| “Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.”
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Bertrand Russell |
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| Standout in the Crowd Have you ever tried to find a lost crate among a sea of crates that look just like yours? |
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Picture the airport baggage claim conveyer belt with thousands of black suitcases, now transfer that thought to the convention floor filled with crates – how do you spot your lost crates? A few creative minutes with paint can save hours of wait time. Think leopards, tigers, cows, plaid, circus tent stripes or polka dots – you will surely stand out in the crowd! Make recognizing your crates easier by painting them with wild colors so they’ll stand out from the rest.
The idea also helps if delivery is delayed after the show. You won’t have any trouble describing what your tiger-striped crate looks like to the show contractor.
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Forced Freight ...
whose fault ???
The dreaded call –“we have forced your freight!” Whose fault? – probably yours!
The most common reason shipments get forced by the general contractor following a tradeshow is that the exhibitor did not turn in a bill-of-lading. This can turn out to be a very costly mistake. When a shipment is forced (the term used by the general contractor to describe freight in which there is either no paperwork turned in or a carrier specified, or the carrier fails to pick up) to one of the show carriers you can end up paying enormous transportation charges. The rates most often are computed at full tariff with no discount. Additional problems occur if freight is to be shipped from one show to another as the carrier is not familiar with your shipment requirements and the timing of the next show. If the show dates are close together you could be facing a situation in which you might not have an exhibit when you arrive. Talk to your exhibit house, your shipping company, or at last resort visit the show desk for the proper paperwork prior to leaving the show floor.
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Moving your exhibition equipment can be a budget buster. Planning ahead is the single biggest cost saver. If you can go by rail you save over trucking, and if you must go by truck, it is far superior to air freight – but in each case time is the major issue. Following are some budget-friendly factors to consider when moving large items:
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Work with a company that handles freight regularly. Usually exhibit houses move enough freight that they have better deals with carriers than a single user would have. They also have the contacts necessary to coordinate tricky logistics for large items.
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Always get at least three quotes on every move. There can be a 30-percent difference in pricing on the same move by the same class of carrier.
When going by truck during the summer months, avoid end-of-month shipments. Typically that is when the highest concentrations of household moves occur. Availability of trucks during that time is limited.
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Consider “buying” the truck. With van lines and common carriers, see if it is less expensive to pay for a full truckload shipment, even if your freight won’t fill the truck. On a short trip it may very well be more economical to pay a full truckload rate than the chargeable weight. If you are sending a heavy shipment by common carrier but it doesn’t fill a full-sized trailer, see about using a “pup” trailer - which is smaller in length. You may be able to save 25 percent to 30 percent rather than shipping on a regular-sized trailer.
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Check out your shipping options on a case-by-case basis. Don’t ever assume. Sometimes it is less expensive to ship by van line than common carrier; sometimes air freight is actually your best bet. The best money-savings advice is by no means to presume you know the answer without checking your resources!
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Think Aluminum –it is the new trend in exhibit building material––for good reason. Wood and laminate exhibits are inexpensive to build, but come with hefty drayage costs. An aluminum exhibit, while more expensive up front, will weigh only about 25 percent as much as its wood and laminate equivalent. Aluminum can also be up to 100 times stronger than wood and can reduce refurbishment costs over the long term because of its durability. Take a look at the latest designs straight from the show floors of the US and Europe…click here www.meroform.us.
