience from start to finish and how you can do everything in your power to put them in a positive and receptive state to enable them to be fully present at your meeting or event.

As corporate hospitality specialists, we wanted to share these ideas and advice for your consideration when planning your next corporate VIP meeting or event, to ensure its success.

Office desk with Mac, notepad, cup and glasses.

Communications

Sending helpful, timely and informative communication prior to, and after, your event can go a long way to ensuring your guests feel valued. Be sure to ask relevant questions, such as how they will be travelling, if they have any dietary requirements, do they have any special requirements for access etc.

Once all the logistics are confirmed, send these to your guests in an easily readable format. We suggest using headings to keep the information clear. Provide details, such as parking, nearest railway station, taxi numbers, who to ask for when they arrive and contact numbers in case of emergency.

Venue

If you are hosting your meeting or event at your business premises, you may want to consider if this will be the best option for your guests. If your offices are in tip-top condition, have more than enough parking and easily accessible for public transport users, then it may well be.

However, if the available meeting room is a bit cramped, lacking natural light and in need of a fresh coat of paint, you might want to reconsider using this space for your guests. Whilst it may well be the most cost-effective for you, will it give the impression you are looking to achieve for your company?

A light and airy meeting room with table and chairs.
Two trays of canapé refreshments by PenniBlack.

Refreshments and Catering

In most cases, guests, regularly attend a vast array of corporate meetings and events, so they will have experienced their fair share of soggy sandwiches! Providing high quality, unique and delicious food choices is the perfect way to show your guests you are different, you care about them, and you think they are worth this additional effort. Not to mention the fact that food is fuel; what you offer your guests to eat may impact on how they feel – do you want them to feel bloated and tired or fuelled up and attentive when you discuss pertinent points?

Our advice is to provide a variety of eye-catching and colourful food that is easy to consume, light, and filling. Don’t forget to ask in your pre-meeting/event communication if your guests have any dietary requirements.

For refreshments, provide a few herbal options, or perhaps other caffeine-free options. Ensure you always go for freshly ground coffee as opposed to granules, it really does make a difference – the aromatic scent you get from freshly ground coffee will add to the overall warm and inviting ambiance.

Room Décor

Whether you are choosing to use your own business premises or hire a meeting room within another venue, the room décor will need some of your attention.

The space you use to deliver your important content will set the scene for how comfortable and engaged your guests are, so if the chairs aren’t comfortable, your guests won’t be!

So, switch out the chairs, open the blinds, add extra lighting for those dark corners and better still, add some fresh flowers to create a welcoming and fragrant environment.

Sunflowers in a white vase with blue wood panelling.