Case Study:
Beam Event Planning
What is Working:
1. Tara and the team at Beam are very clear when communicating expectations in regards to staff and event logistics. Frequent conference calls and event updates serve as useful forms of clear communication. Direct communication with vendors and venue staff is encouraged.
2. My experience in the field is often considered when making planning decisions, post event feedback is always welcomed and improved strategies are implemented in future event planning.
3. Ordering supplies and arranging transport are done with ease by utilizing vendor accounts with Whole Foods, RAW Juice Company, Amazon Prime, SF Restaurant Supply, Ryder and San Francisco Small Moves.
What Can be Improved:
1. Tara has been the at the frontline for all event communications, with several events happening simultaneously she is spread thin leaving room for error. Once the initial negotiations have been made I would like to be in the position to take on an active role in planning and handlevendor communications.
2. Event budgets have not been communicated, often resulting over spending.
3. Cocktail ingredient needs are too often miscalculated resulting in over spending and excessive waste. I suggest leveraging help from our contracted bartenders when planning.
Support Needed:
1. A system for handling emergency/last minute needs with a clear understanding of cost for such situations. An on call/all hours "courier" is needed.
What is Working:
1. A solid team of brand ambassadors, production assistants and bartenders are in place who have built relationships with Beam management and the sales team. They are trained professionals who can speak toBeam brands. All members of my production crew possess brand education and are often contracted to set up, activate and strike, maximizing the efficiency of labor costs.
2. Beam's Luxury Brand Specialists and Ambassadors take a hands-on role in executing events and offer support when needed.
Warehouse Management
What is Working:
1. The warehouse space is practical in the sense that it is large enough to house 5 bars and all of Beams special event pos. It also serves as office space, haswifi, 24 hour access and free parking.
What Can Be Improved:
1. Removing sampling event kits would allow more room for organization.
2. Beam's sales team and ambassadors often take liquor and POS items from the unitwithout logging them, if the items are returned they are simply left in piles making managing the inventory very difficult.
3. Pallets of POS are sent to the warehouse without notice, since they cannot be stored due to limited space I am left with the laborious task of breaking them down and finding space for the POS without help.
Support Needed:
1. I am prepared to manage the inventory and take full responsibility of maintaining the warehouse to Beams standards. However, an organized system of removing and returning items needs to be in place. One option would berequiring that all POS requests be sent to me at least 5 days in advance (when possible) in the form of a POS Request Doc. I could then pull the items myself and stage them in a designated area and log. Once items are returned (in designated "returns" space) I would update the inventory accordingly. Beam has a warehouse in Union City that is managed this way.
2. Shipments cannot be received unless someone is present to receive them. I am currently in the unit every Monday and Friday and open to making any adjustments needed. However, it would be costly for myself to work five days a week from the unit. We have hired warehouse help in the past to receive shipments and clean up/organize but they were promotional staff contracted from our events roster and paid $30/hr. I feel that we could hire part time warehouse help for a far more reasonable rate. I'd be comfortable working two or three days from the unit and having a part time warehouse assistant 2 days a week. I would train said person to work special events and perhaps also serve as our "on call courier".