What Can Go Wrong with your Exhibition Stall Design, Fabrication, and Installation

When you participate in a trade show or exhibition, there are always chances that things may go wrong. And let’s face it, this happens to the best veterans as well as to the rookies. More often than not, the issues seem to crop up during the process of installation and dismantle (I and D). Despite your best efforts, there can still be something that can go wrong with exhibition stall design and fabrication.

Since brands invest a lot of money in exhibitions, the last moment snags can prove to be more costly than ever.

With this thought, here are some problems that can hamper the success of your stall installation in particular.

Exhibition Stall Design Changes

As with any design, the stall designs also go through multiple iterations and are not finalized until the very last moment.

Based on our experience, though, we always recommend our clients to finalize the stall design and not make any changes at the last moment.

After the design is finalized, the stall elements are constructed and pre-assembled in advance and then shipped to the show. Or, they need to be made in a warehouse and then brought on the show floor. In the end, all the elements are arranged at the exhibition hall along with some additional equipment needed for the setup. Any changes in the design have a significant impact on this whole process. If the changes are made late in the process, there is a chance that you will end up with half-finished items, poor finish, or not-so-secure stand.

Exhibition Stall Installation Constraints

One of the major tasks that your exhibition stand design and fabrication experts have to ensure is that the installation constraints are all taken care of. They need to ensure that the design takes into consideration various aspects such as size, shape, type of the stand as well as any pillars, HVAC ducts, and also the exhibition construction guidelines.

Things like correct placement of equipment, hiding of unsightly wires, handling the electrical, internet, A/V devices, and so on are considered here.

It is usually a good idea to do a mockup – check the stand at the contractor’s place before it is sent on-site. This can give you a complete picture as to how exactly the stand will look like.

Time Calculations

When you are all set for installation, you need to minimize the labor hours by getting everything ready on time and that too without adding on to the existing costs. For instance, when you start doing installing right on the show floor, there will be more chances of errors because or paucity of space and cleaning up. This can take additional time and therefore, the labor costs may increase when there is no professional expertise involved. Time, as we all know, is money and extremely valuable when exhibitions are concerned because everything needs to come together by the stipulated deadline. The time availability for stand installation and dismantle vary greatly depending on the venue of the exhibition, so it is critical to get an idea about that well in advance.

One of the solutions is to handle this is to hire professionals. Get most of the materials shipped at workshops well in advance. It can then reach the trade show floor on time and will save installation time.

Another way is to make your I and D estimates in advance. For 400 sq. feet (20 by 20 foot) booth, you will need to divide the figure by 8. This will bring you to 50 hours. Taking that into consideration, you can break the time into approximately 30 odd hours to set up and 20 for dismantle.

Filling Forms Incorrectly

Trade shows are not just about going there and getting started with the exhibition. There are multiple steps involved. One of them is to fill certain forms and submit them within the stipulated deadline. You can’t afford to fill these forms incorrectly as every minute detail counts (For example, you need to fill out details like Volts or Amps for the light fixtures). Get the details wrong and you will be in a soup later.

It is also essential to ensure that you receive a complete BOQ from the contractor and get the commercial agreement in place – this will help avoid surprises and last minute delays.

Sounds tedious? Partnering with professionals with many years of overarching experience in stand installation will put your troubles to rest.

Absence of a Dedicated Project Manager

Another obstacle that brands face during trade shows and exhibitions is the lack of a dedicated project manager on the site. To some firms, this may seem like an additional hire when it comes to exhibition stall design and fabrication. But the ground reality is that the project manager will be responsible for several tasks that need meticulous planning. He/she will also make several time-critical decisions on the spot and will be at the venue throughout the installation (and dismantle). He/ she can handle the hiring and management of the installation crew members, check the material handling agreement, and make sure that everything is streamlined. These need to be handled with exceptional problem-solving skills, and that’s where you need a project manager.

Last Minute Surprises

This is one problem, which almost every brand manager must have witnessed in some or the other trade show. On the day of the exhibition, the stall is either not ready or looks shabby or has some things completely missing.

These last moment surprises spring up mainly because brands outsource the stand design and installation, but they do not receive any updates about ongoing stall designs and installations. Getting regular updates via online tools like Quire or WhatsApp from the exhibition design partners about the design, development, and construction of the stall can help brand managers be at peace and avoid any last-minute surprises.

Stay Ahead with the Perfect Exhibition Stall Design Professionals to the Rescue

Exhibition stall installation requires meticulous planning and preparations, sometimes a year or more in advance.

At First Rain, we understand all the nitty-gritty of stall design and fabrication. We understand the labor offerings and rules/regulations which vary between the cities and shows, we understand the exhibition stand design guidelines, and we also provide a project manager at the venue to oversee all the activities.

To discuss more on how we can help you ace stall installations, get in touch with us!

Niloy Debnath

Niloy Debnath is the Founder and Director of First Rain. Having an MBA in marketing and an experience of more than 15 years in production, Niloy meticulously plans the execution of all the projects. He is skilled in project planning, scheduling tasks and delivering projects with zero hassle to the clients. His attention to detail and onsite solutions have always upped the exhibiting experience for our clients.