Warning: 5 Steps to Prevent Forced Trade Show Exhibit Freight

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Having trade show exhibit freight being forced after a show is something that can be prevented with pre-planning prior to your trade show.

Have you ever received that dreaded phone call from your transportation carrier after your tradeshow? ". . .we showed up to pick up the freight at the convention center, but it had already been shipped with xxx transportation company. . .we are not sure what happened. . ." The first thought that typically passes through the exhibit manager's mind is How much is this going to cost me?!?

What does it mean when your trade show exhibit freight has been forced? It means that the carrier that was scheduled to pick up exhibit properties was not able to pick up the freight because it was picked up by another carrier.

Trade Show Exhibitor Tips

Here are 5 steps to prevent your trade show exhibit freight from being forced off the trade show floor:

1. Scour the exhibitor manual for the Quick Facts and Outbound Shipping Information. If your show is targeted, ensure that you pull the targeted information specific to your booth number. Take note of the move-out times and the load-out times. The exhibitor manual will always note the time that each carrier must check-in by to use a preferred carrier other than a show carrier. If your carrier does not check in by the noted time, your freight will most likely be shipped via the show carrier.
2. Fill out the Outbound Shipping Information Form provided by the show contractor. Tell them the name of your preferred carrier scheduled to pick up your exhibit properties and when the carrier will be at the convention center to pick-up. Provide them with the carrier's phone number and an exhibitor on-site contact phone number.
3. Prepare a pre-filled outbound bill of lading for whomever is dismantling your exhibit, plenty of return labels, and the date and time the carrier will be picking up the exhibit. Place these items in a well marked envelope and tape to your reception counter or hand carry with you to the show. If you are using a subcontracted labor company, communicate this information to them, and ensure they know where this packet will be within the exhibit properties. Also list this packet on the packing list so they can find it easily. Make sure that someone turns in the bill of lading to the exhibitor services center at the end of the show.
4. Schedule a preferred carrier to pick up after you know your exhibit will be dismantled, and after allowing enough time for the exhibit properties to be moved to the dock at the convention center. Request a written confirmation of the pick-up request. Often there is a marshalling yard which requires carriers to obtain a number and wait until the freight is at the dock. Ensure that your preferred carrier is willing to check in at the marshalling yard if the trade show requires this, and provide them with the marshalling yard information.
5. Obtain the driver's phone number if possible and ensure that the carrier has the phone number for someone who will be on-site during the dismantle of exhibit properties. If there are any issues, it is integral for all parties to be able to communicate with each other.

If an exhibitor takes the above preventative steps to know the correct outbound information, communicates this information to all parties involved, and ensures that all parties have the proper contact information for each other, this will help prevent trade show exhibit freight from being forced off the show floor. Of course there are no guarantees that this will never happen, but if an exhibitor takes the time to organize all this information prior to the show, and all lines of communication are open, there is much less of a chance of a surprise non-negotiated freight bill hitting your desk after the show.

Do you have any of your own experiences that have occurred that could not have been prevented with the above steps, that you'd like to share? Please do...we would all like to avoid trade show shipping nightmares!