Do Venues Really Understand What Corporate Planners Want? This is Why a Venue-Finding Agent is Crucial

Corporate planners are busy. They don’t have time to sift through hundreds of venue listings, chase responses, or decode confusing contracts. And yet, many venues still operate as if the old ways of doing business are good enough.

From the frontlines at Match My Venue, we see both sides of the process—what planners need and what venues offer. And truthfully, there’s often a mismatch. That’s why working with a venue-finding agent isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.

What Corporate Planners Actually Want:

1. Clear, Upfront Pricing

Nobody wants to play guesswork with minimum spends, DDR rates, or AV extras. Corporate clients want straightforward, honest pricing with no nasty surprises.

2. Fast Response Times

Delays kill deals. We’ve seen brilliant venues lose bookings simply because they took too long to reply. Planners need availability checks and proposals back quickly.

3. Relevant Options

Corporate clients don’t want every venue in London. They want the right venues. That means understanding the brief, the guest profile, the event objectives, and the brand ethos.

4. Support and Advice

Most planners aren’t full-time venue bookers. They appreciate insights on layout, flow, access, logistics, and contracts. They want someone to flag red flags and suggest smarter options.

5. Professionalism and Reliability

It seems basic, but it matters. If the initial process is clunky, the planner will worry the event will be too.

Where Venues Often Go Wrong:

• Overpromising and underdelivering

• Being slow or vague in responses

• Sending irrelevant brochures or not reading the brief

• Hiding costs or changing them later

• Assuming the client already knows how it all works

How a Venue-Finding Agent Bridges the Gap:

At Match My Venue, we don’t just send out a list. We act as an extension of the client’s team. Here’s what that means:

• We take the time to understand the brief before suggesting venues

• We handle the outreach, comparisons, and chasing

• We know which venues are responsive, flexible, and reliable

• We provide context and honest feedback to both sides

• We review contracts and help avoid pitfalls

We exist to save planners time, reduce risk, and ensure venues are the right fit, not just available.

The Bottom Line:

Corporate planners want ease, trust, and reliability. The best way to provide that is with an experienced, knowledgeable venue-finding partner who can cut through the noise.

Match My Venue is here to do exactly that—for clients and venues alike.