A day in the life of a venue manager just won’t give you the full picture of everything we do – so here’s a picture of a week!
I spend the first part of the week putting together “the packet”. The packet consists of Banquet Event Orders – the paperwork that details menu selections, start and end time, setup, audio-visual, etc., for each event we have coming the following week. The packet varies from one page to forty pages, depending on the number of events and their complexity. Along with the packet, I create an Excel spreadsheet each week that lists all of the events and monetary details so the rest of the building is aware of what business will be coming in and where the events are located.
In between the packet and the spreadsheet, I am welcoming the clients whose event is onsite that day, answering questions for the staff, and answering the phones when the front desk cannot. (As we are a hotel, I serve a few more functions than just a venue salesperson would.) My role allows me to wear many hats; if an event also has group rooms, I take care of the booking and contracting of the rooms and the event. I often do tours upstairs of the sleeping rooms in addition to our banquet/meeting space. I also manage the changes to events where the packet has already gone out – whether that is a change in count for meals, the client needs to change setup, etc. Sometimes I work from home at night if I receive pertinent emails after hours to ensure the client’s needs are taken care of.
All week, I answer inquiry phone calls and emails about future events. We receive leads and inquiries from multiple sources, so I often have several events that I am bidding on or filling out a proposal for. Sometimes I’m needed by the staff to assist in setup or service at an event. I check in with them several times a day to see how everything is going, and run interference if a client has a question or billing issue. I try to be onsite for our major events, first to initially greet the client, and then to be present for the duration of the event to ensure they are comfortable and everything goes smoothly. I have a fantastic staff that I never have to worry about, but the client often feels better just seeing me. J
Thursdays are typically spent mostly in meetings. I have a meeting with the Chef and the Banquet Captain. It’s their chance to ask questions or give me feedback on the last week’s events, as well as review the upcoming events. After the Food and Beverage department meeting, we have our weekly staff meeting. The managers of each department meet once a week to go over any issues that have arisen, upcoming projects, upcoming events, maintenance needs, etc. Upon the completion of this meeting, the Sales Department (again, I wear multiple hats), meets to talk about strategy, groups we are bidding on, and sales activities we are planning on participating in. By the time I am out of meetings for the day, I usually have just enough time to respond to emails and voicemails, and then it’s time to go home!
Fridays are catchup and project day. Our newsletter and media projects are typically done on Fridays, along with any other items left until the end of the week.
Saturdays are almost always spent with clients, doing site visits and planning, and events! I am off Sundays and Mondays so I can work Saturdays, the most popular day for social events (weddings, auctions, anniversary parties, etc.)
By the end of Saturday I’m ready for my weekend, so I can start all over again!
Contributed by Puget Sound Member Kati Wright, The INN at Gig Harbor 
