Restaurant Takeover - Specific Roles and Activities Undertaken - Essay Example

Instruction Restaurant Takeover Report and Evaluation Introduction Restaurant takeovers are very important events in hospitality management. These are events that have to be approached with a lot of keenness to make sure everything goes on well from the beginning to the end (Beth, 2007). It is vital to have a team of committed individuals to facilitate the process. It will often be a demanding process which involves careful planning, negotiations as well as a lot of legalities that have to be complied with. There is a wide range of legalities that have to be complied with so as to ascertain the event is successful and legally binding. The legal framework in which the event has to be conducted within requires a lot of detail because it has various implications on key issues in the event including a significant impact on the customers, guests and any other participants at the event (Monica and Sally, 2005). The regulations also outline the roles and responsibilities of employers to their staff. Non compliance with the require legislation attracts heavy penalties. The event planners therefore need to take legal issues very seriously and comply with each legal detail so as to avoid the penalties and ensure that the event runs smoothly. A lot of attention also has to be given to the health and safety issues of both the members of staff serving during the event as well as the customers who will be attending the event. The place has to be safe for the day, most especially if it is going to attract a lot of people (Beth, 2007). There has to be a first aid team ready at hand to take care of any emergencies at the event. The members of staff have to have a safe environment to work within for that day so as to ensure their work is perfect. Safety planning also involves outlining a security plan of action. This will help restore things when they get out of hand. Most takeover events attract a lot of people who may have different characteristics. In order to maintain harmony at the event there is need to have sufficient security. Health is also an important issue to be considered. The food and drinks to be served at the occasion have to be of high quality and be well prepared. This will help prevent health issues resulting from poorly cooked or substandard meals and drinks (Edward, 2009). Background information This particular restaurant takeover that I was involved in happened a few weeks ago at my college. It was organized at the college restaurant and I happened to be part of the team involved in the planning period for the event. This was going to be a major event as we were expecting a huge turnout from both within and outside the college. The event was scheduled to take place on a Wednesday night between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm. This being in the middle of the week, most students would be in campus and would come in large numbers to witness the event happening during the night. As part of the takeover team charged with the responsibility of planning and supervising the event, I was involved in almost every aspect of the event, we worked so hard to ensure the event went according to our script and that there were no sideshows or any major incidences during the occasion. Profile of the takeover Team The takeover team was made up of three people, my two colleagues and I. Our team was charged with the responsibility of managing the whole event from its preparation stage, supervising the event as well as wrapping up everything after the event. This task requires highly dedicated and committed individuals. The three of us had the necessary skills and dedication that was needed to see the event to a successful completion. It was a great opportunity for us to put in to practice the knowledge we had acquired in class. Specific Roles and Activities Undertaken My team was engaged with negotiations with the staff and supervisors of the college restaurant during the planning stages to make sure everyone understood their role during the event. These negotiations also helped us to deal with emerging issues and deal with them before the event. We able to take each person’s views and incorporated them in to the planning process. We were also assigned the task of developing a theme for the event. We settled on the cowboy theme, which we felt was suitable for the event as most of the people would relate to it. The theme would also guide us when decorating the place in terms of the arrangement and the colors to be used. Decorating the venue was also part of the role of the takeover team. We were required to be at the venue much earlier than the commencement time in order to do the decorations. We arrived at the venue at 3:00pm. We also held discussions with the students at the school and the supervisor after decorating the venue just to make sure everything was ready on their part. The students eight were sixteen year olds and would act as waiters during the event. The other role of the takeover team was to supervise the event. We had to receive guests and customers getting in the restaurant for the event. Our responsibility was to welcome them to the restaurant and directing them to their seats. The visitors started flowing in at 6:00pm, the time at which the event started. Specific Planning Activities Undertaken Together With Planning Documents The takeover team was involved in a lot of activities just to ensure the whole event went down as planned. We held various meetings with main stakeholders in the event, among them the restaurant staff, the supervisor, the students as well as the security team. I happened to act as the secretary for the takeover team and kept all the minutes of the meetings we held with every stakeholder in the event. Among the key issues discussed in those meeting, which was a fraction of the agenda for the meetings included, issuing guidelines to each person so that they know what they are required to do, giving feedback on the stage of the preparations, informing everyone about their legal obligations and the legal framework within which the event ought to take place, among others. We also developed action plans for the event covering every aspect from the time period of the event, the speeches from the guests and completion of various stages in the planning process. We were also given with the mandate of drawing the budget for the whole event as well as the marketing and promotional plan. Our marketing plan involved using posters located at strategic points in the school as well as outside the college. We also used social media to popularize the event as well as using the local media to invite the public near the school. Progress Reviews We also conducted progress reviews from time to time during the preparations of the event to determine the stage at which the preparations are. We developed a contingency plan just to make sure all the risks were mitigated and the event went on as intended. The reviews were conducted at various sections of the planning process as well as after the event to determine if the objectives had been met. Supervisory Tasks Undertaken With Reference To Application Of Acceptable Supervisory Practices Planning for a takeover require a lot of attention to various issues including both legal and health and safety issues. One of our supervisory objectives was to ensure every aspect of the event was perfectly prepared. We held talks with the staff of the restaurant to make sure they had made necessary preparations, we formed a first aid team to deal with any medical issues that might arise, we also hired a security team to manage the event in terms of maintain order. Practical Achievement of the Takeover The takeover event went down as planned and was a very successful event. There were no any major incidences during the night and everything proceeded smoothly. The attendance was incredible. Our promotional strategy proved effective since most of the people outside the school got the information and attended the event in large numbers. The guests and customers were cooperative throughout the event and none of them caused any security threat at the event. Closure and Evaluation The event was very successful as all the desired objectives were met. There were no major incidences during the takeover event. Our criteria for success was based on the ability of the staff to deliver quality services, time keeping, attendance, maintenance of security as well as high standards on health and safety of the attendants. Judging based on this criteria, the event was successful as all the parameters were achieved to the satisfaction of the customers, guests and the whole takeover team. The project management strategies employed in the preparation of this event took in to account the needs of every stakeholder and that is why the event was very successful. My main role in the takeover team was to act as a secretary to keep the minutes during the various meetings we held with the stakeholders. I was also charged with the responsibility of leasing with the stakeholders during the reviews of the preparations as well as acting as the link between the takeover team and other stakeholders in the event. This experience was a major learning event for me. In as much as I had the opportunity to put my knowledge learnt in school in to practice, I learnt a lot regarding event preparation. I acquired negotiation skills, time management skills as well as management skills. References Beth, K. M. 2007. The principles of event management, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Edward, J. 2009. Contemporary issues in Hospitality Management, Indiana University Press, Indiana. Monica, N and Sally, C. D. 2005. Business takeovers and mergers: The legal issues involved, Wiley and Sons, New Jersey. Read More