We are going through a difficult time, and the private events industry and implicitly the photo booth rental business, is one of the most affected branches, due to the emergency measures taken by the Romanian state. It is an unprecedented situation and many of us do not know how to manage it.
In this article we try to briefly answer the following questions:
What happens to the events in the immediate future?
How should we behave with the bride and groom with whom we already have signed contracts?
What do we do with the advances received in case the events are canceled
Covid-19 has brought a series of measures to our country, including the one that directly concerns us, those of us who have a business in the field of private events – the ban on activities where gatherings of people take place. The state of emergency is valid until April 13, but considering the scenarios in other countries affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, we expect that the measures will be maintained in May.
Thus, we expect that all events in May will be postponed in full, and those in June in a proportion of 80-90%.
We have already contacted the bride and groom who had their weddings scheduled for these two months in our salons – Ballroom Andra ( www.ballroom-andra.ro ) and we have mutually rescheduled them according to the available data.
Analyzing the evolution of the epidemic and the forecasts of some analysts, we expect that starting with July the atmosphere will relax and from August things will return to normal, at least in our field.
So don’t be exasperated, 95% of events will not be canceled, but will be postponed, rescheduled for a later date.
Now is the time when bride and groom are afraid for their event, and they worry about what their guests will say when they call to announce that they are rescheduling the wedding; Now is the time for you, the service providers, to be close to them and support them.
Send them a message, make a post on social media addressed to them to reassure them, telling them that it is not the end of the world at all to postpone or reschedule your wedding. It is ideal that such an important event for them takes place in milder and calmer times, so a rescheduling is only beneficial.
Advise your bride and groom to discuss with all suppliers the available dates for rescheduling, starting with the salon, the band and the rest of the suppliers.
This is the moment when you must learn to encourage the bride and groom to have their wedding on another day than the classic one – Saturday. Weddings can be done on Friday and Sunday; it is much more important to have a wedding with professional suppliers on Friday or Sunday, than a wedding with poor quality suppliers on Saturday.
It’s time to show up, text them, answer their phone, not avoid them. It’s very important to keep in mind that events will not be canceled, but postponed/rescheduled; there will be very few cases in which events will be canceled (1-5%).
At the moment, bride and groom must realize that guests will be happy if they are told that the event is postponed, given the national hysteria regarding the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the upcoming period is not conducive to collective celebrations of any kind. But now more than ever, it must be emphasized that after times of isolation, times of celebration will follow, times when people will feel more than ever to get closer to all their loved ones.
Covid-19 also comes with a positive side, because now we have the opportunity to educate and advise our clients on what choices to make; it’s time to make posts and articles to help them make the best decisions for themselves (both for those who are already our clients and for those who are currently just prospecting the market).
Now is the stage in which everyone is open to solutions.
At this stage, stand by your clients!
What happens if some clients still want to cancel the event? What do we do with the advance payment received?
Initially, your approach must be towards presenting the option of rescheduling the event for a later date, not towards canceling it. If you are not available on that date or if they choose the cancellation option, it would be ethical to return the advance payment received, considering that it is a “force majeure” situation.
And as a final piece of advice: keep in mind that this Covid-19 pandemic is impacting our mentality, the world will change, the social side will suffer and many will move online. So, your online presence should be of quality.
For other helpful information, we are waiting for you in the Wedding Professionals Group – Wedding Mastery by accessing the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weddingmastery/
