What to Do If Your Event Goes Wrong?

 We understand that when you are hosting an event, you want everything to go as smoothly as possible. However, events have a lot of variables, and Murphy's law states that something will always go wrong. This is not to say that your event will fail and that you should avoid having one at all costs. If you plan carefully enough, you may not even have anything go wrong!

However, no matter how well prepared you are, there will almost certainly be a few hiccups along the way. It could be as simple as the flowers arriving late or a minor miscommunication with the caterers. It could be something more serious, such as a power or equipment failure. Whatever happens, try not to be concerned. Here are some pointers on what to do if something goes wrong at your event.

Our discussion about this was with Vijay Dalwani, a planner who has planned a lot of successful events. Vijay Dalwani offered some tips for what to do when something goes wrong at your event.

Don't panic

When things start going wrong, you must remain calm. This is absolutely necessary. When your client or guests notice any signs of panic on your face, they will begin to worry as well. And the more worried you become, the less clear your vision becomes! The solution to your problem may be simple, but if you are panicked, you will be unable to think clearly enough to find it. So, no matter what, maintain a positive attitude and remain calm and don’t panic.

Maintain Control

When you are in charge of an event and something goes wrong, all eyes are on you. You must maintain control and take command of the situation. The sooner you solve the problem, the sooner you can get back to your event. When a problem is brought to your attention, attack it and take command. You must concentrate on finding a solution and repairing everything as soon as possible. Allow no one else to take control – you are solely responsible for resolving the problem.

Make sure you have backup equipment

This is a requirement for all event vendors. If you work as an event professional (whether as a DJ, audio technician, lighting engineer, photographer, florist, or something else), you must bring backup equipment to your events. This way, if something goes wrong, we have backup on-site to fix anything that might go wrong, ensuring that the event production goes off without a hitch. Many times, if you have backup, a problem or malfunction will go unnoticed by your guests or clients because you can fix the problem immediately and seamlessly.

Prepare a backup plan before the event

When planning an event, it's necessary to conduct certain risk assessments. What are the chances of something going wrong at your event? Prepare a backup plan in advance. That way, you won't risk losing what counts most: your audience's trust. Attendees will be much more forgiving if you have a good crisis communication plan and a COVID compliance strategy. Communicate with them in a straightforward and honest manner. You can deliver it in a humorous manner depending on the audience to lighten the mood. But whatever you do, don't show them that you're worried or uncontrollable.

Experienced and well-trained personnel

When something goes wrong at your event, you should be able to rely on your team to address it. They should be prepared for a variety of scenarios, which you should bear in mind during the hiring process. Staff must not only know how to repair any equipment that breaks down, but they must also be taught how to handle a customer service issue during an event. Our event production team is well-versed in both equipment maintenance and customer service, so they're ready to address any issue that may arise during an event.

To summarise, the main point is to always be prepared. Always be mindful of variables that could go wrong and have a plan in place for how you'll handle the scenario. It's always better to be over-prepared and ready for anything than to be unprepared and unable to save a situation!

These tips can help you to save your event and yourself also.