Staid, stuffy corporate dinners are a thing of the past ? now companies want engaging, one-off experiences to cement their client relationships. Nicole Holgate discovers some innovative hospitality solutions to suit all tastes.
Tom Barrow of Inconnection estimates that the events industry is worth ?35 billion to the UK as a whole, of which corporate hospitality makes up around ?3 billion, a sizeable chunk in an economy where businesses do not want to be seen splashing cash unnecessarily. He explains that ?traditional relationship-building and customer rewards are still the focus,? and that the main users of corporate hospitality continue to be ?sales directors in a B2B environment, who are looking to develop parallel relationships with key people?. Although he thinks that five to 10 per cent of hospitality is used for rewarding staff, trends remain firmly geared towards entertaining customers and securing future business.
One change has transpired as a result of the squeeze on the economy. ?An all-out jolly with no thought for business is a thing of the past? Barrow says. ?We?ve found shorter lead times, and a decrease in budgets? he states, adding ?people have the same high expectations with half the budget.? Companies are looking for a direct ROI and this has made the practice, in some ways, more mercenary. ?We look at what the client needs to achieve to justify the cost,? he says.
The key to this vital return on investment is matching your event to the guest list, or as Barrow describes it, to ?ensure tastes are met.? The fundamental goal is to get to know a customer and create new opportunities for your business. Tailoring an event to a group?s needs is the most important aspect: if guests are forced to attend something they don?t enjoy, they won?t want to be there, and you won?t get the desired results. This has led to companies searching for increasingly unique, one-off experiences that create a wow factor without breaking the bank.
Most people will have space on their calendar for an evening show, or will find time for a prestigious sporting event, but the more specific the occasion, the more it must be planned carefully in advance. Combining the right timing with the right group of people will ensure you get the most interest out of your target group, and the more detailed the occasion, the more likely they are to appreciate you tailoring your efforts towards them.
Examples of some of the most unique events of the past year are the 100m final at the Olympics and the Champions? League Final, with ?outlandish? prices for hospitality escalating up to ?8,000 a head. However, Barrow says that such events don?t always give you a lot for your money, or at least, only 9.5 seconds in terms of Usain Bolt?s performance. For a much longer and equally extravagant unique event, try the four-day RedEye racing event in Chicago, or the chance to mingle with the rich and famous at the Monaco Grand Prix: as much about being there as seeing the race.
Generally, Barrow says, he would recommend a sporting event to a first-time organiser: they are well-established and range from classic occasions such as the Six Nations, Wimbledon and Ascot, to more bespoke days out, for instance a corporate golf tournament, exclusive track day or fishing experience. Barrow feels that sporting events will probably remain generic go-to events for hospitality days, albeit with a much larger percentage of females in future. However he doesn?t think that this will alter the shape of corporate events: ?The trend is about unique experiences.?
There are no end of events to choose from nowadays, with countless event organisers providing access to private seating at shows and sporting events, bespoke group experiences or full-on sporting weekends away. The main idea, of course, is for your guests to have a good time.
In the City
London provides a huge array of venues that can provide glamorous evenings out, or sporting days away. Not surprisingly, there is no shortage of specialist companies that can arrange visits on your behalf to award ceremonies, theatre performances, fashion and music events and seasonal flower shows.
One option could be a ticket to a popular or sold-out show, for instance a typical package at Wembley arena would include top-price seated tickets for a live performance, pre-show hospitality with a complimentary bar, a three-course meal, and access to the private suite for one hour post-show to give you a chance to meet the talent. Some companies even arrange exclusive VIP access. Hospitality at the British Fashion Awards gives you the opportunity to brush shoulders with the stars themselves and be treated like a celebrity with a red carpet entrance to The Savoy. You take in the glitz and excitement of the awards ceremony, seated in the Savoy Theatre dress circle, then indulge in dinner prepared in the Thames Foyer Restaurant.
Private access to seasonal events is another huge opportunity. Hospitality at the Chelsea Flower Show provides a full day out: an entrance ticket to the show, and access to a VIP area with breakfast with a welcome glass of champagne, full complimentary bar, four-course premium lunch and afternoon tea. All with a horticultural expert and event official in attendance to guide you through the maze of displays and advise on any gardening issues.
