6 Responses

1. Five important factors

   Great question-I am sure you will get scores of replies

   1.Venue owner should know what I mean by a robust equality impact analysis for venue -access and facilities,including and going beyond disabilities

   2.Location -public transport/roads

   3.Flexible spacious training room suite in terms of equipment,seating and break out facilities

   4.Knowledgeable and approachable staff

   5.Provision to give the venue feedback

    

2. Thanks

   Thanks

   Are these two below a bit subjective? I've been to hotels where they say spacious…unfortunately they are comparing it with a phone box. Seating is also a problem…rubber rings needed to sit on would be useful in some places. Staff are usually great but disapear for most of the day and especially at 8am when you need them.

   PS I do have a list of things I do, just benchmarking against what others do.

    

   3) Flexible spacious training room suite in terms of equipment,seating and break out facilities

   4) Knowledgeable and approachable staff

    

    

3. Venue

   Oh yes of course, you have actually answered your own question.  They can be subjective and a hostage to fortune lol. That's why 5 tries to build in a safety net to provide objective evaluation for yourself AND feedback to them

4. 1. Tell me the size of the

   1. Tell me the size of the room; width depth and height of the ceiling

   2. send me a photo of the chairs that delegates will be sitting on

   3. What AV facilities do you have (those plasma screens are lovely and pretty but in a large room a "normal" good ppt slide is too small.

   4. what refreshment facilities do you provide and how (I don't want 20 people trying to get a coffee from one machine; nor do I want to break at a natural time and find that the drinks aren't ready.  If we take an hours lunch break people don't want to be queuing for 40 minutes)

   5.Do your staff speak English (I had to wait 25 minutes in one venue to get someone who spoke English so I could ask about furniture….I wouldn't have minded but the venue was in Dover and all the staff were Russian!) 

5. Russian

   Thanks Russ

   I'm doing one in Dover soon so witll brush up on my Russian.

   A list very simlar to my own very very long list of demands. Photo is essential. I wouldn't go anywhere without seeing a picture first.

6. My top 5 plus a couple

   I usually ring ahead and ask:

   1. What time can I get access to the venue (I have been caught out once or twice because I get somewhere at about 8 only to find the venue doesn't open til 9)

   2. What are the lunch arrangements – provided by venue/client? Bring your own? Visiting sandwich van?

   3.  Car parking arrangements – if a distance from the training room can I offload first?

   4.  How will the room be laid out – can I have it done to my requirements?

   5.  AV equipment – can I use my own laptop or must I use a memory stick?

   plus:

   Who is the contact?

   Have the materials arrived yet?

   Anything I need to know about access – roadworks in the vicinity, county show on the same day etc etc.

   Hope this helps

   Jenny