You’ve been planning a show for months, perhaps even storing and sending items to your exhibition company ready for shipping, as well as handling flights and hotels for your team. You’ve worked alongside our team at Exhibitors Service Network to ensure everything is ready and on schedule. Your team is registered, shirts ordered and promotional items taken care of. You’re feeling accomplished and excited that another show is about to begin and new customers are at hand!
Then you get that email or a phone call from the show management that, alas, the show has been cancelled due to XYZ. What are your next steps? How do you handle this with professionalism and aplomb? We have a few tips to help you far before this unfortunate event occurs.
First and foremost, we strongly suggest that, before you ever sign the Exhibit Terms and Conditions, you read it. Typically, in the very first section are these words or something similar, “Each company participating as an Exhibitor must return a completed registration form, properly executed by an authorized company representative. Non-refundable payment must be received with registration in order to reserve space.” Key words – “Non-refundable”. Does this apply to you pulling out of the show or show management cancelling? Generally it applies either way. But how can that be, you ask?
Again, review your contract. There will be a segment called Cancellation or Termination. Within that segment, you will find a statement such as this. “In case Show Management shall, for any reason, determine to cancel or terminate the exposition, Show Management may attempt to reschedule seminars and trade show soon thereafter, and without guarantee, will strive to make partial refunds or rollover arrangements to non-participating exhibitors and sponsors.” This means that they’ve covered their bases and will do their best to reschedule the show at another time. They do not consider that the show is fully cancelled – only moved to another date.
If, for some reason your company cannot make the new date, then you may have cause for concern. This writer actually experienced this at one point at an overseas venue. The show management, after much back and forth, agreed to roll over the monies to the next year and hold our spot. Most show management companies are willing to work with exhibitors to ensure they are treated fairly and are not at a loss due to their cancelling on a particular date.
In addition to this, they offered to compensate our company for any fees garnered due to changes in housing and airfare. All in all, they were very gracious and it ended well on all counts.
Again, it is imperative that you read your contracts prior to signing and ensure upper management is aware that these issues, albeit rare, do sometimes occur.
At ESN, We understand it’s more than just an exhibit, it’s an experience™. Come experience with us.
Contact us today at 832.358.2002 or email: esn@tradesho.com