Hospitality for the Royal Horticultural Society is run by Fortnum & Mason Events and Fleur Bonnett of Fortnum & Mason comments on what makes it particularly special. ?I think first of all the ambiance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is quite spectacular. Fortnum & Mason Events hosts the Corporate Village, the Chelsea Oasis and the President?s Marquee. The Oasis is a haven of peace in the hustle and bustle of the busy showground. You experience the best of gourmet entertainment, with superior dining, beautiful surroundings and an unrivalled attention to detail.?
Comments from attendees speak for themselves: ?We were absolutely blown away by the step up from previous years ? there was no comparison. For the first time since we?ve been involved with the show, the event felt ?high end?, which is exactly what we?ve been trying to achieve previously,? says Jo, whose company declined to be named. ?We couldn?t fault anything. The canap?s were absolutely glorious; the lunch was divine and perfect for the day in terms of lightness. The speed of service over lunch was fantastic, particularly given the fact that Fortnum and Mason were also working with offering guests a choice of main course (which went down extremely well) and the service all day was impeccable. The marquee also looked fantastic and we had numerous comments from our guests, the vast majority of whom have experienced the event at least once previously with us, about how superb the food was, how amazing the marquee looked and just generally what a fantastic day it had been from start to finish.?
Crossing the country
To make corporate hospitality an even more exciting experience, however, you can take guests further afield, or for those already based outside of London, find bespoke occasions on your doorstep. Experiences that can be arranged anywhere in the UK include a helicopter treasure hunt, where teams board choppers and visit a number of checkpoints, the locations of which they will have deduced together from clues given to them beforehand, and perhaps the odd hint from the pilot. Or bespoke perfume making, where a consultant takes your group on a fragrant journey, after which they can design their own scent and take it home with them afterwards. Another sure-fire crowd pleaser is the chocolate experience, a guided history of the world?s favourite bean and a thoroughly delectable lesson in cocoa use, including blind tasting, telling the difference between hand- and machine-made chocolates, and trying a full variety of fresh cream, pralines, moulded and dipped chocolates.
These less traditional options provide flexibility in a number of ways, catering to different budgets, venues and personalities. This allows creativity when it comes to spoiling your guests, and a more interactive alternative to putting a glass of champagne in their hand and leaving them to it. Imagination goes a long way: a lot of companies offer a huge variety of events, and ideas include a big band and DJ service, a rope course, corporate cooking classes, a murder mystery night, a yoga retreat, a corporate drumming class and a health spa. While a traditional theatre outing often presents a good ice-breaker, a much better solution for getting to know clients is actual ice sculpting, a fun and unusual activity that is flexible enough to arrange at any venue of your choice.
Another route for youthful or more active groups are short breaks such as a North Devon surfing trip, described by AOK events as ?the new corporate ski break, but much cheaper?. It allows guests to combine learning a new skill with looking cool and feeling the health benefits, then head to a pub in the evenings. As well as learning to surf, you could be taught to play beach volleyball, or go ?coasteering? (jumping off cliffs into deep rock pools). For the outdoorsy but less adrenaline-seeking, companies such as Large Outdoors offer a range of walks and UK mountain-climbing challenges, which can incorporate fundraising activities into the experience.
Blow the budget
If you want to show clients what they really mean to you, you can?t get more exclusive than an incentive break or foreign tour. Kaluma Travel?s ski experience, run during January, gives up to 18 guests an exclusive seven-night stay at Chalet Maisonnee in Courchevel 1850, the highest and most famous part of Les Trois Vall?es ski region in the French Alps.
This year it included a one-way private helicopter transfer to the chalet, where guests found ski passes, sommelier-selected alcohol, and the services of an on-site, 24-hour ski-lift. They also had the opportunity to try out heli-lunching at La Bouitte in St Marcel for just ?80 per person, based on five passengers per helicopter. Kaluma put together a full itinerary including the best local restaurants, exclusive apr?s-ski hire, and the finest powder slopes available.
