If you were approached to host this club, please read this review and make an informed decision…read more
I think Arena OC has potential, but upper management issues along with their systems and processes need attention to truly elevate the customer experience. I'm unsure but I feel like my party was robbed of our time and money...
First, I want to highlight the excellent customer service provided by my bottle service attendant and the on-site manager. They genuinely went out of their way to accommodate my party, and their efforts did not go unnoticed. Their dedication truly stood out and was one of the highlights of the evening.
Last month, I had the opportunity to host an event at this nightclub. While the contacts I worked with were friendly, responsive, and professional, I was disappointed by the limitations placed on the bottle service attendant and the on-site manager. My party requested water and chasers for our drinks, but these were overlooked, leaving us to purchase drinks at the bar despite having a table. This completely defeats the purpose of bottle service and suggests possible understaffing.
Arena OC provided me with a complimentary champagne bottle and a complimentary table for hosting. My party reserved an additional table and purchased two bottles. We intended to purchase a third, but it was unavailable--how does a club run out of bottles so early in the night, especially when I had communicated this preference well in advance? This lack of preparation speaks to poor management and planning. If the goal is to maximize revenue, wouldn't it make sense to stock more $40 bottles that can be sold at $520 each (including tax and tip)? It feels like upper management is more focused on cutting corners than maximizing profits. To make matters worse, we paid part of our table tab in cash and were promised change, but it never came.
On a positive note, I appreciate that Arena OC upgraded my party's table and placed it side by side with the promo table. This thoughtful gesture showed attention to our needs, and I'm grateful for that. But, as I mentioned earlier, on-site employees are making up for the lack of care for customer service on behalf of upper management. The staff is doing their best to compensate for the shortcomings in management's approach, but it's clear that the real issue lies with the decision-makers at the top.
Adding to the frustration, I still have not received my commission check over a month later. I followed up and provided my email address as requested, but I have not received any response since. This lack of communication is both unprofessional and unacceptable.
Furthermore, I was told that I hadn't checked any names off the guest list, which is simply untrue. It's clear that management needs a more reliable system for tracking guest lists and ensuring accuracy. Out of the 20 people on my list, 14 showed up before the 11pm cut-off time, including 7 women--but I was told that none of them had been checked in. This discrepancy highlights a serious issue with how guest lists are managed.
Hosts rely on sales from tables and guest list entries, and for both systems to be disorganized, it gives the impression that Arena OC needs to revisit their business model because they are not operating efficiently. Customer service, while commendable, is severely limited by how much on-site employees can compensate for management's desire to cut corners.
Last but not least, they have on-site photographers but the photos from the event still have not been uploaded to their website for us to download and share.
While the on-site staff's dedication is commendable, the club's operational and management issues severely overshadow their hard work and detract from the overall customer experience. Arena OC has potential, but for now, it's far from my top choice for nightlife in Orange County.
TLDR; have not received commission for hosting, did not get change from payment, understaffed, understocked, inaccurate account of guest list. Business model needs improvement.