Alison Plant, Head of Hospitality & Events at Aston Villa Football Club, speaks to H&E North about the Club’s success off the pitch.

How has Aston Villa’s corporate hospitality offer developed since you joined the Club in 1997?
It’s changed dramatically over the years, more so since the take over of Aston Villa three seasons ago by Randy Lerner. We’ve invested in facilities to enhance the experience for customers. Over the last few seasons we’ve renovated suites and this past summer the Holte Pub, one of the Club’s landmarks, reopened after being restored to its former glory.

We, the staff, have had a lot of say in the changes; we didn’t call in the interior designers! Mr Lerner encouraged our input and it’s been fabulous to be a part of the new look hospitality offer.

To what extent do you think the image of football stadiums as venues for meetings and events has improved?
Because you can get corporate hospitality almost anywhere now, the challenge is to keep the offer fresh and to keep up with trends. I do think corporate hospitality at football stadiums has come a long way. There is still a bit of a stigma attached for those who are not into trying a new venue. There has been a lot of investment in stadiums so it’s certainly worthwhile for people to give them a try. It’s where some of the best facilities are to be found. Nowhere else would you find such a huge amount of car parking or experience the excitement of match day.

What have been some of your most memorable events at the Club?
There have been so many. We hosted the X Factor auditions last year; to see all those wannabes aiming for stardom was really interesting. The variety of events we cater for keeps it exciting. We have over 100,000 delegates a year.

You manage 1,200 employees on match day. How do you best manage such a large number of staff?
I’ve got four key managers and we have what we call ‘a stand-up brief at kick-off;’ we meet up as soon as the match begins, discuss any issues and make sure everything is in place. I rely on them to help make sure everything flows.

We’ve grown the number of staff while growing the hospitality experience. This season we introduced Customer Service Hosts. A role similar to a concierge, they go that extra mile for our customers, whether it’s holding doors or giving directions. There are around 60 Customer Service Hosts and they have a manager. I’ve got a good team of staff working with me and I believe that you’re only as good as the staff you have.

Last year you implemented new technology and sales initiatives. How have these benefitted the business?
We joined Micros, an electronic point-of-sale system, which has allowed us to manage transaction information on the ground. This has included hand-held technology in the corporate area, which means food and beverage orders can be taken at guests’ tables. It’s more customer-centred.

On the sales side, we introduced various sales incentives for our staff and set targets. This has benefitted the Club in lots of ways. The technology and our motivated staff are helping us sell more. Sale revenues are up on 2008, and we didn’t put our prices up.

Winning Best Matchday Hospitality Experience 2009 at the Football Hospitality Awards 2009 has also helped. It’s a great endorsement.

How have are you tackling the credit crunch?
We have tried to be realistic. We’ve kept prices the same and offered ‘easy’ payment, which means customers can pay by direct debit and spread the load. We’ve also given customers the option of signing up for corporate hospitality for multiple years, while still paying 2009 prices.

How do you see the industry shaping up for 2010?
I think it’s still going to be tough. Delegate numbers are lower than five years ago and conference lead times are shorter. But there are green shoots. If we keep doing what we’re doing and listening to customers we’ll remain in a strong position. Being versatile and flexible is essential for the year ahead.