Your event structures play a big role in the success of your special event. Knowing critical information about your tent rental company and the way they do business can help you choose a company that is compatible with your expectations and meets your event requirements.
Customer Satisfaction: History is not perfect, but is often a reliable predictor of the future, and if past customers are pleased with the job the tent rental company you are considering has done, you are more likely to be satisfied as well.
Request a complete list of all the projects the company has completed in the last six months that are similar to the event you are planning. Consider the number of guests, type of event, type of structures (frame tents, high peak tents, clear span structures) and location type. Ask for the event planners' names and contact information. Call a significant number of these clients until you are comfortable with the responses you are receiving. Ask for specifics and take notes. You can review these later to identify recurring themes and issues.
Terms and Conditions: The agreement you will eventually sign with your tent rental company will be filled with terms and policies that you should fully understand and negotiate as part of your due diligence process. These legal points can have a significant impact on your final invoice and govern major aspects of the service provided by the company.
Cancellation Policy -- This will establish the obligations of the parties if an event is canceled and may differ based on the reason for the cancellation. Refunds generally vary based on the timing of the cancellation. It's reasonable to compensate a company if they have incurred costs associated with an event, even if it does not take place. Make sure you understand these terms and they appear reasonable relative to the costs the company is likely to incur.
Rental Period -- How is the tent rental period calculated and what can trigger unanticipated additional costs? It is often advantageous to begin construction several days before an event and sometimes circumstances prevent the timely removal of the structure. It is always good to have some cushion in the time elements of your rental agreement to allow for unforeseen circumstances. Negotiate sufficient safeguards in the rental period from unanticipated costs that are beyond your control.
Payment Terms -- It is a common industry practice to require a significant deposit at the time you book your event. This allows the company to reduce the risk associated with reserving your equipment and manpower. However, retaining a significant amount of the charges associated with the project until construction is completed helps reduce execution risk for the customer. A reasonable rental agreement should balance the needs of both parties based on the services and equipment that is being provided.
Damages -- There can be several items in the terms and conditions of a tent rental agreement that deal with responsibility for damages based on when they occur, how they happen and whose assets are damaged. This is a complicated issue and beyond the scope of this discussion but I strongly recommend that you involve your risk manager and/or insurance representative in this analysis to ensure there are no gaps in coverage that can leave you exposed to unnecessary liability.
Insurance -- Always request certificates of insurance for liability and workers compensation coverage and anything else you believe is necessary based on your event. Your risk manager or insurance representative can advise you on coverage limits but our opinion is that even the smallest events should be covered by no less than $1,000,000 of liability coverage and larger structures and events will require more.
Emergency Preparedness: Dealing with the unexpected is always a consideration when you are planning special events that are subject to weather fluctuations and accidents of all types. How prepared is the tent rental company to respond to such a situation? Do they have sufficient manpower and equipment that can be deployed on short notice to respond to a crisis? Do they have a 24 hour emergency answering service to respond to customers issues? Ask them to explain their policies and resources so you understand their capabilities and make sure they include this in their rental agreement as part of their service guarantee.
Size and Condition of Inventory: Access to a large tent inventory means you can choose a tent based on the specific requirements of your event and not be persuaded to compromise based on a limited selection in the warehouse. Size is important but style can also be critical in making sure your fabric structure complements the traffic flow and audience viewing options, placement of tables, chairs, staging and additional equipment and the overall appearance you are trying to achieve. Choosing from a range of sizes in frame, high peak and clear span structures gives you additional planning and design flexibility. Having a large inventory is also great insurance for responding to the unexpected weather or man-made calamity that occasionally damages temporary fabric structures. You are much more likely to find a suitable replacement from a large tent inventory.
The condition of the tent leaves an immediate impression upon your guests and either enhances or detracts from the overall impact of your special event appearance. Ensuring your tent is clean and not in need of repair is as important as any decoration that you plan.
Request a detail of the tent rental company's inventory in the size range you are looking for. Make sure they include specific sizes and styles of tents. Do they offer a good selection in all the tent styles you are considering? Ask them about their cleaning and repairing procedures and the quality assurance measures they employ. Most people are unwilling to admit to an absence of appropriate quality assurance processes but asking the questions will alert them to your concern and set the proper expectation.
Experience: There is no substitute for experience and this maxim is never more evident than when dealing with special events that are time sensitive, involve comfort and safety issues and don't allow for second chances. If you've ever had to rebuild a structure on short notice that has been flattened by a microburst or vandalized the night before an event, you know the value of experience. Even the unexpected, less catastrophic issues are dealt with more efficiently and with less anxiety for everyone, if you're working with an experienced tent rental company.
Experience is also a good indication of how familiar a company will be with different jurisdictional regulations and codes, permitting processes, life safety issues, evacuation planning and all the other specific requirements involved in constructing temporary fabric structures. This experience can prevent regulatory violations from threatening the smooth preparation and operation of your event.
You should know how long the company has been in business managing your type and size of event. And you should also know about the experience of the senior managers who are planning and coordinating the company's resources as well as the experience levels of the construction supervisor and the construction team. It is a good practice to know who will be the project manager and who will be supervising on site construction and be very familiar with their qualifications and experience level. These are the people responsible for a foundation element of your special event and their expertise will be called on to ensure its success.
An acceptable level of experience is probably dictated by the complexity of your event and fabric structure construction as well as the type of experience the company and key individuals possess. Something in the five to fifteen year range of relevant experience is likely to satisfy most event requirements for key company employees.
Acquiring the knowledge outlined above will help you select a tent rental company that matches your needs and allows you to be more comfortable with your choice so you can focus on the countless other issues that will lead to a successful event.
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