Welcome to Our FAQs

You have questions, we have the answers!

Welcome to the page where we list commonly asked questions - hopefully, this page has the answers you are looking for! If you don't see the answer to your question please don't hesitate to reach out to one of our Team Building Experts!


Select from one of these FAQ topic categories:

General Team Building FAQs    Virtual Team Building FAQs

 

Virtual Team Building FAQs

How many of these virtual events have you already conducted?

Around 1500+, give or take.

What issues have you experienced and how did you resolve them?

The biggest issue is what we call “the weakest link”. We broadcast virtual programs from high bandwidth locations. However, your experience can be impacted by your own WiFi connection. Poor upload or download speeds, weak WiFi connections and other connection type issues can impact the experience for some users.

Thankfully, these generally impact very few people and can be resolved by simple computer restarts, turning off the user’s video camera or improving their proximity to the internet source (hardwire LAN connection or closer to the router for better WiFi signal).

How many participants can be involved in one virtual event?

We have produced and hosted our virtual events for groups from 10 all the way to 980 in team based events (it can be more in experiential and individual-based competitive events).

Do you have references?

Lots of them! We can send over references upon request.

Can i get a demo of the product?

We can host a live demo of some of our virtual offerings upon request. However, we are extremely busy at the moment and there can be a wait if you want to schedule one.

Will there be any test or rehearsal needed?

Normally we do not need a rehearsal or test. If there is a unique theme or something out of the ordinary during the event, we may request some of your time to ensure that we have the flow and visuals perfectly ready before the day of the event.

If a test is needed, who needs to be involved?

Normally a speaker or an event planner from the group (if we actually were to require anything at all).

How long does a virtual team-building event last?

Most of our online game shows are approximately 1-1.5 hours including instructions. Some other programs are more customized depending on what they are.

Does that include instructions and training?

Yes

How do you control overlapping conversations?

Our hosts are professional and expert event facilitators. We like to control as many variables as we can. The unique way we organize our events allows for team time and television-style show time. The event host always controls the mics during time on the “main stage”, but the individuals control their mics during team collaboration time. Overlapping isn’t an issue.

Do you have a chat window?

We can.

If so, who monitors this? is that person separate from the emcee?

Our team of professional event facilitators monitor everything and not the host.

What are your procedures if there is a technical glitch (such as freezing, audio issues or participants dropping out)?

We broadcast from very high upload and download speeds and also have a backup generator for power failures. Our screens won’t go dark. However, when depending on technology to deliver to everyone, even Cable TV goes down occasionally. In that extreme case, we would need to ride it out or reschedule. Anyone who gives you a different answer is plain lying to you. If participants drop off for technical reasons we will address them and reacquaint them with their teammates (depending on the program). Some issues though cannot be controlled by us. If a user decided to venture into their backyard to play and they are far from their router, their experience may be impacted. Prior to any event, we will ensure that you remind your guests to be in a place with a strong internet connection and ensure that your device is plugged in.

Do you include tech support during the event?

Yes, but we’re limited in our ability to assist some of the guests if their connection is weak.

Do you include tech support during the event?

Not for most of our events.

If rental items are required, how are these returned?

Rental items are not required.

Can the attendees access this through a mobile device, tablet or computer?

Yes they can.

Is your pricing per activity or per guest? if per guest, what is your policy for changing the guest count?

Your price is an event cost. It includes up to the prescribed number of participants with an additional per person fee above that number.

What analytics can i capture?

If the users do not have Zoom accounts and do not formally “login” we are limited. If they do all have formal Zoom accounts, then we have options. We can plug into most virtual conference software and from there you have analytics options.

What are the customer branding options?

The host’s background is a popular one, as well as slides and tiles, verbal “brought to you by…” and many other options.

Can the client submit custom questions?

Absolutely, we encourage it with our assistance.

Will guests be put into breakout rooms? if so, who will do this?

Yes, they will in many cases. We take care of the entire event we’re producing, including the breakout rooms for participants.

Can guests be sent a survey after the event?

If you’d like, sure.

Is there a maximum number of participants allowed? will that drive the platform choice?

Our maximum number is about 980 and 50 teams for some events and no more than 10 teams for others. Some of the hybrid offerings (Hunts), use both video conferencing and iOS or Android devices. Some events do not have teams at all and are individual-based within the larger group and can exceed 1000+ if required.

What is the ideal number of participants for a virtual event?

This depends entirely on the event, and we can work on making it right for the needs of your organization.

Will all participants play?

Absolutely, at the same time too. These are not spectator sports!

What platform do you use (zoom, microsoft teams, google)?

