How not to Organize an Event

I've been running this blog for 2 years now and so far I have kept my ranting to a bear minimum. Today I'll make an exception (hopefully the last one).

I got a distributing call a couple of days ago, telling me that unfortunately there are no more places at the Haifa Agile Tour event and "were sorry but please don't come".

In itself not a big deal, I've missed more than one event dues to space limitations. Getting this calls just TWO days before the event (which I registered a few months ago) AFTER I got a a confirmation email saying "please come and here is where you park" is a just plain wrong.

When you organize an event its ok to:

1. Limit the amount of people that can register
2. Its also ok to register everyone and later on confirming only part.
3. It's even ok to delay the even for almost the last minute while you are doing your best to arrange for a bigger place.

Emailing people saying we managed to increase our venue please come, just to call them so late in the game apologizing with no clear reason is NOT.

Doing so disrespectful and insulting. It clearly states that some sort of criteria was applied other than first in first served. Really the last thing I would expect at an event sponsored by the Agile Tour Organization.

So I contacted the organizing firm and I got the following answer, no nothing unexpected has happened at the last moment, just that they ran out of place and:

Sine this conference is more relevant to people of the industry more that it is for consultants, sadly we had to unregister consultants

That is only "developers" were let in. Agile "Coaches" and other (none potential customers) were left out. since clearly this is less relevant for them.

So here's a couple of questions for Ignite people:

Is that how you regularly do business?

Do you really think its wise to tick of people (specifically the kind that makes a living by connecting to people) just in order to attract a couple more potential customer?

If you are refusing people, why was the registration open while doing so?

And my blog title is IMistaken...

Posted in: Events,rant