5 Things That Go Wrong at Events (and How to Stop Them)

Events are fun. When we think of concerts, conferences, and anywhere else that lets us have a glass of Prosecco in our hand for the duration, we don’t want to think about the things that could go wrong. 

Instead, we focus on the exciting parts - the technology, the merchandise, the drinks, the food, and the socializing. 

But what happens if it all goes wrong? What happens when things turn out to be not as glamorous as we’d hoped?

This is something event planners really have to consider, from minor misfortunes like the wrong type of Prosecco being delivered, to drastic problems like entire power outages and inclement weather that no one saw coming. 

However, if you arm yourself with the right information and get ahead of the game, you can make sure your event runs as smoothly as possible even if disaster strikes. 

1. Unexpected Weather

Annoyingly enough, we can’t control the weather. 

If you’re hosting an outdoor event, you have to be prepared for rain, storms, and every kind of weather condition in between. If your equipment is likely to be affected by wet weather, wind, or freezing temperatures, it’s important you have solutions in place to keep outages to a minimum and to keep attendees safe. 

2. Power Failure

Every event planner’s nightmare is a power failure. 

Imagine it: everything’s in full swing and then, out of nowhere, it all cuts out. No music, no lights, no nothing. 

Nightmare, right?

This is why it’s important to work with a power provider that can implement temporary solutions quickly and safely if things decide to go south on the power front. 

3. Faulty Technology

Technology is supposed to make things easier for us, but more often than not it can just be a massive headache. 

If your tech doesn’t fail on you, you are a million times luckier than most event planners. In fact, you can count on this happening. 

Make sure you test everything beforehand and have backup technology or processes in place in case you need to bring them in at the last minute. 

4. Lack of Contingency Plan

It’s easy to assume we’ll be the lucky ones and nothing bad will happen at our event, but wouldn’t you rather be prepared than hope for the best?

It’s crucial for event planners to think ahead, pinpoint any potential problems that might happen, and put a contingency plan in place in case anything bad does happen. 

To save time and to come up with a unique solution that’s geared to your specific event, it’s worth working alongside a provider who has the expertise to pick out potential hazards and come up with a solution before those potential hazards happen. 

5. Last Minute Change of Venue

This is every event planners nightmare. 

Having to up and move just weeks or even days before your event is due to take place can be incredibly overwhelming. Not only do you have to tell all your attendees and service providers, but you also have to come up with an entirely new setup that may not work as well in the new venue. 

Again, it’s important to bring an expert on board to help you deal with this. They can help you determine what needs to be done and in what order, and come up with solutions to help you transfer quickly and as effortlessly as possible. 

Make sure your event runs as smoothly as possible with our FREE guide, Contingency Planning 101.

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