by Joey Quesada Cruz, CEM

You juggle hundreds of tasks, issues and concerns from the day you start to plan a show: site selection, exhibit space sales, attendance promotion, security, shuttles, educational seminars, registration, sponsorships, housing, room-sets, budgets -- the list goes on and on. But when opening day finally arrives, how can you hope to focus on your event, while at the same time running around, putting out fires that only you can extinguish, without splitting yourself into two or three or four -- and all the while smiling?

The secret lies in just two little words: floor manager. The floor manager represents show management on the show floor and acts as the liaison between your client, the exhibitor, and the show office. This direct line of communication is essential.

Exhibitors need to know and believe that show management genuinely cares about their success, and an important part of that success is based on their experience, even during move-in and move-out. Indeed, a poor experience during move-in or move-out can often ruin an otherwise highly successful event as perceived by your exhibitor. A presence on the show floor by someone who represents show management is crucial in communicating the message that you are committed to their success.

A floor manager will assist your exhibitors with the logistics of move-in. Was the freight delivered in a timely manner? Was it damaged? If so, where did the damage occur, and whose responsibility was it? What if the freight was lost entirely? Are the utilities adequate -- electrical, water, compressed air and gas? What if your exhibitor is convinced he ordered an electrical outlet in advance, and there's no outlet in sight? Having someone around who is easily accessible to provide answers and explanations, or who can point exhibitors in the right direction if they need help, will let them know their concerns are important to show management.

A floor manager will also act as your deputy, acting on your behalf when immediate action is necessary. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone available to inform an exhibitor that the 19-foot monolith he is about to erect is not in compliance with the display rules and regulations (which were published in the exhibitor's service kit), before he completes construction of the tower? Having a troubleshooter on the floor can catch problems before they become insurmountable.

The type of show you're moving in will, to some degree, determine what kinds of potential difficulties you can expect. For example, at a food service show you may be preoccupied with available dishwashing areas, potable water for coffee, juice and ice-making companies, and gas for cooking -- not to mention health permits; vs., say, an electronics show, where some equipment could be permanently affected if the temperature in the hall were to rise above a certain level, and where exhibitors must have their electrical hook-ups complete and fully operational days before the event opens so they can calibrate sensitive equipment.

Every show presents its own unique set of challenges. A floor manager can be there when you can't, to act as liaison, troubleshooter and, when necessary, enforcer. Who wants the job?One question you might be asking yourself is whether or not you should outsource floor management responsibilities. Outsourcing will often depend on the size of the show (net square footage), the number of exhibitors and the amount of staff available to you.

Do you have a director of education overseeing the educational seminar program? Is someone else in charge of the sales office for next year's show? What about the registration area, press reception and any off-site events? Or do you have to do it all yourself? You get the picture: You cannot be in two places at one time. Hiring an experienced floor manager can pay for itself many times over in the good will you build with exhibitors.

A good source for locating a floor manager is simply by word of mouth. With more than 200,000 net square feet of exhibit space and more than 1,000 exhibitors, the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo typically uses up to five floor managers, and word of mouth is how we get each one of them. If you don't know of someone who uses floor managers, the International Association for Exposition Management's Directory of Floor Managers is an excellent resource. In it is an extensive listing of individuals and firms that floor manage both part-time and on a full-time year-round basis. It includes their qualifications and a brief bio, as well as their seasonal availability (contact IAEM, (972) 458-8002, for more information).

Deputizing the posse

The scope of a floor manager's authority and responsibilities will vary greatly from from show to show and country to country. It can range from overseeing simple booth placements (making sure the exhibitor is installing his or her booth in the correct location), to enforcing the display rules and regulations, to policing disruptive noise emitted from an exhibitor's booth.

Every show has its own rules, but cultural norms can affect what is and is not acceptable as well. In the United States, for example, a sound level of 80 decibels and above could warrant a visit by the floor manager. But in Mexico, decibel readings five or 10 times that level won't raise an eyebrow. In many U.S. cities, union labor jurisdictions affect what exhibitors may do during installation and tear down. But, in Spain exhibitors and their staff don't think twice about driving their vehicles onto the show floor, backing up to their stands, unloading their freight and constructing their booths from scratch. Just try that in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago!

