Remember, nothing comes without a price. That free room upgrade for you and your staff, the free internet in your show office, that very nice spread at the Pre-Con meeting, you still pay for all of it in the end.
As an experienced Technical Director, I have put together many production budgets. When I budget for a program in a venue that has already been selected, I have to deal with the pricing rates of the exclusive suppliers that support that meeting. This includes the rigging, motors, truss (not every venue), internet, and power.
At some properties, the In-House Audio Visual supplier can provide all of these services. At other venues, they divide the exclusive suppliers and use different companies depending on their function. At the end of the day, we need their services to provide a successful program.
Since all of these services are exclusive, we are at the mercy of the vendor to provide a reasonable price for the service provided. Unfortunately, we have all experienced that heart-stopping service proposal that is far beyond the budgeted number. It is not uncommon for an exclusive provider to invoice for each day at a rate that should be for the whole week.
The site selection timeframe is key to bring the pricing of the exclusive services in line with your budget projections. Room rates and F&B are all important in the negotiations, but the technical support from the venue is as well and is often overlooked when booking the space. You should bring in your technical support staff early as they know the real-world cost of equipment or a service. Negotiate in advance when you have the advantage, put it in the contract, and have a great show!
