What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll use ChatGPT to orient yourself quickly in new vendor markets, draft comparison frameworks for evaluating multiple quotes, and prepare sharper negotiation questions before vendor calls — tasks that previously required scattered web research and manual spreadsheet-building.
What you'll need
How-To Guide: Use ChatGPT to Research and Evaluate Vendors
When planning an event in an unfamiliar city or with a vendor category you don't frequently book (e.g., you rarely hire AV companies), start with a market orientation prompt:
I'm planning a [event type] for [headcount] guests in [city] on [date]. I need to hire a [vendor type]. What are the typical pricing ranges, key quality tiers, must-have vs. nice-to-have features, and the most important questions to ask when evaluating vendors in this category?
What you should see: A structured overview covering pricing expectations, quality differentiators, red flags to watch for, and a list of questions you should be asking every vendor.
Note: ChatGPT's knowledge has a cutoff date — use this for frameworks and question lists, not for specific vendor recommendations or current pricing. Verify pricing with actual quotes.