VIP Hospitality / Guest Services Guide

Everyone wants to feel like a VIP, and many events offer upgraded experiences for a premium. The primary goal is to balance what you wish or can offer VIPs and how much of a premium the market will bear. Below you will find examples and ideas of what to offer.

Hospitality refers more to the various food / drinks you will offer and the execution of it during the event.

VIP Hospitality Guide

• Determine what VIP amenities you will be offering
  • Special viewing area (in front of the stage, off to the side, on-stage)
  • VIP Lounge
    • Bar (open? cash? accept tickets?)
    • Tables / Chairs / Loungers / Hammocks
    • Masseuse
    • Food (full meals?  finger foods?)
    • Snacks
    • Table settings / centerpieces
    • Cell Phone Charging Station or Concierge
    • Air conditioned / indoor lounge?
    • Air conditioned restrooms

    

    VIP Area at Flagstaff Hullabaloo, 2013

• Formulate a budget and plan for the VIP area(s)
  • Ensure the VIP areas are mapped out / measured properly and accounted for in all maps
  • Coordinate with Sponsorship to determine if sponsors will help defray some of the VIP costs
• Coordinate with Ticketing, Creative, and Marketing to ensure the proper information / pricing levels is pushed out to the public
  • Try to nail down all elements as much as possible before the various department deadlines, but especially with ticketing, things may change after tickets are put on sale; build in flexibility with your verbiage.
• Create a run of show VIP team to ensure a smooth execution for all VIP guests
  • Usually a VIP manager has 1-2 VIP Coordinators per VIP area
  • The team ensures everything is set up, that VIP guests are happy, and that everything stays well stocked, clean, and presentable.
• Coordinate all VIP site needs with the Site Ops / Creative team
  • This includes all signage needs as well as tents, tables, chairs, fencing, power, restrooms, ice, and so on.
• Coordinate all VIP Hospitality needs – including catering, bar service, masseuses, giveaways, and so on
  • Once the amenities are determined, the VIP Manager will advance and organize all VIP elements so all vendors know when they’re loading in, where they’re going, and what they’re setting up.
• Collect feedback from VIP Guests
  • VIP Areas need to take extra attention to the feedback of guests, especially since they are paying extra for the VIP experience.   If there are some glaring trends (i.e., everyone complained that there weren’t enough air conditioned bathrooms), look to see how you can change it for next year – otherwise, you may not have enough VIP ticket sales in the future to justify building out a VIP area at all.

Guest Services Guide

• What to offer prior to the event:
  • Frequently Asked Questions page on your website
  • Phone number for people to call with questions
  • A way to directly communicate with event staff via social media
  • A physical place people can visit – be it the festival office or another location – to ask questions
• What to offer during the event:
  • A Guest Services / Info Booth that is staffed with people who can answer virtually any question about the event
  • A Lost & Found area for people to claim any lost belongings
  • Roaming staff and/or volunteers with “ASK ME” or “I CAN HELP” signage at the entry gates and other high traffic areas of the festival
    

    All of the IDs lost during one weekend at a camping festival

• What to offer after the event:
  • An easy way to offer feedback, be it via the web, email, text, social media, or phone
  • A listing of all lost and found items or photos of them
    

    Coachella offers photos of lost and found items for easy reference