RHEA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
Make your event a memorable experience With RHEA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
Some moments in our lives become etched in our minds forever. Who does not like to be appreciated for a seamlessly organized conference at work or remembered for a dreamy wedding with a gorgeous ambience? But converting these landmark events in our lives into momentous occasions is not as easy as it looks.
Event Planning is an art and your event’s success lies in meticulous planning and flawless execution. It takes a professional agency with multipronged skills to give shape to your ideas and wings to your dreams.
Rhea Management Consultants better known as RMC Events is a well-known event agency headquartered in Lucknow. In a conversation with Business Connect, Karan Nair from RMC shares his experiences and insights into the event industry.
Please walk us through your company profile and its services.
RMC was established in the year 1996 by my father, Mr. Ranil Nair. We are in the business of conducting events, conferences, exhibitions, weddings, and other private functions. We conduct both indoor and outdoor events and provide services related to set & décor, audio & video equipment, printing & fabrication, online & outdoor publicity, and celebrity engagement among others. We also render logistical support to our clients related to transportation, refreshments, on-site security arrangements and mandatory licenses for events.
How do you ensure unbreakable faith of clients in your company?
We constantly strive to be organized, good at troubleshooting and personable. In event planning, success lies in the details and efficient multi-tasking is not a choice. On any given day, we are managing one event and simultaneously engaged in the planning stages of others. One is constantly working against the clock and God knows a crisis can suddenly come up at 3.00 am!
So, at RMC, we are always ready with a plan B. Also, we recognize that our work is all about people. Every event is different from the other, whether big or small, each event is quite dear to the concerned client. Understanding the client’s vision and converting it into a reality is our priority and that has enabled RMC to have a long-standing relationship with our clients.
How do you feel you are different from your competitors?
At RMC, we maintain a vast inventory of self-owned equipment, props, and decoration items to meet the needs of clients with varied budgets. For example, we offer sound systems ranging from Bose (F1 series) to JBL (SRX series), Aaron and Ahuja.
We have an experienced in house team of full-time technical staff for managing lights, sound, AV equipment, stage set up and fabrication jobs like a backdrop, standees, side wings, etc. Hence, we are largely self-reliant and this makes us cost-effective. We work with complete ownership on every assignment and go the extra mile to ensure a successful event. Attention to detail, emphasis on finesse, client relations and professionalism make us stand apart and a worthwhile partner.
Did everything come easy, or you have your story of struggle?
I joined my father’s business at the age of 16 years while still in school. My father’s mentoring and mother’s values have hugely shaped me as a person and professional. I was always provided ample space to make decisions and I made plenty of mistakes, sometimes quite expensive ones! But these perks aside, it’s been sheer hard work. My father insisted that I should work alongside the RMC staff on every single aspect of event management – be it client relations, design or operations.
Events are grueling work, you slog long hours at a stretch, on tight deadlines and there is no margin for error. A two-minute small glitch in the audiovisual equipment can ruin an entire event and all your hard work can come undone. You can lose a good client forever. I had to learn to keep a cool head, focus and think on my feet.
Do you believe R&D is essential for the growth of the company?
It’s absolutely essential for any business. At RMC, we like to keep ourselves updated with the latest developments in the events industry – new audio visual technologies, new fabrication materials and techniques, more eco-friendly décor items, opportunities for cost effective marketing etc. In a nutshell, constant innovation and upgradation is the key to survival and success in our industry.
Who is your role model in business/entrepreneurial world and what have you learnt from the person?
This may sound clichéd but my biggest role model in business is my dad – he’s my guide and mentor. From him I’ve learned the ‘be like a duck metaphor’ – keep calm on the surface but paddle like hell underwater! I like to read in my spare time and have been inspired by ‘Losing my Virginity’ by Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group. ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tsu, a legendary historical and military strategist is another inspirational book.
How are you giving back to society (CSR, if any)?
We try to do our bit, in small but meaningful ways. In 2018, a client
‘Mr. M.P.Singh’ approached us with a proposal to partner in a ‘Miss U.P.’ Competition. We agreed and shaped what was originally conceived as a beauty pageant into the ‘Miss U.P. Scholarship Pageant 2018’ – a platform, providing young girls across U.P, an opportunity to participate in a week-long personality development program and win discounted or free entries to technical institutions for professional education or skill development.
The concept was received so well that it became our ‘signature event.’ Full credit to our partners who pooled their resources for this cause – Novotel Hotel (Hospitality partner), J.D.Institute of Fashion De-signing(Styling Partner and Sponsor for Scholarships), Fusion Fitness (Fitness partner), Stylz Saloon (Grooming Partner), Sanmukh Fashion and Get Gorgeous (Apparel Partners) and Sri Ram Swaroop Memorial University (sponsor for Scholarships).
Now in 2019, we have launched the Urban Slum Skill Development Program in partnership with Empower Skill Foundation to provide apprenticeship to young adults in fabrication work, painting, and electrical work among others. Through Business Connect Magazine, I would like to invite readers to come forward and partner with us on more such initiatives; we are always willing to support a good cause.
What are the achievements and milestones of the company?
Event Management is quite a dynamic industry. The nature and format of events keep changing. In the 1990s and early 2000, School Contact Programs, Resident Welfare Association Activities, Mall Promotions, Road Shows and Rural Haats were the most popular ways for companies to promote their products.
However, with the advent of social media and rapid penetration of mobile phones, digital marketing replaced these direct promotional activities and events like new product launches, customer loyalty meets, celebrity endorsements, and corporate conferences became popular. Even private functions such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries have in recent years transitioned to a much larger scale and hiring event planners for private functions has become common nowadays. At RMC, we have constantly adapted ourselves to the environment and grown steadily and organically through all these phases.
Starting from Lucknow, over the years we have conducted promotions and events across every state in India. Today, we have a wide portfolio of clients including Pharmaceutical and FMCG Companies to Financial Institutions, Public Sector Undertakings, Academic Institutions, Real Estate Businesses, Print and Electronic Media Houses, Development Organizations, the Hospitality Industry and a large pool of clients for private functions.
