Time to Repair – Venue Maintenance

Maintenance is one of the big issues in venues. Because doing maintenance can mean down time for the venue, you need to schedule your maintenance to have the least effect on your revenue.

To lessen the effect on your revenue base, preventative maintenance throughout the year is imperative. You need to put aside a few hours each week to repair and fix up anything that began to have problems during the previous week.

In your venue, everything needs to be in tip-top shape for the next client. Even if a piece of equipment is rarely used, it still needs to work properly if a client requires it. So, as the week progresses you make notes of what might need attention and pull out gear that breaks, especially if you cannot fix it right away.

This will be the time when you wish you had bought an extra one as backup. I try and keep an instrument or two, a mic and a few cables tucked away for these moments. These weekly checks are also good for checking the focus again, changing color, etc.

At least once a year you need to clean all of your equipment and make sure it is safe and fully operational. This is also a good time to do the routine test and tag.

This can also be the time to do some simple upgrades to your venue. The trick is to always have your venue presented in the best possible light. A client will notice that the venue is working properly and that there have been improvements.

Always listen to the client, they may come up with a great idea that you can implement. Your clients are your bread and butter – never dismiss their ideas.

Also ask your staff what improvements need to be made to make the job easier. Also listen to them about maintenance issues, and get them involved. The more they know the equipment the better they will be at getting the maximum benefit from it.

Also if any safety issues have come up, these also need to be addressed. In fact safety issues should have priority over everything else. No-one likes a dead client or techie.

So get the duster, screwdrivers out and make your workplace better.