Supervising Your Own Installs – Prescription for Disaster?
It’s no fun, but the current competitive environment sometimes forces trade show managers to supervise the installation and dismantle of their exhibit properties. While hiring a professional I&D supervisor is always preferable, DIY nightmares can be prevented if exhibitors take the following steps.
- Bring a “gang box.” This essential trade show tool kit should include: spare hardware for your exhibit, plenty of tools, and such “save the day” items as fishing wire, zip-ties, and a roll of Duvatyne fabric. Don’t forget to bring plenty of black gaffer’s, clear, and carpet tape as well. Aside from the obvious benefit of having what you need to assemble your exhibit, bringing a well-stocked gang box prevents you from being the victim of the ever so famous “tool run” in which a benevolent union employee offers to spend several hours finding the required item.
- Make three copies of installation instructions – one for the crew chief, one copy for the lead carpenter, and one for the installer. Providing your crew with written instructions will ensure that everyone understands the exhibit floor plan and assembly instructions; it tells the crew that you respect them and sets the installation off on a positive note.
- Work hard in front of your crew. Crews respect supervisors who get their hands dirty. If you are seen working hard, they’ll likely feel obligated to do their best as well. Remember, crew members perform this backbreaking work day in and day out – often working with ill-prepared “managers” whose mistakes can force them to perform more labor than necessary. Earning their respect – and not their bitterness – can make the difference between a smooth-running install and one fraught with difficulties.
- Remove poor workers as quickly as possible. Unskilled,
lazy, or careless laborers can ruin your installation and may even expose
your company to legal action. If workers notices their coworker are not
performing up to par but still “earning” the same pay, they
will likely slack off as well – leaving you with a halfhearted slow-moving
crew that is on track to complete the job in triple overtime. Even worse,
crew members who do not show proper regard for safety can harm themselves
and/or others.
- Have complete knowledge of the exhibit properties you are managing. A good I&D supervisor has an in-depth knowledge of the display he or she is handling and knows the proper order in which it is to be assembled. Also, it’s especially important to have a written installation schedule in hand. This lets your crew chief know how you expect the project to move forward and hopefully sets the timeline. Frequent reminders like “I am hoping to have X in place by X o’clock” helps you stay on schedule
- Be Ready for Murphy’s Law. Things will go wrong. So, make like a boy scout and “be prepared” with some petty cash for any unexpected items you may need. Make sure to create a contact list of local hardware, fabric, and electronics stores for use in emergencies.