How to minimize lost at the uncertainty Corona Virus situation for firms, participating in International Trade Shows

By: Architect Ilan Meidar,CEO Meidar Architects Ltd, and International Consultant for trade shows market

These days, with the fear of the spread of the Corona virus causing many international exhibitions to be canceled, the question arises as to whether the companies exhibiting at planned exhibitions or considering participating in the exhibition should be held in an existing state of uncertainty.

I will try to answer this briefly and concisely in this article.

There are a number of scenarios, actions and immediate steps that can slightly reduce a bit the uncertainty and danger for companies exhibiting at international show

 

Scenario A: The Company registered for the exhibition, the message planning was completed, and the pavilion was in stages of construction and production (in the production warehouse and suppliers’ offices) not in the exhibition area.

Immediate operative recommendations

1. Daily check status published by the exhibition management.
2. Hold all hotels reservation and payments. Make sure to keep the same price and quantity for the new exhibition dates.
3. Cancel flight booking until the last minute.
4. Reduce the amount of company personnel presenting in the exhibit, as many of the visitors are unlikely to attend.
5. Check immediately with clients, suppliers and distributers that already scheduled appointments at the show, whether they will arrive as planned.
6. Check with the your designers if there are additional costs incurred due to termination of work, cancellation of exhibition logistics orders that may be in accordance with the date of the new exhibition.
7. Get Confirmation from the exhibition organizers that the area chosen at the new dates remain exactly the same area, floor and location as the original exhibition date (to reduce new design and production work if the area is changed).
8. Rethink and even stop the graphic and marketing messages for an exhibition that may not be relevant to the new date.

Scenario B: Vendors have already set up the booth on the exhibition grounds.

Immediate operative recommendations

1. Request immediate photos and documentation of the existing situation of the pavilion
2. Have an online report from the contractor or your team on site regarding the status of the other pavilions located nearby, pictures of the halls and whether pavilions are being built or empty, including pavilions of competing companies.
3. Inquire immediately with the exhibition’s management regarding the cancellation of the exhibition.
4. Hold with the graphics and message laying in the pavilion until the last moment.
5. If equipment or services where ordered from the exhibition’s management, such as: security, furniture, water, etc., check with the suppliers to stop immediately those orders and ask not to supply and charge.
6. Inquire with the constructor that there is a logistical option to hold the vehicle that led the pavilion to the exhibition, in order not to order last minute trucks to return the pavilion to the factory and not to send additional vehicles.
7. Try to postpone bringing the product to the stand and keep in the exhibition warehouse or in your distributer’s offices.

Scenario C: Construction of the pavilion is over and waiting for the exhibition to open.

Immediate operative recommendations

1. Find out with the exhibition’s management whether the pavilion can remain built until the official end of the exhibition, since last minute logistics are not required to be unloaded and transported but to work according to the original budget and schedule and save costs.
2. Order a security to keep the pavilion and its parts (even if there are no products).
3. Examine downloading of marketing messages that were specifically intended for the exhibition to prevent exposure of marketing messages to potential competitors.
4. If there are products already in the pavilion and it is possible to transfer them to a local distributor or back to the country – most recommended.
5. Ensure that the pavilion is dismantled so that tear down damage is minimized to reduce additional construction costs at the new build up date.
6. Immediately summarize with the designer or contractor who builds the stand, costs of setting up the pavilion at the new date.

General recommendations and assessments to follow:

1. Many of the canceled exhibitions are postponed to later dates during the year, most of them in the fourth quarter.
2. This will place a huge burden on the various suppliers in the design and manufacturing processes.
3. This overload demand will immediately raise the prices of manufacturers and contractors due to excess demand for existing supply (such as production capacity, logistics etc.) and even the possibility of inability to set up the pavilion.
4. It is desirable to contract with the designer, if the area of ​​the new pavilion remains the same, the messages do not change and the plans remain exactly as planned with no change – so there is no economic additional costs (or minimal addition if renovation is required, Redesign and production).
5. Check the storing costs of the pavilion or its parts at the contractor warehouses, between the original date and the new date, is minimally charged + including an insurance that the items will not be damaged during the storage period.

Note: With regard to exhibitions in the US, keep in mind that the local labor costs, logistics and local services cost are different costs on weekdays and weekends and may be an additional cost.