I often find myself being reminded that simple lessons are the most important ones.
Today we wrapped up exhibiting at a two day trade show that we were the primary sponsor of. As part of our sponsorship, we were given the opportunity to show a continuous loop presentation in a high traffic area.
Less than 24 hours prior to the show, we found ourselves scrambling to provide the presentation in a format that the show organizers could use. Leading up to the show, the organizers, from our perspective, had been less than proactive and had not communicated to us the delivery method of the presentation. Our expectation was that we could provide a Powerpoint slideshow. Their expectation was that we would provide a video on a DVD.
To the show organizers, this presentation was a very small component of a much bigger project. They had to ensure that pipe and drape, Internet connections, signage and other details were readily available to dozens of exhibitors. They had to make certain that the registration area was set up, that badges were printed and that seminar rooms were configured and ready to go.
To us, the presentation was a big component of our sponsorship. This was a big deal and we had paid a lot of money for the opportunity. We ended up bringing our own computer and projector to allow attendees to see our presentation.
Lesson learned – what seems like a very small detail to you in a larger initiative can be a critical component to your customer. If you don’t consider this in every customer facing engagement, you could easily create a potential customer service nightmare and damage the relationship you’ve worked so hard to build.
Chris Labatt-Simon
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