Coordinating local suppliers you have never met
Your event is in a city where you know nobody, and you need AV, catering and registration suppliers.
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The short answer
When you cannot visit, the paperwork has to do the work of a handshake. Check each supplier against a written scope, speak to the person who will be on site, and get their replies in writing before event day.
Then brief each supplier in a fixed order, so all hear the same plan and meet the venue before the event. The overview for events across Malaysia shows how remote work fits together.
What changes when you work at a distance
In your home city you may know a supplier by reputation or by a past event. Here you do not, and you cannot drop in to see their work.
So the checks move onto paper and onto video calls. This takes a little more effort at the start and saves a lot of guessing later.
Checks before you appoint
Run these checks on every supplier whose failure would stop part of the programme.
- Write the scope first and test it with the RFP completeness checker, so every supplier quotes the same thing.
- Ask for the name of the person who will be on site on event day. Speak to that person, not only to the sales contact.
- Take reference checks from two recent clients for similar events. Ask what went well and what they would change.
- Ask for subcontractor disclosure. If a supplier uses another company for part of the job, you need to know who it is.
- Ask the insurance questions that match the supplier's work, and keep the replies on file.
- Ask the venue whether it knows the supplier. The venue team will often know who has worked in the building before.
The briefing sequence
Brief each supplier in the same order. This keeps the plan consistent, and it gives you a record of what each one agreed to.
| Step | What happens | What you keep |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Written brief | Send the scope, the run-of-show draft and the venue rules you have. | The version that was sent, with the date. |
| 2. Video call | Walk through the brief with the supplier's event-day lead. | A short note of decisions and open points. |
| 3. Written reply | The supplier restates scope, names and contacts in their own words. | The reply, filed with the brief. |
| 4. Venue introduction | Connect the supplier to the venue coordinator for access, rules and delivery. See load-in and delivery slots. | The agreed slot and the venue's written reply. |
| 5. Midpoint check | A short call on a date you set, to confirm nothing has changed. | An updated note. |
| 6. Final confirmation | The supplier sends names, arrival time and contact numbers for event day. See supplier confirmation evidence. | The confirmation, shared with the venue and the local contact. |
| 7. Event-day check-in | A brief call or message when the supplier arrives. | A note on arrival and any change. |
Keep one line of communication
Suppliers do best when they hear one set of instructions. Name one person who briefs them, and ask the venue and the committee to send changes through that person.
If a local contact is appointed, tell every supplier who it is and what that person can approve. The responsibility split shows how the roles fit together.
Signs to look at again
These are reasons to ask another question before you appoint.
- No one is named for event day.
- A quote that lists a total but not what it covers.
- No reference from a similar event.
- A reply that repeats your words without stating what will actually be brought.
- A supplier who has never contacted the venue and sees no need to.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional forum checks three suppliers in another state
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
The Persatuan Fiktif Pengurus Pembelian plans a one-day forum for about 120 members. It needs an audio-visual supplier, a caterer and a registration team, none of whom the secretariat has used.
The secretary asks each for a named event-day lead and two references. The caterer's reply restates the menu but not the service times, so the secretary asks again and files the corrected reply. The audio-visual supplier is introduced to the venue coordinator, and the load-in slot is confirmed in writing before the final briefing.
Use this yourself
Supplier check and briefing tracker
Copy the checklist for each supplier, then keep the tracking table up to date. A blank cell is an open action.
- Supplier and the part of the programme it covers:
- Written scope sent, with date:
- Event-day lead named, and spoken to on a video call:
- Two references taken from similar events:
- Subcontractors disclosed, or confirmed none:
- Insurance reply received and filed:
- Written reply restating scope, names and contacts:
- Introduced to the venue, with access and delivery agreed in writing:
- Midpoint check done:
- Final confirmation received and shared with the venue and local contact:
- Event-day check-in agreed:
| Supplier | Event-day lead | References | Written reply | Venue introduced | Final confirmation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-visual | |||||
| Catering | |||||
| Registration |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- You have two or three suppliers and the programme is simple.
- Someone on the committee has time for video calls and follow-up.
- The venue provides most of what you need.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Many suppliers need briefing against one run-of-show, and nobody has the time.
- Your team is in another state and cannot meet suppliers before the event.
- Replies keep coming in different formats and the committee cannot see what is still open.
Want someone to run the supplier briefings?
We can check and brief the suppliers for you. We keep one tracker, collect the written replies and report what is still open. Where the agreed scope needs it, we coordinate specialist suppliers and can be on site on event day. We can also manage the whole event for you. Send your supplier list and event date, and we will reply with the level of support that fits and what it would cover.
Questions organisers ask
How many references should I ask for?
Two recent clients for similar events is a sensible start. Ask what went well and what they would change.
Can the venue tell me which suppliers to use?
The venue may have a preferred list, and it can say who has worked in the building. Treat that as one input, and still check the supplier against your scope.
What if a supplier will not give a reference?
Ask why, and ask what else they can show, such as a written scope for a similar event. If you cannot check them, consider another supplier for a critical task.
Do I need to meet each supplier in person?
Not always. A video call with the event-day lead, plus written replies, is often enough. For a critical supplier, you can meet in person on event day or earlier.
Related resources
Content record: Written by the EventConsultant team to our editorial rules. Sources are listed on pages that rely on them.