Sometimes it’s easy to decide when an in-house provider is the right choice for your event but how do you know when it’s time to consider an outside company? Here are three things you should weigh when making your decision:
Budget
Often, the decision to use an in-house provider begins with a budget conversation.
Most facilities are financially rewarded when their provider is selected (this arrangement has caused significant debate but that’s for another blog post). For simple events, it often makes sense to leverage the relationship they have with the facility … there’s value in the marked-up cost.
If your event is larger or requires an unusually high level of support, the markup will become significant and quickly outpace the value. It never hurts to request a competitive quote from an outside company.
Technical Capabilities
Some in-house providers have excellent equipment and well-trained technicians but they’re always limited by the capabilities designed into their model. Capabilities are typically proportional to the size of the facility (large national hotels will have a greater capacity than regional boutique chains).
If you have any doubt in the in-house provider, consider hiring your trusted Production Rental company to provide a Project Manager. They can help negotiate with the technical staff and recommend when you should consider an outside company. Even at an increased “dry hire” rate, it’s cheap insurance to make sure you’re making the right decision for your event.
Outcomes (and Consequences)
If budget and technical capabilities don’t make the decision for you, consider the potential outcomes (or consequences) of the event. Every event should go well but some are admittedly more important than others. If your job, or your client’s job, depends on a great outcome … always lean toward an outside company.
In-house providers can be a great resource! Making the decision to use them versus an outside company can be confusing. If you’re having trouble deciding, ask your trusted outside company for an apples-to-apples quote and/or a Project Manager to help negotiate and advise.
At Encompass, we have unique backgrounds that situate us perfectly to produce high end and complex offerings. We’ve worked in broadcast television, touring entertainment, live sporting events, and countless convention facilities across the country.
We have technical design experience and a disciplined process in place that allows us to easily scale events and shift from in-person to virtual without angst. There isn’t much that’s beyond our scope and we love the intensity of putting on events!
If you’re a planner working to create an event, seeking help with virtual event technology, or simply want to learn more … we can help! Sign up below to receive our updates (we promise to keep your contact information secure and won’t “overshare”).