Once upon a time, if you wanted to send a message to someone, you put a stamp on a letter and dropped it in the mail. Now, if you delay responding to an email or text, everyone wonders if you are out sick! The pace of business accelerates more every day, with customers and stakeholders demanding increased efficiency and reduced turnaround times for deliverables and communication.
Streamline Ordering Trade Show Assets
Several years ago, our operations department implemented an online ordering and asset management system to streamline the placing and tracking orders for trade show assets. The system’s efficient work process, coupled with the client interaction portals, allows for access anywhere, anytime, all in a secure environment. This system is one way we help our customers organize all the elements and details that are necessary for a successful trade show presence and to keep pace in our fast-paced industry.
Benefits
- Save time and money
- Increase organization of trade show properties
- Track and communicate show schedules
- Provide real time inventory status
- Simplify show cost management
- Allow multiple-user access
- Available 24/7
“We’ve used the online portal system for a few years, and I find it extremely helpful. Our field sales reps can log in and place their order for show materials and all I have to do is approve the order. It works for them and saves me time. I love it!”
Kris Marion, Rexnord Industries.
How it Works
The online portal uses a shopping cart-like system when placing orders. It is very easy to use and easy to see the available inventory. It will also track where the items have gone as well as prevent conflicts when multiple shows are going on at the same time. Users can set up their show schedule at the beginning of the year to get a good idea of how busy they will be during certain seasons. They can then reserve inventory as far in advance as they like for a show because the system was built on a first come first served method for reservations. We have one client who manages over 300 shows a year who uses this feature very effectively.
Some of the larger exhibit houses may offer systems like this, but many smaller ones use a home-grown method via a website or pre-made catalog pages the client must fax in. Our online portal offers far more flexibility and better tracking for clients with larger inventories. For a client who owns a single popup and four banner stands this may not make sense, but for a client with 100 plus items, it is extremely helpful.
Scott Schwartz, Captivate Exhibits project manager believes the portal system is a great cost savings for our customers. “The ability to easily communicate with our clients really helps, as it saves times and improves efficiency for both of us.”
The use of the online portal varies based on customer needs. Some use it for a high volume of shows with smaller elements including banner stands and throws. Others use it for fewer shows with a greater number of exhibit properties. This will often take the form of truss frames with a highly-varied array of graphics that could go with them, or custom frames with switchable infill panel images. It really depends on the client’s show methodology.
If you are looking for a streamlined process to manage your shows, assets and shipping in an extremely cost-effective and efficient way, please contact us to learn more.