Conference News editor Martin Fullard says the industry must help itself to stave off loss to livelihoods
With the coronavirus crisis showing no signs of abating, as of 9 March, it is only natural that people are continuing to cast around looking for confirmation of something. And therein lies the problem: confirmation of what, exactly?
I have not been enamoured by how large parts of the so-called mainstream media have handled the coverage of the Covid-19 crisis, and indeed some corners of the trade press have slipped into publishing headlines laced with a hint of panic-inducement in exchange for a few dozen clicks.
The facts, as they are, remain the same: the virus is contagious, but simple measures, such as a thorough hand-washing, can greatly reduce the risk of the further spread.
The World Health Organization and Public Health England are the paramount institutions from which event organisers should take guidance.
Read more: Conference News editor Martin Fullard talks to BBC about events industry’s value
Event professionals in every corner of the industry and at every stage along the supply chain are understandably anxious about event cancellations. They have just cause to be. The ramifications of cancellation can put people out of business. It is estimated that the UK’s £43bn events industry directly employs somewhere in the region 570,000 people. Then there are those who indirectly benefit from the industry, such as those in the hospitality, leisure tourism, food and beverage, and rail and airline operators. Not to mention the towns, cities and regions whose local economies utterly rely on events. It’s a reminder of just how valuable this industry is.
Spooked into cancellation
There is no denying that many people are spooked, and as a result event attendance will be down. From a long-term reputational view, organisers are safe, insofar that attendees – as well as sponsors and exhibitors – will be aware of the mitigating circumstances. How the organiser responds, however, could impact their reputation.
Hasty decisions without full consultation are unlikely to end well, and certainly the decision to cancel an event could have drastic consequences to a deep-rooted supply chain.
After appearing on the BBC last week, I have received hundreds of comments from people agreeing that postponement is a far more preferable course of action to cancellation should an organiser find themselves in that position. In most cases, an event can go ahead.
Certainly, that’s the message coming from Kai Hattendorf, CEO of UFI, the global exhibitions body, who spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live, 9 March. Hattendorf is spearheading UFI’s ‘This Show is Open for Business Campaign. Yes, it’s for exhibitions, but hopefully the message will inspire conference organisers, too. Read what Hattendorf had to say here.
Further, the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) recently convened a virtual roundtable to ensure its membership was on the same page, offering advice on how best to manage their events. Other trade associations, including International Convention Centre Association (ICCA), Association of Event Organisers (AEO), Association of Event Venues (AEV), Event Services Supplier Association (ESSA) and the Meetings Industry Association (mia) have all been working hard to reassure their memberships, and communicating with the Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) and Events Industry Board. But again, the only health guidance an organiser can take should come from Public Health England.
Only one social media user disagreed with my comment on the BBC, believing cancellation should be the “first resort”. I do not understand this viewpoint when Public Health England has not advised the cancellation of events. Risk can be mitigated with thorough planning, but the show must go on unless a government directive insists otherwise. Even then, the events industry needs a clear, unified voice, and should stick together to ensure any impacted events can take place at a later date.
Supply chain
Both the conference and exhibitions sub-sectors rely on a vast supply network. Caterers; audio-visual suppliers and technicians; event technology suppliers; stand-builders; furniture suppliers; speaker bureaus; hospitality; crewing agencies; entertainers… the list goes on. In many cases these businesses operate on tight margins, and some may even rely upon one major contract each year to pay the bills.
And that’s before we even get to freelancers. The rules around off-payroll employees – a neat way of describing freelancers – are set to change from 6 April. We will cover IR35 another day, but it is a worrying time for freelance event professionals. No work means no pay, and that is frightening for those in that position.
Arguably, it has highlighted holes in the model of the industry but that’s a conversation for another day. Regrettably small business owners are the ones who suffer most during economic downturns. It is nothing new.
Agencies and venues
It is agencies and venues which can help to take a leading role, with the support and help from relevant trade associations. Clients need to be helped through this situation in a calm, measured manner.
Any agency worth its salt will be asking its clients what they need to keep the show going, and then advising them accordingly. In a lot of cases, the show will go on as normal, but if directives come from up top, then the agency should advise on alternative solutions. As I wrote in a LinkedIn post recently, give an event professional a challenge and a tight deadline, and they will always create something special.
If you may indulge me in a spot of brief negativity, I do wonder if this crisis will separate the wheat from the chaff. A strong agency won’t need telling that an alternative way of delivering content can be found. I fear, though, that some may not always think like this.
Venues too have a role to play. Anecdotally, a lot of the smaller conference events that have been cancelled have been forced to do so through no fault of their own. Directives have come from the faceless Private Equity firms across the Atlantic. In such cases, and depending on the circumstances, I’d like to think that the venue would relax its terms and conditions so that an event could move to a different date later in the year. I have heard stories about this going both ways. But, arguably, there is currently no requirement for an event to be cancelled, so why should the venue be expected to set a precedent that would cause it logistical problems later on down the line?
Only if the government decides to ban large gatherings would I expect venues to put their policies to one side and help organisers get the show going at a later date. This is perhaps more pertinent for organisers of larger conferences, congresses and exhibitions.
As was discussed in their virtual roundtable, ABPCO members have asked venues to offer reassurance that they are equipped to allay delegate fears. It is nothing too taxing: ensuring provision of hand sanitiser and that bathrooms are supplied with warm water and soap.
Identity matters
If you read only one paragraph in this article, let it be this: the events industry will suffer not through cancellation of events, but because those pulling out do not appreciate its value.
A corporate brand which wants to run an event often employs its own events team or an agency. These are the people who make the magic happen and understand what is involved, not a board of Private Equity managers.
Together, we need to tell everyone what value the events industry brings, not to those in the boardroom, but to those in former industrial areas who rely on business events for their livelihoods, to the sub-contractors and the freelancers, to the venues and the agencies. They are the £43bn events industry, and those are the ones you should be thinking of if you choose to cancel your event against the advice of Public Health England.
Note: BVEP figures reveal industry is worth £70bn (as opposed to £43bn) when outdoor events are included.
