Top 10 Mistakes Convention Managers Make in Europe and How to Avoid Them

Inflation, soaring energy prices, a weak dollar and the stress of exhibiting across the pond may leave some convention managers feeling anxious, but with a little ingenuity and some advanced planning your convention experience in Europe will go smoothly.  Norbert Hultenschmidt, European Manager for Nth Degree, a company that offers event management and marketing services, has zeroed in on the top 10 mistakes that convention managers often make in Europe and, more importantly, how to avoid them during your next event.

Here are the common mistakes…

1. You Order Too Much Electricity

In fact, many uninformed managers have been known to order double the actual amount needed. In the U.S. for example, your exhibit may require six 16 amp (120 volt) outlets, or a total of 96 amps. On a German order form you might see one 220 volt 16 amp outlet for US$225. You also see a 220 volt 8 amp outlet for US$125. In this scenario, many American convention managers would order six of the 220 volt 16 amp outlets for a total of US$1,350, plus the transformers required to convert 220 volt to 120 volt.  What you may not realize, is that a 16 amp transformer will convert 220 volt 8 amp into 120 volt 16 amp, so you could order the 220 volt 8 amp for US$750, which would save you US$600 overall.

2. You Don’t Realize that American Crates are not Designed for European Applications

Shipping crates in the U.S. are designed to “cube-out” U.S. type delivery trucks and utilize as much available space as possible. In Europe however, U.S. crates are not designed to the measurements of European trucks and therefore exhibitors often end up requiring additional truck space and therefore will incur additional expenses.

Another point Hultenschmidt stresses is that truck space costs coupled with fees for storing empty crates during the convention can really add up, “Earlier this year, a show organizer charged US$67.50 U.S. dollars per cubic meter +  tax to store a standard 4 x 4 x 8 crate during the duration of the convention. The total was US$283 U.S. for just one crate.” Hultenschmidt recommends calculating these expenses into your budget ahead of time.  

3. You Don’t Understand the Difference Between the Metric and United States Customary System of Measurement

The character Jules in the popular movie Pulp Fiction said, “You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? A Royale with cheese.” This is true, of course, because of the metric system in which American measurements just don’t make sense. The U.S. relies on the United States customary system of measurement, while throughout Europe (except the U.K.) the metric system is used. This really comes into play in terms of booth design. In Europe, a common booth space is 3 meters x 3 meters, which is 9’ 10 ¼” x 9’ 10 ¼” in the U.S.  Trouble comes when a convention manager does not alter his or her U.S. measurements and ends up with an exhibit that does not fit correctly in their European booth space.

4. You Underestimate the Need to book Hotel Rooms well in Advance

Imagine you are 3 months away from your big convention in Geneva. You think you have ample time to search for a nice hotel and book accordingly. What you will soon discover is that hotels in many European cities are booked solid up to 6 months before a convention opens. In this dilemma, convention managers end up booking hotel rooms for staff in distant cities, which adds extra cost to your budgets and added travel time to your schedule. Unfortunately, experience has proven, the only way to avoid this mishap is to plan for and book hotel rooms 9 months to 1 year in advance of the event.

5. You Don’t Realize that U.S. Code Regulations don’t Apply in Europe

A common misconception among convention managers is to assume that because they have met U.S. code regulations during a domestic convention, that they will also meet regulations in Europe without any further work. Meeting code for items such as fire safety in France or Spain, for example, is much different than in the states. In the U.S. a fabric sign has specific fire prevention regulations, but each country also has its own set of regulations, which means that U.S. fire code regulations are not accepted in Europe. What this boils down to is paperwork. Show organizers provide exhibitors with submission deadline dates for all documentation. Your job as the convention manager, says Hultenschmidt, is to complete all your documentation accurately and on time. By taking action in advance, you will avoid having to redesign complicated elements of your booth, leaving you added time to accomplish the more strategic items on your list. 