Less exclusive but equally popular are planned tours. This sort of trip, if you aren?t booking all of the flights yourself, can be put together by an events company to include charter flights, coaches and transfers, such as the chance to visit the five-star Hotel de Paris in Monaco, where your guests will get to go for a spin in some of the world?s most fantastic cars (Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley, Maserati) before stopping off for a flutter at the casino.
Or there is a VIP trip to Mo?t et Chandon champagne cellars at Epernay in France for a full tour of the champagne-making process, including plenty of chances to sample the finished product. Afterwards, attendees are treated to a reception in the Caveau Napol?on, a unique setting near the galleries where the champagne slowly matures. Following a tour of the cellars, which Napoleon once visited (inspiring the name Brut Imperial), sit down to an eight-course lunch with matched champagnes.
Wine Matters
What if you have your entire event in place, but want something a little bit special to cement the occasion in people?s minds? Arrange a wine tasting with a service like Wine Matters. It?s a great ice breaker for a group looking for something diverting after a conference or before a meal, and most hotels and other venues are amenable to having a bottle or two brought on site. The choice of wine can be up to your budget, or you could name a theme, in which case Wine Matters will provide a selection. Or if you have something specific in mind, you can choose the wine yourself. Wine also doesn?t have to be expensive to be good, Wine Matters? Richard Congreve comments, and a price range of between ?8-?18 covers a full range of quality and tastes, although you?re welcome to spend more if you choose to.
Wine Matters will provide an hour-and-a-half of amusement, somewhere between a delicious distraction and a tutorial, and take you through the analytical tasting of six wines using tasting sheets to assess swirl, light, smell and, of course, flavour. The tasting will often be blind so that preconceptions are avoided, and a spittoon is provided should anyone not wish to imbibe. Apparently, hiding the wine labels has brought about some interesting comments as people get into the swing of a tasting, providing feedback such as ?it smells like sardines?. Wine Matters can also match or even mismatch wine with food, and will create each tasting based on the needs of the client. The PA Life office was lucky enough to try a selection of white wines from Corney and Barrow, which also runs its own wine club.
Tasting is also not an exercise in snobbery, although Congreve assures us that the purpose is not to get drunk either. The knowledge of wine, grapes, regions, and soils at his disposal is disarming, and he dispenses it willingly and with a friendly air. The fee for his and his wife Kara?s service includes all consultation time, drafting, preparation and presentation, a good way to keep event costs down. Alternatively, the wine merchant Corney and Barrow provides a loyalty scheme for party organisers that includes a free bottle of bubbly when you first sign up. There is also a reward to the organiser of ?1 per person for booking at one of its bars or restaurants, whether or not you attend. All in all, Congreve says, ?it?s a great choice of entertainment for under a grand for up to 20 people.?
So there you have it, a full gamut of ways to treat your clients beyond the clich?s of champagne and cigars, proving that corporate hospitality and its providers are giving cost-effective options that are fully in keeping with the times.
To find out about party organiser privileges and get your hands on a Party Organiser Privilege card, email pop@corneyandbarrow.com or go to corney-barrow.co.uk.
Making a meal of it
If a meal isn?t part of the hospitality experience, you still need to ensure guests don?t go away hungry, so think about a caterer. Here are Lyndy Redding of Absolute Taste?s suggestions for making sure yours is an event to savour.
? It goes without saying that the food should be as memorable as the rest of the occasion. Caterers should be able to offer creatively themed options, the more challenging the better.
? Find a locally sourced caterer. Aside from meaning that both the company and the food have a reduced carbon footprint, this will give guests a taste of local produce and fare, and mean there?s less chance of transport problems on the day.
? Supply enough food in relation to alcohol. Remember another point of food is to absorb alcohol: then guests will have more fun talking to each other, and more chance of remembering it afterwards.
? It is good to have confidence in a tried and tested company, so try to build a relationship with your caterer; they will have to plan, practise, and be as ready as you are for the event.
? Remember to offer a full range of dietary requirements, veggie options, and even food for non-human guests, such as seeing-eye dogs if attendees include the visually impaired.
? Do a tasting ? any caterer worth its salt will let you have ample opportunity to try what you are getting, and it is worth checking the quality in advance.
