Jeff Holmes’ Testimonial

My name is Jeff Holmes. I’m the Creative Director at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

 

What was it about Event Tech that kept you coming back?

When you’re looking for people you want to partner with, especially on a continued basis where you’re doing event after event after event, what you’re really looking for is someone who can make your life easy, and that’s what Event Tech does. You can call them up, explain your situation, and they’ll come ready with solutions, and you don’t have to get in the weeds and worry about, “Are they going to be thinking about this detail or that detail?” They will be thinking about it, and that’s what I love about working with Event Tech.

What were functions and meetings like before using Event Tech?

Before we started working with Event Tech, production value was not a primary concern of our events. We tended to work with a lot of internal staff, and as a result, the quality just wasn’t where you wanted it to be. So, when we made the decision we really want these to look and feel a certain way, we want the guest experience to be good, if we’re releasing them online, we want that experience to be top-notch. That’s why we came to Event Tech, and they’ve delivered on that.

What do you like most about working with Event Tech?

Often, I have sort of half-baked ideas. So, I have a sense of what I want, but it’s not fully there. If I’m talking with Bill or someone else on the phone, I explain what I need, and they can usually take that half-baked idea and then make it a fully-realized concept. That’s what I really like is that process of it going from this half-baked idea in my head to something that’s going to exist in the world and be a great show.

If you were recommending Event Tech to someone else, what would you tell them?

I would tell them if you’re looking for events that look and sound and feel great, both for the guest and if you’re looking to do events that are released online or shows that are released online, if you want to feel safe and secure in the knowledge that it’s going to look and sound great and reflect your company or organization very well. That’s part one.

Part two is, they’re just going to make your life easier. You get to look like a hero. You call up Event Tech, they’re going to do so much of the work, and then you get to take all the credit for it when the show goes well without a hitch.

When were you most thankful that Event Tech was there?

We were putting on a live show at the end of January, and a couple of weeks before the show, it looked like, “Well, we might get some weather.” Then that “Maybe we’ll get some weather” turns into “It might be one of the biggest snowstorms that D.C. has seen in the past – who knows, decades.

So, there was a venue change potentially. There were Plan Bs, and Cs, and Ds. There were multiple stakeholders involved. The logistics were going to be super challenging. On top of that, this was over the weekend when most people wouldn’t be working, and we had just a couple of days to get this thing together and figure out a plan in the midst of what did turn out to be one of D.C.’s biggest snowstorms.

We had plans in place. The fact that even in the midst of a super snowstorm, we were able to put on that show and have good attendance. Everything went off without a hitch. That was, to me, the biggest moment where – that’s when you want to work with someone like Event Tech.

That could have so easily turned into what was going to be a high-profile event, with a very high-profile guest. It would have been a canceled show if we hadn’t had the right partners. But because we had the right partners like Event Tech, we were able to put on that show, and it’s been one of our most successful of the series.

Michael Watson’s Testimonial

Michael Watson, Montgomery College’s Performing Arts Center on the Rockville Campus, and I am the Technical Director.

 

How do you feel about working with Event Tech?

I think Event Tech is fantastic. They do great work. Their people are on time. They’re on budget. They know their equipment. They know what they’re doing. We’re able to do advance shows with them on a regular basis, and they provide all the support that we need.

Before we found Event Tech, most of the time we had to go with multiple vendors. With Event Tech, at least now, we’re able to go with one vendor and take care of all of our audio needs and our staging needs. Occasionally, we do some sub-rentals for lighting. Before that, we had to go to at least three different vendors to get the equipment that we needed.

What is the best part about working with Event Tech?

Honestly, it’s the people. We feel that a lot of their engineers are top-notch. They know all of the ins and outs of their equipment and all of their consoles. Touring and guest artist events love working with them. They are able to work really easily and achieve what they need to for their shows.

Would you recommend Event Tech to a colleague?

I would tell them that Event Tech is probably your one-stop-shop for everything that you need in terms of production. Their people are able to get the job done very quickly and politely, and they’re able to work well with artists of all caliber.

We like to use Event Tech routinely because the engineers that we get work very, very well with the touring engineers. A lot of times if we have a tour that comes through here with specific guest artists’ needs, those guys can be a little grumpy. They can be a little bit tired. They’ve been on the road for God knows how long.

The Event Tech personnel that we have on day of show are able to actually calm them down and work with them and make it a much more relaxed and friendly environment so that the show goes off without a hitch.

April Airhart’s Testimonial

My name is April Airhart. I work for American Public University System, and I’m the Director of Student Life.

 

What were your meetings and events like before working with Event Tech?

Before we found Event Tech, we found that there wasn’t a great deal of consistency. We would get shuffled from event manager to event manager. Balls would be dropped. We would be promised something in our contract, and then that would not be onsite when we got ready for our event. And, it didn’t feel like an extension of our team.

But with Event Tech, we feel like y’all are part of us when we get to our ceremony and to our events, and that’s, I think, what’s so special about your company. When you’re onsite, you don’t work for American Public University System, but it sure does feel like you’re my co-worker.

Can you think of specific examples?

So, two things. First one has to be that no matter what, I can trust that y’all are going to make it exactly what you promised me, and that you’re going to do it with a smile on your face.

Y’all have some of the happiest and nicest staff members that we’ve ever come across, and while you may not all be happy together before you get there, or when you’re unloading, or whatever it is that you’re doing behind the scenes, when we see your faces, y’all all look happy, and that’s important – because we’re all in the event planning and production business.

We understand what it’s like to be behind the scenes and how stressful it can be. But when you all work together and come together as a team, it’s amazing. And so, that’s something that I’m really thankful for, that I know you’re going to make it happen and you’re going to do it with a smile on your face.

And the second thing is that no matter what I ask for, how outlandish, or how crazy, or what I ask you to change, I know that you’re either going to tell me why we shouldn’t do it and explain it to me and make me understand why it’s not a good decision. Or you’re going to do it for me and make it happen.

And that’s what I appreciate – you don’t treat me like I don’t know what is going on. I don’t know all of your technology and how to do things the best way, but you treat me like a competent individual even though I may not know what I’m talking about. And so, I appreciate the level of professionalism that I always get from the individuals that we work with.

If you were to recommend Event Tech, what would you say?

I would tell them to get ready to have a good time. Y’all always bring fun and laughter, I feel like which is so needed in the stressful kind of environment that event production can be, because it’s important to get it all right. But having fun while you do it is also a real blessing. It’s really great to have that feeling when you’re in the middle of a stressful event to be able to laugh and to put that together with the stress makes it easier.

And I would also tell them to be prepared to have your mind blown. I never know exactly what I’m asking for, but y’all can always take my idea and either make it better or make it simpler and make it just exactly what I wanted. And that’s what I’m so thankful for. Sometimes I don’t know exactly what I’m looking to make happen, but y’all can always materialize it for me. So, I’m appreciative of that.

Can you talk about the relationship with your account executive?

Well, it’s Bill Marks. Listen, Bill Marks came on the scene like – what – two, three years ago? We were so happy with the previous event planner that we had it was a sad kind of moment to change over, butI put our trust in Bill, and he has more than exceeded our expectations.

He has really done some great things with our show, and I kind of think about it sometimes, what would happen if Bill left, and then I have to push it down, you know, really stuff those feelings because I’m so trusting. And everything that you bring to the table, and everything that Event Tech brings that I don’t worry.

I know that AV and video and all of those things are going to happen. They’re going to be great, and all I have to do is show up with my team and make sure that we all communicate, and it’s going to be amazing. And so, I’m super thankful for Bill.