Venue Management 101: Build a Better Events Business

Whether you’ve been approached about venue management software before or have yet to hear of the concept, it can be hard to decipher whether it’s right for your particular restaurant or event venue — or worth the time and money.

But, as thousands of Tripleseat clients can attest to, venue management software is an irreplaceable resource for effectively managing and growing a venue’s events business, no matter what your size and scale. Read on for a breakdown of exactly how it’ll take your events program to the next level while making your job easier.

How do I know if my event space needs it?

There are a few key questions you can ask yourself (or your venue owner) to figure out if event management software will be beneficial to your business: Are you able to quickly send proposals, contracts, and other documents to clients and prospects easily? Is your staff always on the same page when it comes to event planning? Can you foresee being able to properly manage growing event opportunities? If the answer to any of these is “no,” then venue management software — which can help you and your team effectively do all of the things listed above — is definitely something to consider.

How will it make event planning easier?

This is a great question! The aim of venue management software like Tripleseat’s is to streamline the planning process, from lead inquiry to menu customization to day-of execution and everything in between. One of the biggest benefits is probably the organization aspects, which allow venues to process online payments, sync calendars, accept prospect inquiries 24/7 (through an embedded lead form on your company’s website), and keep all paperwork and communications in one cloud-based place. This means you can process paperwork faster and manage more events simultaneously without having details fall through the cracks.

How will it help all of my team members get on the same page?

One of the best features of Tripleseat is the enhanced team communication it provides for venues. All emails between the client and venue — as well as documents — are stored in one place which all team members who have been granted access can see. Team members not only include managers but chefs, kitchen crews, hosts, and more. You can also assign different team members certain tasks, so they know what they need to get done.

How much time will it take me to learn how to use it?

Whether you’re a computer whiz or a pen-and-paper devotee, almost anyone can easily acclimate to using venue management software. When it comes to Tripleseat, you’re immediately introduced to our Onboarding Team as soon as you sign on. Once you send over a few details that will help build out your account (such as in-progress event details, venue specs, and more), the team will help you get started. You’ll also have access to Tripleseat University courses and YouTube videos to get you up-to-date on all of Tripleseat’s features. Still, having issues? Support teams are by the phone to take your call, and Tripleseat hosts weekly webinars where anyone can join in and get the 411! You can also visit our Knowledge Base for any FAQs.

How accessible will it be when I’m out of the office?

Event planners and restaurant managers are rarely tied to their desks — more often, they’re making the rounds or out and about doing other business-related tasks. But that doesn’t mean you should be out of the loop on the progress and tracking of your events. Luckily, cloud-based software systems allow you to access all pertinent event info and communications like calendars, contracts, and team messages no matter where you are, via your phone, laptop, or tablet device. Plus, software that works on mobile (like Tripleseat) makes sending and receiving alerts, managing details, and processing documents even more seamless.

How will it save me time?

We’ve covered this a bit on the Tripleseat blog before, but time saving is a huge benefit to implementing venue management software, especially when it comes to busy restaurants, breweries, and more. Whether you’re a one-off location with a private events area or an eatery with multiple outposts and dozens of banquet rooms, it can all be overseen and operated from the same platform. Manually updating special menus, double-checking money totals, making sure all guests are accounted for — these details can be tedious, but they’re too important to do in a hurry. Luckily, software like Tripleseat includes easy calendar syncing, instant message alerts, and automatic number crunching to take the guesswork (and the busy work) out of the planning process.

How will it help my business grow?

Less time spent on paperwork processing and manual organizing means you have much more time to work on acquiring leads, increasing sales, and, thus, allowing your venue to feasibly host a growing number of events. Tripleseat customer Whiskey Cake Holdings was able to increase their event revenue by 35 percent through the use of management software — that’s quite the jump!

Event management software doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Once you acclimate to a platform that makes sense for your venue, business will start booming, and you will grow your events program in no time.

If you’re not a Tripleseat customer and you’re interested in learning more about Tripleseat’s features, schedule a demo at your convenience to take a closer look.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on the Gather blog and written by Caroline Cox.