Don't Just Rent Tables and Chairs - Hire Professionals to Deliver Them, Set Them Up, and Pick Them U

As a new event coordinator, you know the importance of tables and chairs. They are the foundation of any good event, and you have certainly already started thinking of them in terms of how they will enhance your event. While you've been deciding on the perfect style and placement, though, you may not have considered exactly how they'll get to the venue. It's always a good idea to read the fine print - if you don't, you might be surprised by what the rental company won't provide.

The following scenario is real - the names have been left out to protect the unprepared. An brand-new event planner got his first major client, a rising business in his local community. His job was to help prep for a community awards ceremony - not anything huge, but something that required real planning. He spent days agonizing on the perfect layout, eventually renting tables and chairs from the lowest bidder. On the day of the event, he arrived to find that his tables and chairs weren't there - and they weren't coming. The contract, which he hadn't read closely, required him to pick up the tables and chairs on his own. The night fell apart after that, and the shaken planner never winded up working with that business again.

This story illustrates the importance of reading a contact, but it also proves that you need to make sure you rent from a company that will fulfill all your needs. Next time you need tables and chairs from a rental company, make sure you know exactly what they're going to do for you. Don't assume they'll even deliver - some companies do little more than provide the stated items. If you don't have staff on hand, you'll want to make sure that they'll also set up the furniture and remove all of it once the event is done.

As an event planner, logistics management is just another aspect of your job. If you don't know the specifics, no one else will be able to help you. Always read your contracts carefully and ask questions if you don't know the answers. Make assumptions won't just make your life more difficult - doing so might ruin your business. Tables and chairs are the foundation of any good event, so don't just rent - make sure your rental company will also deliver the items, set them up, and take them back at the end of the night.