The floor manager can be empowered to act as the voice of show management. In this instance, show management will defer to decisions made by the floor manager, particularly when a dispute between exhibitors can be resolved quickly and simply -- a minor sight-line infraction, for example -- with little or no disruption to the show or the parties involved. At other times, the floor manager's role may be to gather and report enough background information for show management to make an educated decision about how to resolve the situation.

Keeping in mind that no two shows are alike, the floor manager's responsibilities can include:

• Maintaining a high profile on the show floor and being accessible to exhibitors.
• Constant communication and liaison with the event coordinator, official decorator, union steward, facility representative, and auxiliary vendors and services such as freight forwarders and utility personnel.
• Assisting exhibitors with freight or product that has been lost, stolen or damaged.
• Maintaining a list of exhibitor no-shows and available booth inventory.
• Monitoring instances of like-product competition, if applicable.
• Consistently maintaining the show's display rules and regulations to ensure booth compliance.
• Monitoring sight-line violations.
• Monitoring any health and safety issues.
• Answering questions and directing exhibitors to available resources.

Armed and ready

As a problem solver, the floor manager should be fully armed with the tools and materials he or she will need to function efficiently and effectively with your exhibitors, staff and suppliers. Again, remembering that each show is unique, a short packing list might contain some of the following:

• An exhibitor's service kit and general show information.
• A complete, updated exhibitor list by company name.
• A complete, updated exhibitor list by booth number.
• A cancellation list.
• Updated exhibit floor plans reflecting any reconfigurations in either booth or aisle space.
• A building floorplan with designated key areas such as the first-aid station, registration area, show management office, security office, shuttle circle, business center, baggage check, etc.
• Copies of the display rules and regulations.
• Key contacts -- Show management, security and facility personnel to contact in the event of an emergency.
• Space reassignments -- Companies that were reassigned to a new location at the last minute.
• Height variances -- A list of exhibits that have been granted one-time booth variances outside the typical display rules and regulations, if any.
• No sets -- Exhibitors who must report to the show office before setting up their booth. This might be a company that still has an outstanding balance due on the exhibit space contract, or simply has forgotten to sign the contract.
• Ancillary events scheduled on the show floor (i.e. receptions, ribbon cutting, etc.).

Jack-of-all-trades

Besides being able to handle a multitude of tasks quickly and under pressure, floor managers must also be available to show management for any problems that might require their assistance.

At one of our shows, for example, the Fire Marshall who worked Monday through Friday wasn't the same Fire Marshall who worked on weekends. The former didn't like what the latter had agreed to as a configuration in the registration area. Consequently, on the last day of the show it took a crew of show managers, floor managers and decorators to move counters, tables and stanchions to suit the Fire Marshall on duty.

Above all, a floor manager should possess the public relations skills of a pro. After all, this person could quite possibly have more contact with your exhibitors than show management. As your representative on the show floor, the floor manager should be well spoken, well groomed and well informed -- able to blow the horn on behalf of show management, while elucidating the virtues and advantages of exhibiting, all at the drop of a hat!

Consider this scenario: The on-site foodservice concessionaire was in the middle of negotiations for a new union contract with its employees. Because it was a foodservice industry show, the employees could register and attend the exposition. Seeing a perfect opportunity to voice their concerns and demands to the media in attendance, they planned a sit-in in the lobby on opening day. An anonymous tip to law enforcement brought several paddy wagons, 75 policemen in full riot gear and plenty of media coverage. The bull-horn speeches, chanting and singing lasted more than two hours and resulted in 39 arrests. Our floor managers exercised heavy-duty PR that morning -- doing damage control, calming exhibitors' nerves and, at the same time, promoting what a great show it would be.

One thing I've learned in my short 12 years in trade shows is that this business is unpredictable. Just when you think you've seen it all, something happens to remind you that there are no easy problems and solutions. Looking at a situation with a fresh set of eyes, an impartial floor manager could very well see the answer to your worst nightmare. And having another professional around to bounce ideas off of and who can provide objective feedback can be a priceless commodity all by itself.