Business expo success: lightening quick turnaround and overflow management
Event: Bizzone Business Expo - 22-24 July 2009
Client: Bizzone
Venue: TSB Bank Arena and neighbouring Shed 6
Scale: 100 exhibitors, 3,000 attendees
Challenge One: Turnaround
A quick turnaround from the previous event was needed to give exhibitors time to set up before the doors opened to the public.
Solution:
The TSB Bank Arena operates as a tradeshow venue for more than half the weekends of the year. As such the venue team has a proven track record for managing build and pack downs of these events, where timing and logistics are critical. This is helped by clear communication with regular suppliers, for example Peek, Hiremaster and Displayways. For Bizzone the venue team was on the ground ready to go when the previous event finished and worked through the night - actually succeeding in allowing exhibitor access half a day early.
Challenge Two: Venue transformation
Bizzone preferred to have a different carpeting solution from the standard venue option.
Solution:
The venue brought forward a testing phase to install new carpet. This involved training staff to install the new solution in a short time frame. The result was a fresh new look for the exhibition space and for the event.
Challenge Three: Overflow management
Because of increased exhibitor numbers the exhibition overflowed into a neighbouring venue, Shed 6.
Solution:
The venue team organised for Shed 6 to be cleared and went out of their way to suggest and incorporate ways of drawing attendees to the second exhibition hall, for example the use of banner signage.
Client comment
The green touch:
"We're pleased the venue is as committed to carbon zero as we are. The weight of waste disposed to landfill from the 2009 expo was reduced by nearly 20 percent compared with 2008."
Special touches:
"The team offered to send emails to their own database and suggested other ways to help promote the expo."
The Verdict:
"We had a very successful show"