10 Secrets to Hiring the Right Technical Event Production Company in NYC

Hiring the right technical event production company in NYC shouldn’t be a nightmare or a minefield of unforeseen challenges. Unfortunately, the process can become exactly that if you partner with the wrong provider.

These top ten industry insider secrets are all intended to avoid the hidden pitfalls of hiring an inadequate company. As the industry leading technical event production company serving the New York City and New Jersey metropolitan areas, we can advise on the entire process of researching, vetting and choosing a firm to work with.

1. Don’t underestimate the value of familiarity and experience with technical event production in NYC.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, you must choose an event production company that’s more than just familiar with the New York City market ; intimacy is imperative.

As the most populous city in the United States, New York is a unique and extremely specialized environment in which to work, with many obstacles that often require quick solutions.

2. Talk to people you trust, but keep your unique event needs in mind.

If a colleague in a comparable business or a friend made at a meeting of professional managers makes an endorsement, it’s a great place to start. However, that person’s experience will be predicated on the competence the technical event production company they worked for showed on their project.

If your event is vastly different in scale, concept or style, the same provider may be tragically under-qualified. That’s when the Internet comes into play .

3. Explore online resources.

Make online research your default for confirming information. Personal recommendations are an excellent starting place, but every event is different, thus client reviews published on impartial websites are indispensable.

4. Refine your search for better results.

If you’re using the web as a starting place, refine your searches to save time. Don’t just type in “event production company;” also use geographical information like “NYC” or “NJ,” and keywords which match your exact requirements, such as “event lighting,” “full production event package” or “video projection packages .”

You can also try specifying your industry, the venue you have in mind and the location and date of similar events that left you extremely impressed. The more specific you are, the better success you will have in finding the perfect company for you.

 

5. Personally vet the companies you are interested in.

Make a practice of calling each technical event production company you’re considering and interact with somebody at an managerial level. Before you enter the conversation, marshal your resources and research; then, you’re asking for details on a subject with which you already have some knowledge.

Make judgments on what to expect from the company’s services based on your “feel” for the responsible individual.

6. Examine the qualities of the people you talk to.

Treat the exchange as exactly what it is – an interview for employment. Personality is important, because it’s a bellwether toward what you can expect from the contract (both when things are going well and when hiccups must be negotiated).

Determine whether the person you’re talking to seems open and trustworthy. If he or she has answers immediately on-hand, to even your most probing questions, then the company’s expertise is likely to be extensive.

7. Review case studies of past work.

Professional values are equally important, and can be evaluated by asking for examples of experience. Previous events are an indicator of expertise, as well as the scale of event each company is used to handling.

8. Ask for references.

After reviewing case studies of previous event work, you should ask to speak with past clients directly. This information should be readily available, impressive and open to confirmation.

Simply taking the word of an executive at the technical event production company isn’t enough; corroborate the claims with another couple of quick calls.

9. Inquire about the technical event production process and who you would be dealing with.

Having made objective decisions on the personal and professional qualities of the individual you’re interacting with, try to assure yourself that those values translate into the way their technical event production company does business.

A great indicator that you can anticipate impeccable service is the presence of a dedicated project manager. While having a dedicated project manager may cost you a little more, it’s an expense that will save you in the long run.

One-man bands and smaller companies cannot possibly orchestrate all the details necessary in bringing a successful event to NYC or NJ, while a specified point of contact who’s responsible for arranging every aspect of your production will be invaluable.

He or she should know everyone in their network and be able to contact them at any important juncture. From loading dock personnel and truckers, through to sound engineers and lighting technicians, your project manager should be the one person who can proactively avoid issues before they become problems.

It’s impossible to oversell the importance of having one professional point of contact for all inquiries about event overview, timeline and production schedules, as well as each component part of the production as it unfolds on the day of your event (or the days preceding it).

10. Verify that these are the right technical event production experts for you.

Again: work with area experts. No two ways about it, NYC and NJ are unique locations, so successfully producing an event in the area requires utilizing vendors with specialist knowledge and a long background working there. The simple act of driving a truck into the more southerly sections of Manhattan can cause enormous problems.

Special logistical capacities twinned to conspicuous early planning are imperative in bringing in your job on time, and at budget.

Hiring the right technical event production company is not only critical to the success of your event, but has a major impact on the reputation of your company or brand. Each step of the process should be taken seriously and not left until the last minute.