Recently I had the pleasure of attending a two hour local Governmental Luncheon for 150 guests. It was a good thing it only lasted for two hours because different things kept going wrong and I was a bit worried that the organizer would be deemed inadequate. Not only did food run out, but the room was very hot and guests could barely hear the speaker. Not to forget, there were over 30 people without seats hovering over those that were seated.

Planning a corporate meeting can be quite overwhelming because of the amount of tiny details involved, the number of hours needed to plan, and the many things that could probably go wrong. Below are a few things I noticed that could have been done differently at the Luncheon.

Seating – The chairs were very flat and had no padding. Comfortable chairs that will suffice for the amount of hours to be spent at the meeting should be used. Some meetings can go on for as long as 8hours with very little breaks. You want to ensure that the employees/guests are relaxed.

Food – A proper headcount is very important while planning a company luncheon/meeting. By having an accurate list of attendees, you avoid the risk of running out of food. Make certain that your buffet has lots of high-energy food as well. The wrong menu can mean a less productive audience.

Right venue – The meeting room used was a little too small for the number of guests invited. This was probably why the room was so hot. Ensure that you get the right venue for the right number of guests.