Access All Areas Winter Issue | Page 6

WINTER | AGENDA This month’s catch up… Read more and keep up to date by visiting: Globe-Africa accessaa.co.uk  @access_aa twitter-square @access_aa Event Careers Live launches The UK’s first dedicated event for people seeking to work in or improve their careers in the events industry launches this January. Event Careers Live, 24 January at Banking Hall, London, has assembled companies who will be recruiting at the event including drp Group, Clarion Events and WRG. The event is designed to help young and hungry eventprofs learn more about the industry and plan out their career journey, covering; marketing, sales, operations, and Opinion Anyone who has worked outside the Event industry will know how differently it works to other occupations. Because of its nature, an event is likely to have several different suppliers all on site at the same time. A freelancer that you employ could have been working for one of your competitors last week. You possibly hired in goods from a competitor to add to your own stock, because in the event industry you all get on fairly well with each other (normally!). This type of arrangement doesn’t happen in many other industries. An employee found to be working for a competitor is likely to be dismissed because an employer would think that trade secrets could be disclosed. You would never hire or buy goods from a competitor because they wouldn’t wish to openly show their prices or discounts within the market.But at events it all works. Companies deal with others that they trust and therefore relationships last for a substantial number of years. Relationships 06 creative roles with insight in to how to pursue each route. The event consists of a combination of panel and campfire sessions and one-to-one mentoring with experts sharing their experience and advice. Panel highlights include ‘What is takes to organise and deliver big events’ discussing the skills needed to deliver big festivals, exhibitions and corporate events. Taste of London; Top Gear Live and Fast and Furious Live will feature. To register for free visit www.eventcareerslive.com We’ve dealt with them for years – it will be ok can be so long established that everyone’s forgotten any terms of trade that may be agreed, and if there are some small losses you somehow resolve them between yourselves. But what happens when the big loss occurs? What happens when the solicitor demands a payment because that’s what your terms and conditions say, despite both parties knowing that wasn’t their intention – or perhaps just one party thinks it wasn’t the intention. We have recently been dealing with a claim where this scenario occurred. There was substantial damage and if the goods had not been repairable the claim could have reached in total seven figures. Equipment was damaged whilst on a tour. The hire was all agreed with the production company and was for the benefit of the band who had their own company. As is standard, goods were hired on the basis that the hirer was fully responsible. But who was the hirer? A quotation had been sent to the band’s company but the quote had been accepted by the production company. The production company was small and had not arranged any insurance cover because they didn’t believe they were responsible. The band’s company have never accepted the quotation. They possibly do not know the value of the equipment to insure it correctly and could argue that they have never accepted the quotation. It would be good to say that this was a one off. It is probably a situation that is occurring on a regular basis, although each with its own separate circumstances. Unfortunately, when large losses are involved, solicitors and insurance companies will only look at what the legal position is. They will not be concerned with the relationship or even that it could result in the loss of future business. The agreement is the agreement. So, the message is deal with your friends and acquaintances because that is the best way to run businesses, but don’t forget that the paperwork still needs to be in place and always think about “what if…”. Peter Tilsed is a director of Luker Rowe Insurance Brokers and with over 30 years’ experience of dealing in the AV and Events business