ServicesTips for making your event successful

When choosing rental conference rooms and facilities, the way they will be used is a key factor. No matter how much you may like the design of a particular space, it will be wasted if it isn't a good fit for your event. When selecting a room or facility, think about whether it is the right size for the event, and if it can be laid out appropriately. This can include the following seating plans.

• U-shape or hollow square seating designs are best for events in which participants need to see each others' faces, such as in meetings
• Classroom layouts and theater seating layouts are best for workshops
• For training sessions using cluster layouts, it is best to select a large room in which the instructor can walk from group to group and check on progress

As these examples show, it is important to select a room with the right layout for your usage purposes, and with the right capacity for the number of event participants.

When selecting an event site, you should place the greatest importance on how easy it is to reach. We particularly recommend event sites located near terminal stations with multiple train or subway lines. Participants may become lost trying to find event sites located far away from stations, so these sites are best avoided. Another aspect to consider is whether or not the event site is directly connected to a station, allowing participants to reach it without getting wet in the event of rain. The most important thing, however, is for you, as the event organizer, to actually walk to the site from the station. This will allow you to identify sites that are difficult to get to or which can become crowded, so you can warn participants.

The ease with which participants can reach the event site affects the number of participants and the participation ratio, so great care must be taken when selecting a site.

When taking part in long seminars or meetings with a classroom layout, allocating three chairs per table can result in the middle chairs not being used, or in participants sitting in middle seats feeling crowded in by the people to their right and left. That's why AICC offers two-person tables. Our chairs are spacious and have armrests, making them comfortable and preventing participants from becoming restless.

Once you have decided on a potential site for your event, you should always go and see it in person in advance. When you go to the site, make sure to check the following.

• Are there enough restrooms (especially for women)?
• Is there somewhere for early arrivers to wait?
• Is there enough space to put up information signs?
• Are there vending machines, convenience stores, and restaurants in the building or nearby?
• Are the facility and its restrooms barrier-free?
• Are the building entrance, escalator, and elevator locations easy to find?
• Check the emergency exits and evacuation routes

The level of satisfaction event participants feel is affected by the timetable created by the event's organizer. One ironclad principle is to always create timetables with sufficient leeway, from start to finish. The particular characteristics of events affect their timetables. For example, in events with many female participants, it is important to have longer restroom breaks. You should also check if the restrooms on nearby floors can be used to alleviate congestion.

Full-day events require lunch breaks. Participant stress can be reduced by avoiding the lunchtime peak hours of 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In seminars, participants are often in a passive position, so if when events run over, there are often complaints that the overrun prevented them from being able to stay until the end of the event.

As you can see, timetables affect how events are received. Never make timetable decisions carelessly.

Some participants see the social get-togethers following events as the main events. It is therefore important that you do not merely provide a location, but that you stimulate communication between participants.

The content of the catering is also important. If you only serve simple light snacks at an event attended by valued customers, it may come off as cheap. Always let the event site know the purpose of the social get-together, the male-female ratio, the age ranges of attendees, and other information so that they can provide an appropriate amount of food of the right caliber.

A successful social get-together has numerous benefits. It elevates the satisfaction participants feel for the event as a whole, increases attendance in future events, and improves your image as an event organizer. Always think of the social get-together as an important part of your event.