Moving out

You’ve just had a long day at your exhibition, you and your team are exhausted – the thought of packing up is the least appealing idea to you but you want to be the first out the door.

It seems as though everyone else has had the same idea as groups frantically rush to have their stand unassembled and cleared. Each team is eyeing the other’s progress in attempt to beat the inevitable traffic. Before you know it, moving out becomes carnage and you’re left blindsided by the process.

Believe us, this has happened to many of our clients before, so we want to share some helpful advice that will take the edge off moving out. After all, you have been working on this exhibition the last few months; you want to cross the finish line as smoothly as possible.

HAVE A PLAN

Grand Stand Events believes that having a well organised plan is the key to success in many situations, this is both due to our meticulous nature and our desire to ensure that every client have their individual needs met on time.

So take a leaf out of our book and plan your exit strategy. Who will be collecting the day’s paper work? Who will make sure that all personal belongings are collected? When these types of questions are left unanswered chaos often ensues.

Have a roster for the end of the day. Allocate moving out tasks to different members of you and your team to ensure that the last few hours move as efficiently as possible. These tasks can start before the official end of the exhibition to ensure timeliness.

BE ORGANISED

Being organised is much easier when you have a plan to follow but it makes the plan run much more smoothly. Consult your plan and consider what tools you will need on the day. Do you need folders for paperwork? Maybe you need storage containers for stationary? Make sure you have all these items ready for the day. Make things even easier for yourself by labelling with a permanent marker. Establish a time frame in which you want tasks completed by.

OUTSOURCE! OUTSOURCE! OUTSOURCE!

The easiest way of getting the moving out completed on the day it to outsource. Whether you are using internal staff or employing a third party – having a new team at the end of the exhibition allows you and your current staff to enjoy your accomplishments and get that early start you are all pining for. Chances are, a fresh team of employees are more likely going to have the energy to efficiently pack up the exhibition, increasing overall productivity.

Exhibitions are often day-long events and can be exhausting, try having a separate team to handle the last part of the day, you have all earned it.

PATIENCE IS KEY

Despite all the planning, organising and outsourcing, patience is the only thing that will allow you to leave the exhibition stress free. Keep in mind that tasks take time to be performed. Everyone else in the room is just as tired and exhausted as you are, so a little patience goes a long way if you are trying to squeeze out of the exit or a staff member is unsure of their instructions.

No matter what way you approach unpacking, always remember that it is the final step of the process, and don’t stress if you’re not first out of the door. Everyone will get to go home eventually.