Exhibition Site Surveys

By Sandra Desouza
| 26th September 2017

Choosing a venue is one of the most important and difficult parts of planning an event. As an exhibition freight forwarder, our job is to conduct a site survey of the venue to ensure from a freight and on-site handling perspective, all areas are assessed ahead of the event.

Here are some points we consider when conducting an exhibition site survey: –

1. Location – A convenient location means different things for different events. However, if many attendees will be traveling from overseas, hosting the event at a venue near the airport or their hotels will be beneficial. Most places are accessible by various modes of transport, choosing a venue location that is accessible is very important, shipping to remote areas is more complex than standard shipping, both for economical and logistics reasons.

2. First impressions – Arrive with plenty of time before your site inspection to look around the venue and check out the site for yourself. First impressions of the venue give a good indication of the service levels you will expect to receive.

3. Floor plans – Make sure you obtain accurate floor plans with maximum capacities for various setups, including the height of the ceiling inside the venue especially if you are providing on-site mechanical lifting and handling services.

4. Assess the space – Does the venue have the capacity to accommodate all your freight requirements. Take photos and measurements of all areas, evaluate the accessibility, directional signage, marshalling yard, loading, parking facilities, freight lift dimensions, flooring restrictions and potential storage space.

5. Go behind the scenes – Don’t just restrict your visit to just what the venue wants to show you, check out behind the scenes, the facility’s freight receiving and material handling capability and on-site resources, the location and security of storage space, and the proximity and capacity of freight elevators to accommodate large freight volumes.

6. Future plans – Ask if there are any plans for construction or refurbishment at the venue or in the area, and if those plans might impact the dates of your event.

7. Other events – Find out if there are any other events scheduled at the same time. Ask if you can be notified if there are other companies contracting for adjacent space during your event that will impact traffic management flow at the venue.

8. Traffic management systems – Venues are beginning to incorporate traffic management systems to facilitate and manage the flow of traffic more efficiently. Observe systems in place at the venue and consider how best to schedule deliveries and collections to the venue.

9. Venue services – Ask to see the list of services and pricing offered by the venue’s in-house contractors.

10. Venue contacts – Ask to meet key employees at the venue and keep a list of all the people you are introduced to. They will be important points of contact during the event to keep everything running smoothly.

11. Venue security – Assess security at the venue; CCTV surveillance and security guards for exhibition halls, oversized exhibits, secure storage areas and after-hours security at the venue.

12. Venue reputation – A venue’s reputation for service is critical. This is often the difference between holding a good event and producing a great event. The way a venue manages its events, facilities, staff, and clients will always be remembered.

Choosing the right venue for your exhibition is important and there are many factors to consider when selecting the right exhibition space, at Premier Showfreight, we take care of the exhibition site survey and consider many variables when planning the logistics and handling of your exhibition goods to various international venues.

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