Urban List alumna, and new Head of Marketing at Sidekicker, Jess Hackett, selects her favourite venues from across Australia and highlights the approaches to business that make them top her list.
Melbourne – Kingpin
Kingpin is one of those venues that strives to guarantee that any occasion spent there is one to be remembered. With a non-exhaustive list of activities–from bowling, laser tag and arcade games, to escape rooms, bowling and karaoke–as well as a fully stocked cocktail bar and American-style kitchen, Kingpin is typically booked out for the entire festive season.
So what’s their recipe for success? While not every venue can replicate escape rooms and bowling alleys (!), there are a few key things that can be learnt by all venues and event organisers:
Next level customer service: every event at Kingpin has a dedicated host, so customers can enjoy themselves without worrying about all the little details.
Variety: Kingpin offers several package options to ensure all potential groups–big, small, on a budget or going all out–are catered for.
Super easy and crystal clear calls to action on their website, make booking online or contacting Kingpin a breeze for any potential customer.
Sydney – The Grounds of Alexandria
The Grounds is a Sydney institution, and for damn good reason.
A welcoming space that is intentionally designed to bring people together, and offering a produce-driven menu that is fresh, fun, unique and innovative, The Grounds recipe for success is centred around:
Their philosophy of and commitment to creating experiences, rather than just the delivery of products and services.
Its huge amount of choice: from cafe and bakery style options, to lively outdoor spaces or sophisticated indoor cocktail and whiskey bars, it’s a venue that caters to virtually everyone and for any type of Christmas occasion.
Brisbane – Darling & Co
With a belief that a “Christmas party is an extension of your corporate persona”, Darling & Co has an enviable strategy when it comes to nailing the hospitality peak season.
Choice again is a winning factor: whether you’re anticipating the party of the year or a refined corporate occasion, Darling & Co have four function rooms with all-inclusive packages to get the party started.
Darling & Co also successfully uses the season to capitalise on Christmas cheer for the duration of the Christmas period, with their ‘Festive Lunch’ campaign. Available Monday – Thursday, Darling & Co offer a three-course Christmas meal with a drink for less than a pineapple per head. This draws corporate crowds all week long, rather than exclusively for the one-off official Christmas party event.
Perth – Comestibles Catering
Although not attached to a physical venue, Comestibles is one of Perth’s premier catering companies, and can help create a cracking Christmas party, wherever you please.
Providing corporate and private clients with high-end catering services over almost 30 years, they have an enviable offering for Christmas functions.
What’s their recipe?
Again, it’s Comestible’s unwavering, passionate and heartfelt dedication to creating incredible ‘experiences’–striving for outcomes which go beyond the simple coordination of products and services–that puts them at the front of the pack.
Flexibility to quickly scale: 40% of Comestibles’ workforce is made up external casual and temporary staff, which gives them a level of flexibility and control that ensures they nail the silly season. Being able to access quality hospitality workers–from wait and bar staff, to chefs and kitchen hands–at the click of a button and within mere hours in the lead up to and during busy periods.
Emphasis on quality–from their services to their staff: Comestibles uses Sidekicker to pre-screen all the casual and temp staff they use over the Christmas season, meaning that every single event they host meets their extremely high standards of quality.
With Christmas looming, it’s not too late to start replicating some of these factors for festive success. And if staffing is on your list of ‘to-do’s’, get in contact with Sidekicker to see how we can help you scale up at the click of a button.