Taking Care of V.I.P.s: How to Give Top-Notch Treatment

[This article originally appeared in the June/July 2006 issue of BizBash magazine.]

Working with V.I.P.s is a must at many events. Whether these people are celebrities who bring needed press to product launches or fund-raisers, big-time clients who require perfect service, or high-level executives who speak at or host these affairs, their presence adds a important element—and in some cases, it's the event's whole point. And while planners should producer the best possible events for all their guests, those with higher status often require exceptional treatment.

"V.I.P.s are V.I.P.s for a reason—they have earned this status by hard work and diligence," says Elizabeth A. Kaufman, logistics manager at New York-based Institutional Investor, where she puts on conferences around the world for senior-level executives in the investment management industry. "Therefore, they deserve the right to be treated with special attention and given respect." Here's how to make that happen.

Plan Ahead
The first step is finding out what important guests expect at an event by talking to their assistants, their spouses, and celebrity wranglers, and sometimes with the V.I.P.s directly. “I speak with their people and gather back- ground on them,” says Maureen Ryan-Fable, president and C.O.O. of First Protocol, a New York-based event management company that produces corporate conferences, seminars, and employee retreats for clients like Merrill Lynch and MasterCard. “I also have the V.I.P. or their assistant, agent, or manager fill out a profile, which is 10 to 15 questions about their seat preference on airplanes, [preference of ] sedan versus stretch limo, if they like cigars, and how they like to be handled—do they want to be treated like a V.I.P., or are they more down to earth?”

Put yourself in the position of the V.I.P.s and think about what services or perks would make you most comfortable arriving at, attending, and leaving an event. Convenience and the feeling of an exclusive, pampered experience—with touches such as a car service and a private bathroom—are typically most important. “You want celebrities to feel relaxed and comfortable at your event,” says Jennifer Gross, owner of Evolutionary Media Group, a Los Angeles-based lifestyle PR company which works on celebrity events for brands like DKNY and Jaguar. “So we set up a V.I.P. area for them with bottle service from the bar and their own waitstaff, so they don’t have to walk through the room to get a cocktail.”

Remember that time is the most valuable commodity to V.I.P.s. “[They] should never have to wait in lines, whether it’s a bar, buffet, or the valet at the end of the night,” says Tomiko Iwata, vice president of special events at Fox Broadcasting in Los Angeles, where she plans corporate events and special meetings that celebrities and entertainment executives attend.

That requires forethought: When traveling with executives, Sally O’Connor, former chief of protocol and director of special events at Bank Boston, books rooms for the night before, especially when traveling overseas. “Planes come in first thing in the morning,” she says, “and you don’t want them to have to wait until 4 p.m. to get into their room.”

Planners should also listen carefully when speaking with V.I.P.s for mentions of particular likes and dislikes, so you can surprise them with special touches—like a hotel room or green room with their favorite foods or sports memorabilia. And keep notes. “As I observe what they like, I add it to the files I keep on everybody—what they drink, that they are allergic to shellfish, that they don’t like red meat,” says O’Connor, who now runs her own Brookline, Massachusetts-based protocol and special events company, Sally O’Connor & Associates. “Then you can give them exactly what they want.”

Set Clear Expectations
Tell celebrities what you expect in advance to avoid potential problems at the event. “Most of the time, we would want them to walk the red carpet,” Gross says. “But if we ask them in advance and they say no, we can arrange for a special entrance with guards so they aren’t barraged by paparazzi."

For corporate events, O’Connor puts together a briefing package in advance. “Then I sit down and review everything with the C.E.O. prior to the event,” she says. “At that point, you know what will fly. Sometimes you have to redo it numerous times to make it work.”

Double check that all V.I.P. preparations are in order. When planning out of town festivities for large groups, Iwata tells hotels months in advance about the level of service she’s expecting—such as room service available 24 hours, and extra security and valet staff—and follows up on the requirements just prior to their arrival. Kaufman does individual room checks for all her top executive guests to make sure everything is up to snuff, adding flowers, gift baskets, and even rearranging furniture. “You want them to have the space they need and what is comfortable for them,” she says.

Shine at Showtime
Always delegate one person, whether yourself or a trusted senior staffer, to handle V.I.P.s. “When a V.I.P. realizes that they’re being taken care of from the minute they arrive, that there is nothing questionable for them and everything is being done for them so they don’t have to even think about it, it sets the tone,” Ryan-Fable says. “They appreciate being meeted and greeted, being prechecked into the hotel.” And making V.I.P.s feel pampered and special at the event makes them less likely to lash out about a small problem.

Above all, make the V.I.P.’s experience enjoyable and hassle-free. “You never, ever say no,” Kaufman advises. “You make them feel like they can have whatever they want. Showing them that you are going that extra step for them is what’s important.”

Make it a Family Affair
Planners can also make V.I.P.s happy by catering to the people around them, whether they are colleagues, spouses, or kids and nannies. Christina Sion, vice president of food and event services at Los Angeles’ California Science Center, where she works on fund-raising and corporate and social events attended by celebrities, business leaders, and politicians, provides a green room where a V.I.P.’s team can relax and make phone calls. “You are working with a machine of people, so you can’t just focus on the [important guest]. The whole team needs to be comfortable,” she says.

Sion also learned to ask about other accompanying guests, such as children, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver brought their kids to an event recently. “The kids wanted to see the exhibits, but the center was closed and there was no one to open it and give them a tour,” Sion says. “If I had known they were coming, I could have planned something special for them. It was a missed opportunity with a V.I.P.”

Planners should also be attentive to the likes of spouses, like arranging a tee time at a top course for an executive’s spouse who is an avid golfer while the exec is busy at a conference. O’Connor points out that taking care of a husband or wife can be a great way to curry favor with a V.I.P., citing this example: “The wife of a bank president never told me she had become a vegetarian,” O’Connor recalls. “But when I walked the floor at an event I noticed she was only eating the vegetables on her plate. The next night I had her plate designed like everyone else’s so she wouldn’t feel conspicuous, but replaced the filet mignon with a portabella mushroom stack. She was blown away— and it helped earn points with the bank president.”