When a London agency staffs an event in Milan or Texas, the instinct is to send people from London. It’s familiar, and you know they’re good. It’s also usually the more expensive option.
Usually recruit locally
For events abroad we recruit a local team in the country, through the same three steps as in London: an application, a video call and a meeting. You get people who know the city, the transport and the language, without flights and hotels for the whole team.
At Dallas Fort Worth Airport in Texas, a global events agency needed five transport hosts, one per terminal, meeting arriving guests and getting them to their transfers, and we recruited them locally. We did the same in Milan for an onsite greeter and transport coordinator at an international congress at Allianz MiCo.
- 15countries delivered
- 25languages in rotation
- 1manager on our side
We have delivered in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, Turkey, the United States, the UAE, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. That includes the eChampions League Finals in Istanbul, an international congress in Milan, Dallas Fort Worth Airport in Texas and New York Comic Con.
When to send a familiar face
Sometimes you want someone on site who knows you, the client and the way you work. At the eChampions League Finals in Istanbul in June 2023, we were on site with the production crew for the final, from the front door to looking after the football icons. If the budget allows, one of our own managers can travel out from London to run the local team.
We usually send a manager and hire the team locally.
Visas and permits come first
Work out who handles visas and work permits before anything else. We agree it with you before anyone is booked, because the rules depend on the country, the role and who is paying. If people do need to travel, flights, hotels and visas are costs that can’t be recovered once paid, so confirm them late enough to be sure and early enough to get them.
Languages by role
Set languages role by role. A delegate desk serving three nationalities and a stand serving one need very different teams. For the TikTok Youth Council Summit, with members from 15 countries, both the airport greeters and the registration hosts were multilingual. Choose languages based on who your guests are.
Brief in local time
Shift times, venue rules, contacts and the run of show all go into the briefing in local time, so nothing gets lost in conversion. Otherwise a team can turn up an hour early because the schedule was written in UK time.
Checklist
- A local team recruited in the country
- The same three-step recruitment as in London
- A decision on whether to send a familiar face
- Visas and work permits agreed before booking
- Languages set per role
- Briefing written in local time
Common questions
Should you send London staff to an event abroad?
Usually not. We recruit locally through the same three steps, and send a familiar face from our side when that helps.
Who handles visas and work permits?
We agree it with you before anyone is booked, because the rules depend on the country and the role.
How do you decide on languages?
Per role, not per team. Tell us which roles need which languages.
Tell us the city, dates and languages and we’ll recommend a local team, a London team or a mix.
