Every seasoned event planner knows that no matter how carefully you plan, things can and often do go wrong. 

So the key to a successful event is not just in the planning, but in preparing for potential mishaps. 

Alex Palmer, founder of Kina Events, says:

When you’re running an event, it’s best to assume that something’s going to go wrong and make sure you plan for how you’re going to deal with it.”

Here are our tips on how to plan for when something at your event goes awry:

Start with a solid plan

If you have a detailed plan in place for what you want your event to achieve, it will help guide your planning decisions and responses.

Create a detailed timeline, mapping every aspect of your event from start to finish.

Suppliers and contracts

Choose vendors and partners carefully, ensuring they’re reliable. Discuss your contingency plans with them and check they have their own back-up plans.

Contracts should also clearly state what happens if things go wrong, including cancellation policies and liability clauses.

And, of course, comprehensive event insurance that covers various scenarios like cancellations, weather disruptions and accidents is a must for every event.

Risk assessment

Next, identify all the potential risks that could negatively affect your event, for example, weather issues, technical failures, vendor no-shows, low attendance and health emergencies.

Assess the likelihood and potential impact of each risk to help you prioritise which risks need the most attention. 

Alex says:

No crisis management plan will ever be perfect, and there’s no way you’ll be able to predict everything that could possibly go wrong with an event.

“Instead, I recommend creating a plan which will allow you to respond effectively, no matter what the crisis is.”

Develop contingency plans

For each risk you’ve identified, develop a response strategy outlining the actions to be taken.

Specify who is responsible for each action and decision by clearly defining roles and responsibilities. This might include emergency procedures, alternative venues and/or vendors, additional staff and spare equipment.

Good communication is vital when things go wrong, so decide in advance how you’ll contact attendees, vendors and staff in case of changes or emergencies – and ensure you have up-to-date contact information for everyone involved.

Alex says:

Provide comprehensive training sessions to familiarise everyone with the contingency plan so they’re well-prepared if the worst happens, putting in place a clear chain of command to avoid confusion and delays. 

“And remember, even once you have a contingency plan in place, it can’t be ticked off your to-do list. It’s important to continuously review and update the plan to reflect changes in circumstances, regulations or event details.” 

Post-event review

After the event, it’s important to hold a debriefing session with your team to discuss what went well and what didn’t. This will help you improve your contingency planning for future events.

You should also collect feedback from attendees to understand their experience and identify areas for improvement. 

Alex says:

By anticipating potential problems and having robust contingency plans in place, you can ensure your event runs smoothly, even when unexpected issues arise. 

“Remember: the sign of a good event organiser is one who shows the ability to handle problems effectively and keep their events on track.”

If you have any questions or would like some help planning your business events, please contact the Kina Events team on 0207 205 7901 or send us an email.