The trade show Event Manager stood on the loading dock with sweat dripping down her face as she watched dozens of trucks and other vehicles line up for what seemed like miles in the distance. As the sun continued to bear down on the loading-dock area, two union workers began to exchange heated words about the jurisdiction of work. Finally, the Event Manager glanced at her watch and realized that the load-in for the event was running two hours behind schedule, thus incurring thousands of dollars in overtime charges. And this was only the beginning of the trials for the trade show Event Manager.

Once the doors to the exhibition opened, hundreds of buyers streamed in and promptly clogged the aisles on one side of the exhibit floor. For nearly four hours, the exhibitors on the other side of the exhibit floor were virtually ignored by the buyers. A few minutes after the start of the exhibit several exhibitors complained to the Event Manager that other exhibitors were playing loud music and stepping into the aisles to bring people into their booths. The exhibit manager was also reminded by the legal counsel that it was illegal for the exhibitors to play recorded music in the booth without permission from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers or Broadcast Music, Inc.

These problems could easily have been prevented if the Event Manager had conducted proper research, design, and planning. For example, the load-in should have been smooth and seamless because of proper advance scheduling and a nearby marshaling facility for the vehicles. The issue of labor jurisdiction should have been clarified immediately and resolved by the union steward or union business manager. The problems with crowding and crowd flow could have been anticipated and rectified in advance by establishing attractions (such as food and beverage), entertainment, or perhaps human traffic directors to route the arriving buyers. Finally, the issue with activities being conducted in the booths should have been prevented by a policy statement in the exhibitors' regulations, policies, and procedures. Each exhibitor should have been required to initial or sign the regulations documents to confirm compliance with these policies. This would have eliminated the issue of music in the booths and given the Event Manager the necessary tools to enforce these policies.

QUESTIONS

What should be included in the exhibitors' policies, procedures, practices, and regulations?

How do you design the exhibit floor to avoid crowding, gridlock, and other crowd-control issues?

What do you do if an exhibitor violates regulations?

What are some creative solutions to ensure that buyers visit underutilized areas of an exhibit area?