Tardy for the Party: The Price of Procrastination

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Tardy for the Party:
The Price of Procrastination

"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late." While Shakespeare's sentiment was spot on in the 1600s, today's frazzled exhibit managers should get a free pass, don't you think? But neglecting early bird deadlines doesn't cost pennies; it can literally rack up tens of thousands in missed discounts. Don't believe it? Then consider this scenario and side-by-side comparison provided by Jim Doucette and Arielle Langlais, CTSM, both directors of client services at exhibit house Access TCA Inc. The data illustrates that you can save almost $30,000 on a single show if you're prompt and punctual rather than late and lazy. Clearly, when it comes to exhibiting, there's no such thing as being fashionably late. By Linda Armstrong

Show: American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO)
Booth Size: 30-by-30 feet
Booth Description: The booth includes a suspended and internally lit sign; six product-demo stations with rented monitors, product displays, and seating; and six large backlit graphic panels featuring text and imagery. The exhibitor plans to give away branded pens and tote bags; rent a lead-retrieval system, furniture, and carpet; contract its own labor; and book staffers' hotels, flights, and ground transportation.

PROMPT PATTY
This marketing maven met all of the early bird deadlines and made smart, time-sensitive decisions and purchases that paid off in the end.

LATE LARRY
Despite his best intentions, Late Larry came up short and missed every early discount. Plus, he failed to employ some of Patty's time-related strategies.

Flooring Rental carpet from the general service contractor (GSC)
Patty ordered her carpet well in advance and was invoiced $5,940.	Larry picked his carpet at the last minute and paid $7,519.

I&D Four workers for 16 hours on straight time and eight hours on overtime
Patty organized her I&D labor early in the game and paid $14,365.	Since he missed the discount deadline, Larry's I&D bill came to $20,232.

Rigging Four laborers to assemble, hang, and dismantle, for a total of 10 hours
Patty's timely rigging order came to $5,014.	Larry was hung out to dry and forked over $6,346.

Electrical Six 20-amp and two 10-amp drops
By placing her electrical order early, Patty paid only $2,547.	Larry ordered his electrical services at the 11th hour and coughed up $3,859.

Lead Retrieval Rental lead-retrieval system
Patty took the lead and paid $1,275 for her badge scanners.	Larry lagged on placing his order, which cost him the going rate of $1,417.

Furniture Two bar tables and 10 stools
Patty met the early bird deadlines for renting furniture and paid $3,069.	Larry sat on the paperwork and paid $3,885 for the same furnishings.

Cleaning Hired cleaning for 900 square feet
Patty cleaned up on cleaning services, paying a mere $2,025.	Larry, on the other hand, was taken to the cleaners to the tune of $2,852.

Drayage Crates and pallets weighing 15,000 pounds
Patty paid normal drayage rates due to on-time delivery, resulting in a final invoice of $18,218.	Larry's freight arrived late and incurred a 25-percent penalty, making his material-handling bill $22,772.

Audiovisual Rental for six 46-inch touchscreens
Patty's rental order fell within the GSC's discount window, bringing her total to $11,361.	Larry rented equipment through an outside supplier that offered no discounts. His invoice came to $14,201.

Flights Airfare for exhibit manager and 12 staffers
Patty set up pricing alerts and secured discounted airfare of $4,420.	Larry booked flights roughly a month before the show, which cost him $5,200.

Catering Cappuccino/latte service for 500 drinks per day
Patty woke up, smelled the coffee, and placed an early order for $3,449.	Larry's late-in-the-game order left him picking up a check for $4,312.

Hotel Five nights in Chicago for 13 total staffers
Patty booked discounted staff accommodations through the show's room block for a total of $13,992.	Larry waited until the room block was sold out and ended up at the only hotel still available, which cost $16,461.

Graphic Changes Remake six 38-by-95-inch fabric graphic panels
Patty had her exhibit house remake the panels two weeks before ASCO, and laborers installed them on straight time. Total? $7,600.	Larry's rush-printing fees, overnight shipping charges, and overtime I&D labor set him back $11,692.