[This is a series of my blogpost covering my experience as a GSO (Guest Support Officer) for the 2009 Singapore F1 Night Race – Nothing Else Comes Close!]

The story goes like this,

DAY1 – System Testing Day

The suites we were taking care at Turn 3 was four storeys high, so our GSM (Guest Support Manager) had laid out a plan for us to rotate location between ourselves throughout the day (there were 7 of us). Day one went fine and we had identify an area of improvement.

To better control access to the suites we needed to have the same people stationed at the ground floor throughout the day. Remember I told you I’m part security management? Yup, part of the job is to check patrons tickets and allowing only the ones with tickets for Turn 3 into the area. And the tricky part is to identify and remember patrons that belonged to Turn 3 suites.

Where we were located, there was the F1 village which houses merchandise stores and eateries. For instance, if a patron went out to get some merchandise and returning back to their suite, it’s our duty to remember whom they are and not to keep checking their ticket every time they enter or exit the suites.

The patrons had paid lots of money for the suites, so it can be a big hassle if we didn’t recognize them and keep checking their ticket passes. And that’s part of the job, providing superior service!

DAY 2 – New System Testing Day

All the 7 of us had our dedicated location assigned to us and everything went better than the day before. Just slightly in the evening, we had our system tested once again. Since it’s a Saturday, more patrons were at the ground. And as instant as the F1 cars get form 0km/h to 300km/h the crowd started to rush into the suites and grandstand to watch the race. And I mean running rush! And mind you we still needed to check their passes! (To filter out gatecrashers of course:])

Our system was compromise once again, as we didn’t have a proper crowd funneling system, patrons could enter the grounds in any direction. (The walkway entrance was rather wide)

DAY 3 – The Magical Two Poles and a Rope!

On the last day of our stint, our GSM had borrowed a set of rope barriers for us to utilize. At first glance, it looked out of place when we positioned it in the middle of the 10m wide walkway. But, this was what we had and we had to make it work. Little did we know it had a magical effect! Patrons coming to the suite today automatically go either to the left or to the right side of the barriers. This made our task of checking passes much more easier!

So how is this applicable to you as an events planner?

Never overlooked crowd management. It will save you time and effort! And I believe it has a subconscious effect on patrons. Automatically, when one sees a barrier, it means no entry, even if it’s just 2 poles and a rope!

So remember to funnel!

-Mudd-

P.S. Apologies if its abit long winded, and sorry no visuals, part my employment rule is not to take photographs. Hope my words painted a vivid enough picture.

P.P.S In the next article, we shall “Smile, Talk, Smile, Talk”. Till then!

[This is a series of my blogpost covering my experience as a GSO (Guest Support Officer) for the 2009 Singapore F1 Night Race – Nothing Else Comes Close!]

No we didn’t have free flow of drinks. We had free flow of food in the staff pantry! Aptly called the F&B room, the refrigerator was packed with goodies! And what’s more by 4pm the buffet dinner was served! And by 6pm the supper was served as well! (We were on duty till about 12am, so that’s explains the supper :])

The great food was prepared none other by the great people of Grand Hyatt Singapore. Signature dishes from the hotel restaurant was being served to us. It was exactly the same food the patrons were getting in their suites. (Although we figured that most of it was excess food, we didn’t mind it at all!)

How would this help your event?

Isn’t this an additional cost?

Think of it in a psychological aspect. Mainly, staff welfare. Firstly, the refrigerator was packed with ready-to-eat microwavable food pack. It is exactly the same packs that you can find in a 7-11 store. Stacks of can drinks were available and there was never a short supply of mineral water.

As mentioned above, dinner and supper was provided to us.

This just reminds me of how Google motivate their staffs by providing free meals everyday! And I can definitely see how this strategy is effective for staff morale. It was a constant surprise for the 3 days as we waited anxiously for what is to be served next. It was exciting!

Lesson learned here, you could never go wrong with providing a free flow of food to your staff in return for their constant enthusiasm and energy to continue their tasks. I certainly didn’t!

Cheers!

-Mudd-

P.S. In the next article I will discuss about “The magical two poles and a rope!”

It’s like driving – always having to check the front, back, sides & look at the mirrors all the time. Why? To be safe of course!

Planning is just like that.

If you have a really radical idea (say dining at a public roof garden), great! If you’re keen to carry it out, even better I say! But wait! Before you start your planning, you must get your cosy little tush covered!

1 word: Research!

To get your brain juice started on some things that you need to dig up on, you might consider these questions: It is feasible to do it on a rooftop? Which roof garden? Do I need to get permission? How much would it cost to get a permit? Do I even need to get one?

I hope these questions have not turned you off to actually planning. Fret not! All you need to do is just find the relevant website, get their contacts, draft out an email with all the questions you need answered & click send!

For instance, if you’re planning to dine at a garden in a public park (in Singapore), you can get your doubts cleared from NParks, the official board that helps to govern Singapore parks.

What I’m trying to say here is that Proper Research helps to cover all aspects of planning so that you don’t get in trouble with the law & ultimately helps you achieve a smooth event (if you’re trying to impress a girl with a romantic dinner in the park -  you’ll score!)

With that said, don’t forget to check all your blindspots!

Have fun planning!:)

Information Lover,
Nadd

Hi All!

If you’re our avid reader, you must have realized we’ve missed a few blog posts over the weekend!

We are sorry!

