Reference no: EM133152554

Better Follow-up MOVIE PREMIER) 

An event planning company designed the special screening of a major motion picture at one New York theater in the year 2000. The portion of the event that the company was hired for was what can be called the "red carpet event." While the client communicated with the company and specified exactly what was needed and how the design was to be executed, the event planning company missed an opportunity for both research and stronger follow-up. To begin the research stage, the event organization should have performed a marketing analysis that included both internal and external analysis. Before an event can exceed that of the competition, the organization has to understand the competition's assets and weaknesses as well as their own. However, no marketing research was conducted and no brainstorming was involved. The event organization executed the client's order. The event organization did not perform these measures, due to the short time frame and because they determined that the event was not large enough. An event is like an actor's performance on stage in that there are no small events, just small event managers. In the organization's defense, the event was cost-efficient and generally satisfied the needs of the client. The client told them what they wanted, and there was not much room for creativity. During the formal evaluation, the officers of the event organization reported that they really did not conduct a formal evaluation with the client. They just gave the company feedback on how things had gone. Only the event manager in charge that day listened to this feedback and no intercompany database or log was maintained. Sometimes when the crew leaves a site, the client checks in with them and they talk informally about how happy the client is. Then as people come and go within the organization, this is quickly forgotten. The organization is not sure if any better approach is possible for conducting a postevent analysis. Thus far the company has been able to avoid any negative experience, and there is no reason to believe that something should be changed to improve its practices.

CASE QUESTIONS

• Do you agree that the current practice is the best one? 
• If several senior event officers leave the company what affect would it have within this organization on the event management company's performance?
• If you were contracted to target the problems what suggestions do you have for the management?