Your exhibit house is—or should be—a trusted partner, one with your best interests at heart, whether those interests are your budget, your show schedule, your promotional opportunities—and so much more. You rely on them to keep the current moving from one show to another, to be your champion when the show organizers make a billing error, to suggest newer and more cost-effective ways of doing things or more sustainable materials, to communicate with your install and dismantle partners…all of that and more.
So, when the level of service you have come to expect disappoints you, there’s a problem. Not just a one-time slip-up but a noticeable decline where you understand something is wrong and you start to wonder if you are still a valued customer. A steady downward trajectory not only disappoints you but starts to get noticed by others in your company—and perhaps your competency is questioned when that happens.
Don’t sacrifice your career for a partner you can no longer count on. It’s time for a change.
Complicated? It can be, but here is a framework for a transition, one that comes from years of experience. It takes much of the pain and uncertainty out of the process and gets you ready to renew and refresh your exhibit and event program.
Ready?
- Identify your properties. When you transition to another exhibit house, waiting for a time when nothing is going on is unrealistic. Most exhibiting companies, when they have been with a vendor for a long time, have properties in the warehouse that are at the end of their use. Call out the properties you will need in the next 90 days and those that haven’t been used in the past year. That last group probably doesn’t need to travel to your new partner’s warehouse.
- Reduce the properties you plan to transition and make plans to get rid of the rest. Be ruthless. But make sure that the properties that don’t make the cut are recycled properly; our industry has contributed too much to landfills over the years—it’s time to stop!
- Coordinate the transfer of properties and assets that won’t be used during the next 90 days. Inspect them, repair them when necessary, and create an archive that will help you going forward. This is a good time to collect information like what Pantone colors are used for which properties, the order of assembly for your exhibit installation, and other concerns.
- Transfer your active properties from the current show site to the new warehouse. Make sure you include all documentation associated with your properties. This will give you some insight into what you own and what you rent. Do what you would ordinarily do for an inbound inspection.
- Set goals for your new partnership and determine what and how you will measure. Consider, for example, any discounts you have been receiving or new technologies for tracking metrics. Benchmark your goals with your new exhibit partners so accountability starts right from day one.
Ending a business relationship is never easy, but following these five steps will help with the transition. Good luck!
P.S. We put this process in an infographic for you.