Nontheless, I have good stuffs for you coming up in the upcoming posts!

I was lucky enough to be selected and paid to be part of the F1 service team. My official title was GSO (Guest Support Officer). Part Usher, part Mobile Information Centre and part Security Management.

Had loads of fun with newfound acquaintances and it was definitely an eye opener for me as an events planner. My primary reason for taking up this short stint is to in fact, gain experience. Not always do you get the opportunity to be part of something big and international!

You bet, I have loads to share. And I hope you stay tuned and fixed your eyes at this page daily!

To give you a gist of what I’m gonna blog about, here are the list of titles I’ve came out with.

·    Free flow! – Wed 301009
·    The magical two poles and a rope! – Fri 021009
·    Talk, Smile, Talk, Smile! – Sun 041009
·    Ready for action! – Tue 061009

Till then, stay tuned!

-Mudd-

p.s. Were any of you at the F1 race at Turn 3? :]

If you’ve never had the opportunity to plan, how about dipping your hand in the honeypot & kick-start your planning journey. It doesn’t have to be a big event. Like planning & coordinating a get-together for your haven’t-seen-them-for-a-long-time friends!

Start small (but just start!).

Where do you start? Well, do you remember how your English teacher would always talk about the 5 Ws & 1 H? Planning is just an extension of that.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, think:
Who, What, Where, When, Why (5 Ws)  & How (1 H).

Grab a piece of paper & pen, & ponder on this!

• What: Is it a reunion, a big gathering, a birthday celebration ? The nature of your What will impact on the program/activity you want to have during your event.
• Why: There could be a whole lot of reasons why you should meet up! But just to be clear on what your objectives are, it never hurts to have a why! ‘Because it’s super duper fun’ – is also a reason!
• Who: This would be the people that you’re planning for so for instance, if you’re planning a mini-reunion, the Who would be your friends.  Here’s a tip: if you’re not sure how many yet, write down an estimated number 1st.
• When: This would take a bit of coordinating on your part. Obviously, when you plan, you would want your friends to be free to turn up.  Set a couple of dates, & let your friends let you know when they’ll be available!Time is also an important factor: day, night, evening, or full day should reflect on what you plan to do & your objectives of event.
• Where: Outdoor? Indoor? A restaurant? or A cafe? At an art gallery? Is it accessible? Do they serve good food? If you’re planning to hold the event in the evening,  are out (unless they’re properly lit). If you already have a location in mind, the next step is of course, to check if they have space for your crowd.
• How: This is the most interesting part of the entire night. It boils down to what is it that you want to the activities that you want to do. Bowling, walk around town, watch a movie, play card games… The possibilities are endless!What I’ll usually do is pick a place that’s near recreational places so that after dinner, my friends & I can head down to a cinema for a few laughs & then maybe go for dessert by the park.

After you’ve brainstormed the 5 Ws & 1 H, congrats! You’ve just gotten yourself a rough draft for your mini-event!

The next step: Locating & executing what you’ve planned!

But that’s another story. Stay tuned!

Happy Planning!

Nadd

As much as I love to plan, I love it when there’s an event to go to!

This past weekend, we visited the Army Open House! It was such a treat too! It’s not everyday that an army camp would be open to the public. I felt like a kid going to a fun-fair, especially because I’ve never stepped or even experienced life in a military camp.

It was really interesting; to find out what soldiers had to go through, the many artillery & machines, finding out the history of our soldiers & how small a space they get to enjoy in the camp.

But one of  my favourites at any event – momentos!

Pins, badges, a hand-phone screen cleaner, bookmarks, mock dog-tags… There were so many things available for event goers to take & keep as a souvenir to remember the event by. What’s great is that all of them resemble & reflects the event, be it by logo or by association (i.e. things associated with the army).

Momentos aside, the Open House also lets event-goers try out real-life adventure obstacles, the military uniforms &  taste food rations. The best part: We had the chance to try a real-life gun at the shooting gallery! My first-time ever!

We went back feeling tired, but contented (& even managed to count the keepsakes that we got!).

Can’t wait to see what they do next year!

Are you looking for a unique location to run your events?

Introducing the Marina Barrage.

While researching for this upcoming Saturday’s itinerary , I stumbled upon the venue rental details of the Marina Barrage.

Personally, I feel the Marina Barrage has a lot of potential to be the “it” place for events.

Firstly, the location is superb, its away from the hustle and bustle of town but it is still near town. Hahaha. Irony? But its good irony!

Secondly, the 8 unique locations available for rental are still relative new! And since it is an icon of Singapore, do expect it to look new always!

Thirdly, the rental rates are not that high, I must say it is very reasonable.

Fourthly, since it is rather secluded (for now at least, before the IR comes into operation), it would be a perfect place for a private outdoor function without the big hassle of controlling uninvited guest (gatecrasher!) or doing up massive barricades!

And Lastly, the location also gives you that not in Singapore feeling. You know, like as if you are at an offshore resort with a constant flow of sea breeze, a scenic view of the horizon and that calm warm feeling. (when its not raining of course! :])

I do highly recommend this location if you’re searching for something unique.

Click here for more information

Cheers~

-Mudd-

p.s. If you would like the Sidekicks (which is us!) to help you plan your events at the Marina Barrage, feel free to contact us at hello@muddnadd.com or visit our events planning site at http://www.EventsPlanningSidekicks.com . We’d love to assist YOU! That’s a Sidekicks’ Promise!