How much does it cost to process an exhibitor?
How much does it cost you to process your exhibitors?
Over 96% of those organisers in the UK we questioned during 2013/14/15, had absolutely no idea as to how much it was costing them in time or money, to process their exhibitors. However all said it was way too much whether they had an online system or not. The vast majority also felt guilty about sending out forms and asking exhibitors to restate their data.
We evaluated our own processes which may prove useful to establish your current costs:
- rearranging the layout and prices and other forms we sent out every year
- during the year sourcing new exhibitors - by looking round other shows and on event websites usually!
- sending the forms via email and some by post - and calling exhibitors for new emails for bounced addresses!
- trying to translate ineligible writing and calling exhibitors for clarity
- phone calls in and out to potential exhibitors for missing paperwork/cheques etc
- data entry of application forms (yes...we also made typo mistakes...)
- filing of the papers (sent by email and post) into lever arch folders
- sending out last minute forms by local councils!
- going to the bank with cheques
- going to the post box
- reconciling bank transfers
- issuing invoices/sales receipts
- chasing many of the exhibitors up to date insurance details and risk assessments
All this cost is mostly labour for you or one of your team, given the other things organisers need to do these days, surely yours/their time could be better spent on something else?
To be fair, most exhibitors did send in 'perfect packs' however the data is usually transposed to a spreadsheet - we do this for you!
Event Owl has eradicated nearly all of the above, it also improves early cash flow and money goes directly to the event organisers bank account. We saved significant time in many areas and the events we set up with are still using Event Owl four years later!