How to check an event supplier's references
A supplier has sent a list of past clients, and you are not sure what to ask them or how much weight to give the answers.
The short answer
Ask each shortlisted supplier for two or three past projects close to yours in size, format and complexity, then put the same questions to each reference and record the answers in writing. Treat what a reference says as one piece of evidence, alongside the proposal and your own questions.
Score the evidence in your supplier scoring matrix so reference findings carry a stated weight instead of an impression.
What a reference check can and cannot tell you
A reference tells you how the supplier behaved on one project: communication, handling of changes, whether the work arrived on time and as described. It does not tell you how the supplier will perform on yours.
Ask what was different between the reference's event and yours, so you can judge how far the experience carries over.
Running the check
- Ask each supplier for references that match your event in size, format, venue type and supplier role, and for the name of the person who worked with them directly.
- Ask the supplier to confirm the referee is willing to be contacted, and give the referee the purpose of the call.
- Use the same question list with every referee so answers are comparable.
- Ask for specifics: dates, quantities, what changed and how it was handled.
- Write up each call the same day and share the summary with the people scoring the supplier.
Question themes
Use these themes and adapt the wording. The right-hand column shows what a useful answer looks like.
| Theme | Example question | A useful answer contains |
|---|---|---|
| Scope delivered | What did the supplier deliver, and how did it compare with what was agreed? | Named deliverables and any differences. |
| Communication | How did the supplier handle questions and decisions in the weeks before the event? | Examples with timing, not general praise. |
| Change handling | What changed late, and how was it dealt with and priced? | A specific change and the outcome. |
| People | Who was on site, and were they the people you met at proposal stage? | Names or roles and any substitutions. |
| Problems | What went wrong, and what did the supplier do about it? | A real incident and a response. |
| Repeat engagement | Would you appoint them again for a similar event, and what would you set up differently? | A direct answer with a reason. |
Handling the evidence fairly
- Record the wording of the answer, not only your reading of it.
- Give equal effort to every supplier on the shortlist.
- Keep referee names and notes inside the procurement file and share them only with scorers.
- Ask your privacy adviser how long contact notes may be kept and who may see them.
Worked example · Fictional example
References for a hybrid conference broadcaster
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
Persatuan Fiktif Penyelidik Pendidikan is choosing a hybrid broadcast supplier for a two-day conference of about 350 in-person and 600 online attendees. Each of the three shortlisted suppliers names two past projects.
The secretariat asks every referee the same six questions. One referee reports that the stream lost audio for several minutes, that the supplier switched to a backup within minutes and reported it clearly afterwards. Another referee describes only good experiences but cannot name what changed late. The scorers record both as evidence with different weights, and ask the second supplier a follow-up question about change handling.
Use this yourself
Supplier reference check record
Copy this sheet once per reference call. Keep one completed sheet per referee in the procurement file.
- Supplier and referee name, role, organisation, date of call:
- Referee agreed to be contacted: yes or no. Source of the referral:
- How similar was their event to ours (size, format, venue type, supplier role)?
- What did the supplier deliver compared with what was agreed?
- How did the supplier communicate before and on the day? Give examples:
- What changed late, and how was it handled and priced?
- Who was on site and were they the people at proposal stage?
- What went wrong and what did the supplier do about it?
- Would the referee appoint them again? What would they do differently?
- Evidence strength (direct experience, second-hand, general comment) and score entered in the scoring matrix:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The shortlist is two or three suppliers and each has comparable references.
- Someone on the team has time to make and write up the calls.
- The event is routine for this supplier type.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- References are hard to match to your event or all come from the supplier itself.
- Several suppliers need checking within a short decision window.
- The committee wants the findings converted into scored evidence.
Want reference calls made and written up?
A conference project lead can request comparable references, run the same question list with each referee, and feed the findings into your scoring matrix for the committee. The choice of supplier stays with your approvers.
Questions organisers ask
How many references should I ask for?
Two or three per supplier is practical. Choose ones close to your event rather than the largest names on the list.
What if a supplier cannot share references?
Ask why, and record the reason. Some work is confidential. You can ask for a description of the project instead, or weigh the missing evidence in the scoring matrix.
Can I contact people the supplier did not name?
You can ask people you already know in the sector, but the evidence is then informal. Tell the scorers where each comment came from.
Are reference checks the same as checking capacity?
No. References tell you about past performance. See supplier capacity checks for whether they can deliver yours.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.