Events or venue

How Kila runs an events venue. Halls, rooms and gardens held with set-up and clearing time, quotes with a deposit, catering on the quote, the plan for the day, and the event charged on one sale.

An events venue hires out its halls, rooms and gardens for weddings, conferences and parties, often with the catering. Kila runs it on the Appointments diary, with the spaces in place of stylists and a quote, a deposit and a plan for each event.

What is special

Events in place of walk-ins. The menu has an Events section: Events and venue hire, the Events calendar and Follow-ups and balances. Sales are called bookings, and the staff coordinators.
The spaces are held with set-up and clearing time. At Karen Gardens a space is held from 240 minutes before an event to 120 minutes after it, so two events cannot meet in the same hall. Its spaces are Acacia Hall, the Mvule Boardroom, The Main Lawn, The Rose Garden and The Terrace.
A quote holds the space, the deposit confirms it. A quote holds the space for a week. The deposit, 30% at Karen Gardens, confirms the event; only the owner or a manager who decides approvals can confirm without it.
Catering and extras on the quote. The hire is charged as a service, such as The Rose Garden, hire per day, and the catering, tents, chairs and sound go on the quote as extras, priced per guest or per piece.
A plan for the day. Each event has the balance due date, the date to follow up the quote, the set-up style, the contact on the day and the run of the day, and a function sheet to print for the set-up team, the kitchen and security.
Charged on one sale. When it is over, the event is charged on one sale with the deposit used.

All of it, step by step: Quote, confirm and charge an event.

A day at the venue

Morning. The coordinators check Follow-ups and balances: the quotes to call about and the balances due before the day.
Enquiries. A client calls or visits: the coordinator quotes the event, which holds the space, and takes the deposit by M-Pesa to confirm it.
Before an event. The plan is finished and the function sheet printed for the set-up team, the kitchen and security.
After an event. The coordinator charges it, with the deposit used and the balance paid or put on the client’s account.

How Kila sets it up

The main screen is Diary of bookings.

Rules it follows:

None. Kila's standard rules apply.

Its words:

Most businesses	Events or venue
customer	client
sale	booking
staff	coordinator

Its set-up steps

Business details and KRA PIN
Branch and opening hours
Services with durations and prices
Staff with services, hours and commission
Spaces to hire: halls, rooms and gardens
M-Pesa till or paybill
Clients from your old book or phone
Online booking link
First event quoted
First booking

Its home page

Today's diary
Events coming up, quotes, balances and follow-ups
Day sheet
Sales by staff member; commissions
Packages expiring this week
Licences, permits and returns due
Services due and reminders

Roles it starts with

Receptionist: Runs the front desk: books, checks clients in, takes walk-ins and payment. Refunds go to approval.
Events coordinator: Quotes events, holds spaces, takes deposits and confirms bookings; charges the event at the end. Refunds go to approval.

At Karen Gardens, Wambui Kariuki (weddings) and Kevin Odhiambo (corporate events) are events coordinators, and Lucy Achieng at the front office is a receptionist.

Where to go next

Salons, spas and events: everything the Appointments profile does.
Quote, confirm and charge an event