Seminar quotes: what to compare before booking

By Antoine Cazals, CEO and founder of BookAfterwork.

Illustrative photo: meeting room with tables and chairs. Crédit Breather, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0. Image resized and compressed. This photo does not show a BookAfterwork partner venue.

Key points

• Compare quotes item by item, with the same scope, rather than relying on the total alone.
• Review amounts excluding tax, the taxes charged and the total including tax; VAT recovery depends on your business and the expenses involved.
• Check the deposit, the deadline for adjusting participant numbers and the cancellation fee schedule.
• An empty cell in your comparison is a question to ask the venue.

How do you compare two seminar quotes?

Two proposals may cover different services: a meeting room, lunch, accommodation or equipment may not be included on the same basis. A cheaper offer may require you to add the projector, refreshment breaks or tourist tax. Compare proposals for the same dates, participant numbers and programme.

Three comparable quotes can provide a useful basis for a decision, without needing to obtain exactly three. Venue availability and your project determine which proposals are possible.

The comparison table to fill in

Copy this table into your spreadsheet, with one column for each quote received. Do not replace missing information with an estimate: ask for written confirmation.

Items to check individually

Meeting room

Check the floor area and layout — theatre, U-shaped or grouped tables — against your actual participant count. Ask about access times and the time allowed for setup. A room available from 9 h to 18 h does not necessarily allow setup at 8 h. Also check accessibility and break areas.

Accommodation

For a residential seminar, compare the number of single and double rooms, room allocation and the checkout time on the final day. Ask about any supplements and the terms that apply if some participants do not stay overnight.

Meals and breaks

A day delegate package may include a meeting room, breaks and lunch, but its contents vary by venue. Check the drinks, timings, meal formats and dietary requirements. Dinner is not automatically included in a residential proposal.

Equipment

Projector, screen, microphones, flipchart and Wi-Fi: included or charged separately? Explain how you will use them and ask whether a technician is needed. Their time on site may be a separate charge.

Activities

Ask who leads the team-building activity, how long it lasts and what alternatives are planned in case of rain. If you bring in an external provider, check that the venue allows this and can accommodate the technical requirements.

Transport

A shuttle from the station, parking and travel from your offices all contribute to the overall budget. Include them in your comparison even if they are quoted separately.

Tax-exclusive and tax-inclusive prices, deposits and cancellation

Compare amounts excluding tax (HT) and including tax (TTC), separating the items and their taxes. Do not assume that all expenses receive the same tax treatment or that all VAT is recoverable. Have your accountant review VAT questions, particularly for international events.

Deposit: note the amount, payment deadline and refund terms. On BookAfterwork, direct payment to the venue is the default arrangement; online payment may be offered if the venue has enabled it. The terms stated in the quote apply.

Adjustments to participant numbers: until when can you reduce or increase the number of participants, and at what cost? Also ask about the minimum participant count charged.

Cancellation: ask for a written fee schedule, with the applicable dates and amounts. There is no universal refund policy covering all venues; you should know the venue's terms before accepting the quote.

Points to clarify

• A per-person price with no breakdown of what it covers.
• No indication of whether tax is included or excluded.
• No validity date or cancellation terms.
• Options needed for your programme that are not included in the total.
• A substantial deposit with no explanation of the refund terms.
• A minimum billable participant count higher than your actual numbers.

These points do not automatically make a quote unsuitable: they require a written response before you decide. No venue response time is guaranteed.

Your questions before booking

Can you negotiate a quote?

You can ask for alternative dates, menus, rooms or programmes. The venue decides what it can offer and confirms any changes in writing.

When does an enquiry become a booking?

A quote request does not confirm a booking. The venue reviews the project and may issue a quote; confirmation follows acceptance of the quote and fulfilment of the stated conditions, except where the venue provides an instant-booking process.

Is there a charge for requesting a quote?

Requesting a quote on BookAfterwork is free and non-binding for businesses.

Describe your seminar

Browse seminar venues, then describe my seminar and receive proposals. Specify the dates, city, participant numbers, rooms, activities and budget, stating whether the budget is a total or a per-person amount.

Also read: choosing entertainment for a corporate evening event and planning an alcohol-free after-work event.

References

BookAfterwork business model and pricing and seminar venues. The terms specific to your event must be confirmed in your quote.