1. Lim Sei Kee @ cK

2.  Now that you have learnt the concepts of business event management: what may be the last step of running an event?  What is important when it comes to closing down an event? What do you (event organizer) have to do after the event is over?

3.  The close down of an event should be approached the same way as it is set up:  Most accidents don’t happen on the way up, but on the way down. (golden rule in mountain climbing world)

4.  Close-down  Evaluation  Divestment & legacies

5.  Close-down:  Administrative completions  Physical close-down  Evaluation and recording  Evaluation:  Quantitative information  Qualitative information  Divestment & legacies:  Repeat editions / one-time only

6.  Administrative tasks: completion of the accounts, payment of final bills to contractors, and final marketing activities such as closure press releases.  Preparation of final accounts will tell how the event went financially, and where an event has run in the public domain.

7.  Evaluation: Co-ordinators should be around to speak to visitors and VIPs on departure to obtain verbal feedback and pick up comments.  Personal contact: It is essential to thank all those involved, in particular key staff. It is both good manners and a courtesy.

8.  Big clear up: this should be approached in much the same way as the set-up.  General rule: clear-up operations moves from small items to large ones.  Items of stock to be re-used, such as catering stock, linen, consumables and small equipment should be returned to a central storage place prior to collection.

9.  Be sufficiently prepared for the clear-up operation: consider not only the tasks, but also the number of people and equipment you will need to do the job.  Careful storekeeping and the ability to redeploy equipment, resources and other materials may save a great deal of money and possibly effort next time.

10.  It is important to evaluate an event.  The evaluation should use all the various source of information available.  Q: What are the differences between quantitative information and qualitative information?

11.  QUANTITATIVE  Visitor and participant data, sales  Target market  Attendance statistics, target market information  Financial reports & accounts  General statistical information  QUALITATIVE  Visitor perceptions  Recorded chats or interviews  Staff and volunteer feedback  Management notes and commentary

12.  Purpose of evaluation: learn how an event went and to be able to improve on it for the future.  1. Activities that went well but could be strengthened further  2. Activities that went well in such a way that they are best left untouched  3. Activities that went badly and need sorting out.

13.  Did the event meet its objectives?  What can be improved for the next edition, if there is one?

14.  Evaluation is especially important when there is future editions.  The identification and solving of problems can only be carried out properly if there is enough information to ascertain the real cause of a problem.

15.  In general, knowing what is best or worst about an event will help to increase satisfaction levels and reduce dissatisfaction.  In any list of problems, the ones that cause the most difficulty should be dealt with first.

16.  Visitors’ impressions of an event are influenced by two sets of judgments: aspects that satisfy them, and aspects that dissatisfy them.  Satisfiers: ambience, excitement, social involvement, relations, together with some service elements.  Dissatisfiers: physical and basic service features: parking, toilets, availability of information, queues.

17.  It is important to recognize the limitations of what can be achieved in evaluating events.  We are never going to achieve complete and total satisfaction.

18.  A Handover and site restoration  B Removal of structures  C Removal of utilities  D Cleaning and waste disposal  E Bump-out equipment and furniture  F Clear down small items  G Cleaning begins

19.  Events leave a legacy.  This may be in personal memories or friendly social contacts made at the event, or it may even be items / merchandise.  It may be transient or long-lasting.  Either way, some thought should be given the setting of objectives at the beginning, to the legacy.

20.  8 th NOVEMBER 2014 : Last official lecture for Business Event Management  15 th NOVEMBER / 22 nd NOVEMBER 2014 : Final Presentation  29 th NOVEMBER 2014 : Report in for last attendance taking upon submission of all tasks.