Zoom is our platform of choice but we will discuss any platform and have used a number of different ones. However, the functionality we require must exist to deliver certain options within another platform.

How secure is the connection?

We have AES 256-bit GCM encryption to ensure security.

What bandwidth is required for each participants service?

The minimum bandwidth should be 5mbps upload and 5mbps download.

What bandwidth is required for each participant's service?

We don’t, you or the client will share a custom, secure link that we provide to your organization.

How do participants join the meeting?

They will click on the private link or by entering the private meeting ID and passcode we provide for your scheduled event.

Is there an authentication process?

We can vet attendees as we hold them in a “waiting room” before the event begins.

Is there an admin role that is able to "disconnect" uninvited guests?

Sure, if required.

If photos of participants are required for an activity, where are those photos stored and what happens to them after the event?

We generally record all sessions with our software and they are stored on a password protected and cloud-based storage server. We require consent from the client to use these images. Otherwise, they are a record of the event and can be shared with the client or destroyed upon request.

Can i record my virtual event?

If you request it, we can grant you permission. It is usually better from us as we can record all camera angles and faces simultaneously.

Are you recording this session? if so, we do not give permission to use this recording outside of the activity.

You may strike this clause from our contract if you choose.

If items need to be shipped for the event, who is responsible for the shipping?

It depends on what we have agreed to include in the event cost. For example, Live Chef Experience events have many things that can be shipped or acquired by the participants on their own.

What method of shipping will you be using?

This depends on what we’re ordering. Food would usually be shipped by special shoppers, locally. Apparatus would often ship from places like Amazon or our warehouse and usually we use UPS or FedEx.

How is the shipping guaranteed (especially during covid, when shipping companies are no longer guaranteeing timing)?

We need to ensure items are ordered and shipped very early. For Amazon we use Prime and we would use guaranteed delivery if coming from our warehouse.

Is this cost set or will it fluctuate based on weight and shipping zones?

It can fluctuate if coming from the US or Canada, but usually Amazon is free shipping.

What happens if the participant does not receive the item(s)?

We need advance notice so they can inform us of a non-arrival, and we can remedy the situation either by reshipping or some other same/next day option. The lead time really determines what our response might be.

How many days prior to the virtual event does the participant receive the item(s)?

This depends on the event and our lead time. If fresh produce, a day or two prior to the event. If it’s non perishable then we aim for one week.

If alcohol is to be shipped, how is that handled per state/provincial/federal regulations?

We generally require alcohol to be acquired locally by the guest/participant. Exceptions do occur (for example, if everyone is in the same county, state or province).

In regards to the events scoring system, how do participants "buzz" in or be called on for answers?

In most cases they don’t need to "buzz in" and that’s the secret. Everyone plays all the time, every time. We do offer some games that have online buzzers and they interact in real time with the game.

How will scoring be calculated?

Our facilitation team will continuously update and keep score throughout the entire event.

Is scoring done in real time or after the event?

It is real-time but we do not reveal a leaderboard. That’s another secret for keeping engagement all the way through.

How are winners presented? do they receive anything?

That’s up to the client. We have fun conclusions for all of our events and definitely recognize the winners. If you provide us something to give then we can also hand it out (virtually).

General Team Building FAQs

We have yet to book a venue – any suggestions?

We have had the privilege of working all over North America and are familiar with many different venue options.  From the largest, most extravagant hotels & resorts to the coziest, quaintest inns, lodges & parks - we have executed programming at venues of all sizes and price budgets.  

We're happy to suggest possible location-specific options for your group, upon request, and if we happen to be unfamiliar with a specific venue of choice, we'll often join our clients on formal site visits - to ensure that the space in question is adequate for the program selected.

How customized can the events be?

As much as you'd like. Do you have an event theme or focus you'd like to be the center of attention? Maybe you have a corporate identity or specific content you'd like to see featured? Perhaps you have a logo or corporate branding that needs to be prominently displayed...it could even be as simple as a special theme song you'd like the group to enter or exit to. Everything is fully customizable! We have built a reputation on paying attention to every last detail. Just tell us what you need...

I’m planning the whole event – can i still play?

Absolutely! It's actually our preference. While many of our programs deploy fully-customized, "covert" game-related information and content (ie: Scavenger Hunt Riddles, Amazing Race Challenges & Destinations, Game Show Questions, etc.) we can certainly keep you as much (or little) in the dark as you desire. We love to see everyone "play" - senior and junior staff alike. Just because you're the event-planning star of the hour doesn't mean you have to be relegated to the sidelines.

My group has some special needs – is this going to pose a challenge?

