- Keeping Events staffed, Cancellations, Holidays, Warnings, Payments, Taxes.

Having a team is more important than having a venue. Here we discuss how to onboard new team members.

Absences

In Case of Emergency

Managers have contingency plans for the absence of any team member including themselves. Whichever the emergency, at any given notice, events must be staffed. As a professional, you know who will take your place in an emergency, or who will step in for your photographer if they call in ill. Understaffed events may result in strikes.

Vacations

Before departure the Manager must have a trained ‘Acting Manager’ connected to all necessary resources. Trained means (but is not restricted to):

• Greeting guests with the speech

• Liaising with venue managers and resolving problems

• Recording Finances and buying Bitcoin

• Ordering stock

• Holding team meetings

• Use of website and social media channels

Managers Pay in Absence

During absence a Manager may continue to collect earnings, however at least 50% of each event should be paid to the Acting Manager. If their vacation lasts longer than a month then 60% is paid to the Acting Manager during that 2nd Month. 70% on the 3rd Month and so on until 0% on the 6th month when a Community Lead will appoint a new Manager.

Team Members Pay in Absence

The Manager distributes this money to their team, covering the cost of Photographers and Assistants. If the Managers absence is not for leisure, please consult this issue with a Community Lead.

Absence of Trained Managers

In the absence of a trained Manager for whatever reason, the Embassy Team or a Community Lead will step in to choose and onboard a new Manager immediately replacing the previous Manager. During this time the city is exempt from the NCD (New City Discount) for 2 weeks or for as the absence persists.

Staff

Pay Your Team

We’re fortunate that some people are willing to collaborate out of the goodness of their hearts. However of course we must not take advantage of these people. Volunteers doing small tasks such as posting in groups or visiting a language school are fine. However, Photographers, Assistants, Acting Managers and anyone who is expected to arrive at a scheduled time, use expensive equipment or contribute significant time or resources must be paid.

Photographers

Don’t put your eggs in one basket; employ one photographer per weekly event. If you have one photographer to cover multiple weekly events in your city, you will have problems. You can find photographers by contacting local photography schools or just reaching out online.

1. Add new photographers to the Embassy.

2. Photographers should read the Photographers Guide

3. They should agree to the Photographers Agreement.

Venue Changes

Event Cancellation

To cancel an event a Green Light is needed. The only way to cancel an event is with the venue’s Notice of Closure - Preferably via Email. Please post a screenshot of this Email in to your support group or Embassy and tag us.

✅ Cancellation with a Green Light / Notice of Closure is okay

❌ Cancellation without a **Green Light **results in a strike.

↳ Chinese New Year, Tet, Easter, Summer Holidays, mass exodus from your city, sports games, Olympics, zombies, rain, pollution or transport strikes are not okay reasons to cancel Mundo Lingo.

Re-schedule an Event

To change event time, day or location a Green Light is needed.

Switch Venue

Switching is both ditching an old venue and launching a new venue. See below.

Ditching a Venue

To ditch a previous venue you must provide either:

• Written or audio confirmation from the owner that they wish to end their contract.

• Evidence that the venue is closing down permanently.

• The results of the process detailed in Problem Resolution

• A Spot Penalty (See Strikes)

Launching a New Venue

Launching a new venue need a Green Light. See EOM Venue Investigation.

Space Switching

Sometimes a venue Manager will tell you they had a private party booking and want to move you to another area of the bar or even another nearby bar for “just this once”. If you accept once, they will ask again, and then again and then later they won’t even ask, they will tell. As a business, they choose what’s best for their short term finances. However, switching spaces, even just once every few months will bleed your event. Consistency, week after week, year on year, gives your event the professional reliability that local organisations, schools, universities can promote. Switching venues is for Couchsurfing events, be better.

If they ask you to switch spaces, take it as a warning shot that you need to grow faster. We have never been asked to switch spaces for a crowd of over 200 people. Try telling the venue owner “Maybe you're unhappy with our progress but I assure you I will make this happen, trust and be patient with us".

Religious Holidays, Christmas, Tet, Eid

It’s often during national or religious holidays that our public need us most. Foreigners spending Christmas abroad away from their families don’t want to be alone at this time, now is not the time to quit. To the contrary, now is a great time to double down and make a special event inviting them to celebrate the season with friends.Moreover, you have a city to yourself as other social events cancel erroneously believing it to be good strategy. Now is an opportunity to promote to a new public as foreigners who spent their year in offices and schools consider finally giving ML a go during the holiday period.We remain open for Holidays unless the bar sends us a cancellation notice in writing.

Step Down as Manager

Please give us as much notice as possible and check out guide on Outgoing Managers

Now what?

Next up, it’s time to learn The Speech [link needed]

Or Go Back

👈 Events Operations Manual