You’ve booked your space at IBTM World, but how do you go about choosing a contractor for your stand design and build? What should you consider and what should you expect from them? Here, we talk to Ross Curran, Head of SmartSpace, Reed Exhibition’s in-house stand design and build team, SmartSpace, who gives us top tips for what to look for.
Teamwork makes the dream work
A good stand builder should be truly consultative, acting as an extension of your team. Look for someone who you feel has the experience, knowledge and vision to fill the role of consultant, designer, project manager and constructor so that you have consistency throughout the process. Check out their credentials. Ask if you can talk to previous clients and see a portfolio of their work. Are they familiar with and do they have experience of designing and building stands previously at the exhibition you’re attending, and do they clearly understand how the organiser works?
A dose of realism
Whilst you want a contractor that is innovative and creative when it comes to ideas and problem solving, you also want them to be realistic – you don’t want someone who’s going to over-promise and under deliver. If you know you have a limited budget, but they promise to deliver ideas that seem unrealistic, make sure you check out their references to be sure they can deliver on what they promise.
End to end service
Check that the supplier offers an end-to-end service and doesn’t subcontract out any of the work. It’s not uncommon for elements, e.g. the build itself, to be subcontracted which can allow for mistakes and confusion.
Flexible packages
Does the company offer a range of options to accommodate your budget? You don’t want to find hidden costs later down the line, so make sure you, and they, are completely clear on what your budget is.
We have seen a marked increase in exhibitors opting to use its SmartSpace stand design and build package. The team works collaboratively with clients to deliver unique, high quality stand solutions that help drive a high return on investment and audience engagement. We offer both a bespoke service, as well as a system solution so that clients can tailor their stand to suit their budget.
Rovos Rail, which has used the SmartSpace service, commented: “We’ve been very pleased with the SmartSpace service from start to finish. The stand design was good, the build needed no effort from us, making it very easy to exhibit. We had excellent feedback from the client and their partners – I would happily recommend the SmartSpace team, it takes the sting out of exhibiting.”
For more information on SmartSpace, visit: www.reedsmartspace.co.uk
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