Not in the very least. We work closely with our clients to ensure that programs are tailor-made for your group's exact dynamics and capabilities. The ultimate goal is for everyone to ideally participate and have fun together! When we first connect with customers, we like to ask a myriad of questions to help us better understand the group's overall make up, goals and past team building experiences. Are there any disabilities that we should be aware of...what is the general age range and gender ratio of the group...are there any known restrictions (ie: food allergies, etc.) that we need to be cognizant of...and many others. They're designed to provide us with relevant and critical information to ensure that your team building program is not only the perfect fit for your team, but executed flawlessly the day of.

Does everyone have to participate?

Our programs are designed to be all-inclusive. We love to encourage people to try new and exciting things, and we love it when groups are willing to step outside of traditional comfort zones to experience the thrill of a new achievement. And while our skilled and energetic facilitation team will always gently encourage participants to try all of our programs – if anyone ever wishes to simply observe an activity, that’s perfectly ok with us too.

How much lead time is required for an event?

Some conference planners engage with us up to 12 months in advance of the 'big day'...while others may call us the week before, in a bit of a rush. While our preference is to have as much preparation time as possible (especially for more elaborate or intricate events - such as a Live Chef Challenge, for instance), we certainly understand that even the best laid logistical plans can sometimes go awry at the last second. Our mandate is to be as flexible and accommodating as possible - in order to not only put our clients' minds at ease, but deliver the highest caliber of interactive programming that your team deserves.

Who are teambonders?

We're very proud of our 20+ year history and have had the great fortune of working with some fantastic organizations (both of the Fortune 500 and smaller variety) in all industries. When it comes to interactive, corporate fun - nobody does it like we do, period. We are a team of highly-skilled facilitators, committed to raising the spirit of camaraderie, cooperation and communication by transferring these assets back to the workplace through interactive and social play. Many of our facilitation team members (in previous lives) have been Camp Directors, Academic Educators & Mentors, Program Coordinators and Entertainment Staff at various family resorts, recreation facilities and cruise lines. Our staff members are hand-picked for their outgoing and gregarious personalities, impeccable client-relation skills, youthful exuberance and extensive experience in social programming design & execution. Because our motto is Fun is the Name of Our Game, it takes a very unique person to work at Teambonders!

Do you have any group size limitations?

We have executed events for groups as small as 5 and as large as 10,000 people. There is no corporate group size that fazes us...or that we can't accommodate for. Given the appropriate resources, we can make anything happen. You're only limited to your very own imagination.

When is the right time of year to book a program?

That is best answered by you. All of our activities are capable of being executed in every season...so no matter if your corporate event is in the 'dead' of winter...or the 'dog days' of summer - we can provide appropriate program options and solutions that best fit your schedule.

What is the most popular program you offer?

We don't like to play favorites. All of our activities promote communication, collaboration and group cohesion in different ways and we've purposely created a very diverse program menu to cater to different tastes, interests and appeals. Once we speak with a client (and ascertain desired goals, themes and past team building experiences), we typically make 2-3 program suggestions that we feel would best suit their ultimate team building needs. Having said that, if there's a specific program that really catches your eye, please do not hesitate to let us know and we'll happily walk you through all of the event specifics and details.

What is the ideal length for a team building program?

There really is no right or wrong answer - let your ultimate needs and agenda be the guiding force. Some companies use our programs to augment (or break up) a day full of meetings - often to further reinforce specific corporate information, themes, attributes or messages...others use our expertise to provide a 'fun' day for their employees. We've done programs that have lasted one hour, we've executed multiple day events and everything in-between. Every session is unique, just like every business. While many of our programs can be completely customized to fit the majority schedules, we like to suggest a 2-4 hour 'playing' window (depending on the program of choice) and expand or shrink as necessary from there. When gauging the right fit for your organization, our best advice is: it's always better to leave the group wanting more!

What is the average cost per person?

This answer varies from event to event. Many factors are considered when we supply formal quotes to our prospective clients. Many costs are fixed (regardless of the activity involved), while others are completely dependent on the size and scope of the overall endeavor. Some of the key factors we take into account when creating program proposals and total costs include: the type, length & location of the program, the number of total participants involved, the size of the facilitation team required and the overall equipment (and desired incidentals) required to execute the program to your exact needs. If you have a specific budget figure in mind you'd ideally like us to meet, do not hesitate to let us know and we'll do our absolute best to make it happen.

How does event payment work?

Once a formal program contract is signed, we ask for a 50% deposit to guarantee your date(s). Just before the event itself, we ask our clients to supply payment covering the remaining balance. If you need to pay on a different schedule, please let us know, and we can work with you to accommodate accordingly.