Bi-Polar Exhibit Houses v. Long-Lasting Trade Show Partnerships
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Tradeshow Guy: “You’ve been using ABC Exhibit House for 10 years- that’s quite a track record. I assume you’re awfully happy with whatever they’re doing for you?”
Tradeshow Exhibitor: “We’re THRILLED with ABC Exhibits. They’re the best.”
Tradeshow Guy: “Hmm. What is it that’s so great about ABC? What do they do that’s so much better?”
The likely answer to that question might catch newcomers to the tradeshow world off-guard:
It isn’t how impressive the trade show designs are. Their prices are probably higher than some of the competition. And no one will immediately rave about what high quality their exhibit house provides.
More than likely, it comes down to three things:
- “They always know what shows we’re doing, and when we need to work on it.”
- “They routinely ‘save the day’ – last minute changes and other actions that reflect that they genuinely want to keep their client’s exhibit program going strong through whatever hurdles may appear.
- “They’re part of our team.”
Plain and simple, #3 is the most important. The Account Manager plays the greatest role in ensuring a cohesive and dynamic relationship exists between the trade show exhibitor and the exhibit booth provider.
Essentially, the account manager is the key player who ensures that the exhibit selling process is not bi-polar. A “bi-polar exhibit sale” (or rental) goes like this: Sales finds Client. Sales, Design, and Client collaborate. The booth is designed, and sold. Sales hands the contract over to Engineer & Fabricator. Sales goes back to selling. What happens in this scenario?
Engineer & Fabricator look at the contract, look at the design, shake their heads, and build an exhibit based on those “guidelines.” They ship the display to the show, and Client PANICS! The minute changes that happen between the original conception of the trade show display, and its fulfillment, constitute an ocean of change for the exhibitor. Without the account manager’s care, discretion, and communication, the process is not a participatory one wherein the client is involved in the custom exhibit’s evolution.
There will always be conflicts between designs & contracts and engineering & fabricating. The devil is in the details, as they say. A long-lasting relationship demands that the exhibitor knows what to expect at every turn. The exhibit house effectively resolves whatever obstacles rear their ugly heads, and the client knows everything is under control. A short-lived relationship invariably follows the bi-polar model. The account manager is the glue that brings everything and everyone together. They’re the meds that keep us all HAPPY!
