HOW OFFICE TENANTS BENEFIT FROM THE VIEW FROM THE SHARD
Hosting an event at The Shard's viewing gallery is a sure way to guarantee a great turnout, says Clive Stephens, the CEO of The View from The Shard - who adds that the attraction's dedication to service excellence sets it apart.
What does The View offer office tenants at The Shard?
I think we offer some great benefits to those businesses that are resident in the building. It’s an opportunity for the occupiers to entertain potential and existing clients at the most unique vantage point in London. What we’ve found is that when organisations invite clients to the Viewing Gallery for an event, they get a turnout of almost 100 per cent. It’s massively popular and really ensures that the business gets great value for money, as we offer special rates whenever possible.
What kind of corporate events have been held at The View and what has it done for the profile of the firms that have held them?
We’ve held a really diverse bunch of events over the past 12 months. We launched Daft Punk’s album, we held a charity event with Capital FM and Taylor Swift that raised about £1.1m, and we worked with Transport for London, which launched its midnight Tube plan here, garnering a lot of press. Each event always seems to stimulate a lot of interest, resulting in coverage for the businesses.
What sets The View apart from other attractions?
It’s a premium view, so it’s all about enjoying a premium experience. What sets us apart is that, unlike other attractions, where you might stand in a queue for hours on busy days, every guest gets the opportunity to book a specific time slot in advance, so this doesn’t happen. But wrapped around that is a service ethic and standard that really sets the tone for the whole building. It’s not just about a service level that we aspire to in the Viewing Gallery; it’s very much a premium service level that the whole building drives to deliver.
“IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OCCUPIERS TO ENTERTAIN POTENTIAL CLIENTS AND EXISTING CLIENTS AT THE MOST UNIQUE VANTAGE POINT IN LONDON”
Clive Stephens
CEO, The View from The Shard
How has the building evolved since you started at The View?
When I joined last year it was really just us. A few tenants had moved in on various levels, but over the past 12 months it has really begun to feel like the Vertical City it was designed to be. A multitude of new tenants have come into the building, providing a good variety of potential partners you can work with at this great landmark in London.
What events do you having coming up at The View?
We’re doing an event with the Royal Shakespeare Company and we’re also in talks with the National Theatre about some events – based on their existing shows – in 2015. There’s also a lot going on this year – many companies are actually hosting their Christmas parties at The View, which isn’t surprising as it’s a really special venue.
Clive Stephens joined The View from The Shard in June 2013, four months after it opened. The View welcomed around a million guests in its first year, making it one of the most popular attractions in London.
For more information and to book tickets to The View from The Shard, visit theviewfromtheshard.com. If you would like to enquire about holding an event at The View from The Shard, contact [email protected] or visit the private hire pages on the website.
