Spilling the beans
It's the last leg on the way to the event, and some of the exhibitors will start sprinting again. FAIRNET's last-minute service makes many things, run of the mill and unique, that are still needed for the perfect appearance at the finish line possible.
"LET THERE BE LESS LIGHT"
It's the night before the start of the fair. The day was surprisingly quiet, but to be on the safe side I still have my mobile phone on me. And indeed - it rings around 10 pm. At this time of day there is no one in the exhibition hall any more and I am wondering if I should accept the call - I decide I should. A man's voice tells me a room number. My first thought: "I wish I hadn't answered." The man continues: "How do I turn off the light in here?" I couldn't help but laugh and explain that I work at FAIRNET and not at the hotel reception. He was audibly embarrassed. Of course I didn't hang up and tried to help him. When he told me has was staying in the 'Motel One', I immediately understood, as I had the same problem only a month ago. The lights above the bed cannot be controlled by a light switch on the wall or by the main switch. There is a toggle switch on the lamp itself, which is hidden quite well. When I told him this, the exhibitor could finally go to bed in a dark room.
NICOLE HOCHSTEIN
"MISSION POSSIBLE"
All the stands have been built, the event is about to begin, and as a service provider we can almost sit back and relax - if it weren't for the last-minute requests. We are used to a lot of things, but some of the special requests we receive are really out there. One exhibitor wanted a Leopard tank suspended from the ceiling for a film shot at his stand. The regulations of Messe Berlin and the statics of the hall, however, did not permit the 56-tonne Bundeswehr giant to decorate the ceiling of the hall and the exhibitor's film. In comparison, the exhibitor's wish for a red leather sofa, which was still in Stuttgart at the time of the last minute, seems modest. There was a quick, though costly, solution. The precious object was flown in from Stuttgart and arrived at the stand just in time for the start of the fair.
THORSTEN ARMBRUST & JANINE STARK
"A NEW PROBLEM EVERY MINUTE"
You have just moved from the office to a still cold exhibition hall, where the gates - be it winter, spring or autumn - are open all day for deliveries. A customer calls every minute: follow-up orders, changes, and sometimes a complaint. Matching the calls with the required service portfolio and forwarding them to the corresponding suppliers. Checking feasibility and comparing it with delivery stocks. Giving the customer repeated feedback, advising them, clarifying problems, finding solutions. In between, checking whether everything has been implemented as desired or simply saying "hello" to the customer. Coordinating, keeping the overview, not forgetting anything with a large number of inquiries. You make some small talk with the exhibitors and try to keep calm. This requires nerves of steel and professionalism. At the end of an 8 am to 6 pm session on the last set-up day, you're full of emotion and completely exhausted, you thank the colleagues that helped you and you're just happy to have solved some 10,000 problems Because they have been solved! This is all part of our Last Minute service.
TEAM FN 3
"ITALIAN FOR STAND BUILDERS"
"The construction of OTWorld 2018 is in full swing when two Italian stand builders approach me. They speak neither English nor German and, resorting to sign language, ask me to come to their stand. Once there, it quickly becomes clear that the stand is still in the middle of construction and that there is a problem. They keep pointing at a wooden construction on the floor and then upwards. It takes me a moment to understand: the construction is supposed to be attached to the booked suspension points, but the two Italians don't have trusses, sling materials or anything else. We were happy to help, of course, and made sure that the stand with the desired long-distance effect was finished in time. And all this without speaking the same language. Bellissimo!
CHRISTIAN MERKEL
Photo credits
Lutz Zimmermann, FAIRNET