The events planned at the Palais des congrès de Montréal are carefully planned, but it is very rare that everything goes without unforeseen events or last-minute changes. It is up to the event coordinator to work the magic so that the client leaves satisfied. Blaise Nicoloff Cyr, the oldest of the team of coordinators, lifts the veil on his daily work.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
Bill Clinton met Jean Chrétien in 2017 at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal to highlight the importance of the ties of friendship between Canada and the United States. Everything was going like clockwork in the organization until Blaise Nicoloff Cyr got a call: the former president of the United States was coming sooner than expected. Much sooner.
“You need a lot of security to welcome Bill Clinton, so we had to turn the schedule upside down,” he says.
Sometimes, delegates are added at the last minute. “We work with Capital Traiteur, whose capacity to produce is extraordinary and sometimes we call them in the morning so that in the evening we can serve 500 more covers,” says Blaise Nicoloff Cyr. Capital Traiteur must verify that this is possible with its suppliers. Then we have to modify the room. We really have to work with fire teams! You have to like this kind of challenge and not be stressed in life. »
In an attempt to put out all the fires at the same time during an event day, Blaise Nicoloff Cyr often arrives at work very early, around 5 a.m. He does not stop for a second, usually until around 4 p.m., but sometimes, until very late, for example if there is a gala evening. “My watch tells me that I often walk 30 kilometers a day! Then, I receive or make about 40 calls every 30 minutes. There are always unforeseen events, but with experience, you develop good reflexes to find solutions to everything. »
Restart the machine
During the pandemic, Blaise Nicoloff Cyr did not twiddle his thumbs. At the height of the crisis, he gave a helping hand in the administration at Notre-Dame Hospital, then he was very busy at the Palace, which notably housed a vaccination center.
But the fact remains that we hadn’t really held any major face-to-face events for two years, so we had to restart the machine, and our suppliers too. Then everywhere there were a lot of changes in personnel.
Blaise Nicoloff Cyr, Events Coordinator at the Palais des Congrès
In his own team, Blaise Nicoloff Cyr also had to train new coordinators. “We had to train them very quickly, but at the same time, there are long-term lessons, because every time of the year is different,” he explains. Also, for everything related to the reception of customers from different origins, it is important to experience it to really understand. »
The man who worked in tourism for several years in Mexico, France and Greece before returning to Quebec is confident for the future.
“Some thought during the pandemic that everything would be virtual in the future, but we realized that we need human contact,” he says. We will continue our efforts to organize events that meet expectations. »