6. You Make the Mistake of not Arriving Early Enough to Adjust to World Time Zones

Nothing feels worse than arriving in a strange place in the middle of the day, your body aching for sleep, and then being forced to get to work immediately. It is always wise to arrive at least one day before your convention set-up begins to become acclimated to the local time. Again, planning far in advance for overseas conventions will help you do a better job in representing your company. Hultenschmidt recommends arriving a day early during local daytime hours and not going to sleep until the locals do in order to wake up fresh the next day.

7. You Misjudge the Length of Time it takes to Clear Customs on Shipments

You are getting very close to your big European convention and you decide to set your large containers and shipments to sail 20 days before opening, thinking this is plenty of time for your items to arrive and be delivered before the convention opens. Au contraire mon ami! One must never forget that clearing customs on any shipment (even a FedEx Small Pak) can take anywhere from 1-3 days before ever making it to the delivery truck. How can you avoid this? Hultenschmidt says, “Plan on shipping any exhibit properties 30 days before the install begins to ensure your properties arrive in plenty of time.”

8. You Expect to have an Americanized Experience

It is absolutely vital to the exhibitor’s success to adopt a cultural awareness of the country where they are exhibiting and to accept the locals’ way of doing things. This rule applies to American staff members who will need to keep an open mind and whose expectations need to be managed prior to traveling to the convention. A real-life example of this is in countries like Italy and France where wine is served and enjoyed during most meals. While in America it is taboo for employees to consume any form of alcohol during work hours, in Europe it is quite common. Your I&D team may return from lunch with a distinctive smell of alcohol on their breath. Your first instinct would be to reprimand or fire the staff for drinking on the job, but they have not broken any rules; they simply participated in an aspect of their everyday life.  Hultenschmidt says, “It is important to always know what to expect in every country you travel to and to make this a part of your advanced planning. Offering a brief training for staff traveling overseas can also be very useful.” 

9. You Don’t Anticipate the High Cost of Using Cell Phones and Communication Devices Overseas

Global communication soars to a new level when traveling abroad both in terms of importance and cost. Staying connected to your home base in America is certainly important, yet many convention managers don’t expect such a high price tag for making calls or using email. Simply traveling between locations can cost you US$3 U.S. every time you connect to a new cell phone tower. One of the first steps you should take when traveling out of the country, advises Hultenschmidt, is to check with your wireless provider about an International Rate Plan.

PDA’s to download emails and laptops should also be calculated into your communication costs. The main hotels in Europe charge about 15 – 25 Euros per day to connect to their wireless internet services. Exhibitors should be aware of this additional cost and budget ahead of time for it.

10. You Overlook the Importance of Speaking in the Local Language

One of the most important aspects of exhibiting on a global level is to gain international status and to attract more qualified clients. How can you accomplish this? According to Hultenschmidt, English is the exhibition language in Europe, yet on average only about 60% of attendees will speak English at European shows and conventions.  “Attendees are more comfortable using their first language and will be more inclined to approach and stay at exhibits where they are able to speak in their local language.” To the exhibitor this means that without an interpreter or a fluent speaker on staff, they could potentially miss out on over 40% of business. The solution – hire an interpreter or fluent speaker for the entirety of the convention or at the very least, attempt to greet potential clients in the local language. “You would be amazed how easily you can break the ice by using a few words from the locals’ language. Sometimes just your attempts to speak the language will put the attendees at ease and offer them the opportunity to practice speaking their second language - English. Making them feel welcome and comfortable at your exhibit is the first step,” says Hultenschmidt.

Whether this is your first time exhibiting in Europe, or if you are a seasoned business traveler, you can never plan too far in advance. Anticipation, managing expectations, allocating funds and planning ahead are just some of the points for success. Being savvy, having an open mind and integrating yourself into the local culture are also important. Pay attention to these common mistakes and think from a new perspective - you will ultimately learn to embrace and even enjoy international conventions.

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About the Authors: Norbert Hultenschmidt, based in Dusseldorf, Germany, has 20 years of experience planning and implementing European conventions and trade shows. For more information, Norbert can be reached by phone at 011 49 2165-872700 or by email at nhs@nthdegree.com.  Mike Miller is currently Nth Degree’s Director of International Services and can be reached at 404-297-5245 or mmiller@nthdegree.com.