Refocusing On Service and Safety at Live Events

June 2, 2020

Sheila LeMaster

Sheila LeMaster, CMP is Vice President of Exhibitor Services for GES in Las Vegas. Sheila has over 30 years’ experience in the hotel hospitality and trade show industry. At GES, she guides a team of more than 100 professionals in maintaining client and customer relationships while providing exceptional customer service.

Bringing events back, whether they are trade shows, conferences or entertainment, is crucial to restoring vitality to the overall economy and the industry we love. 

I live and work in Las Vegas, which hosts some of the most amazing trade shows and conventions, like MAGIC, COSMOPROF North America and IMEX America, attracting exhibitors and attendees from all over the world. Not only do these shows bring in the tourism Las Vegas enjoys, but they also provide employment for more than 100,000 workers in a multitude of different service, hospitality, production and construction industries in event venues throughout town.

As co-chair of the ESCA Health & Safety Committee and a member of the Industry Event & Health Advisory Group for GBAC/ISSA, we are developing standards for a re-opening of trade shows and live events. It is of paramount importance to identify new ways of creating the environments that foster necessary face-to-face interactions while implementing operational practices to promote the health and safety of exhibitors, event planners and attendees alike. 

Here are some practices that will be key to moving the events industry forward:

1. Health and Safety Precautions

  • Rethinking space allocation to accommodate physical distancing requirements, including areas like registration, walkway traffic flow, queue lines and capacity levels
  • Ensuring staff serving you on the show floor has all the necessary PPE equipment required, checking each individual’s temperature prior to arriving on the show site floor, and creating an enjoyable and safe environment during your time with us

2. Contactless Service

  • Options for exhibitors to work directly with our team including ordering products and services in the convenience of their booth space, hotel room or remote location as well as the ability to approve and sign labor requests and new orders via text messages
  • Use of contactless communication methods such as texting and safe face-time opportunities to enable direct communication between exhibitors and GES on-site, as well as clients with their audiences

3. Increased Advance Communication

  • Robust advance communication and information delivery prior to attendees and exhibitors arriving on show-site, utilizing every form of messaging technology available
  • For instance, attendees may be able to receive the following items before they even leave home and could eliminate the need to visit a registration hub: 
    • Hotel registration
    • Shuttle bus pickup information
    • Badge and exhibitor registration
  • For exhibitors, this may include more pre-/post-show communications and digital tools to handle things like forms, billing and shipping orders

4. Sustainability Considerations

  • We are focused on going 100-percent paperless at show site. We will encourage the use of technology for all new orders as well as authorization of labor tickets. 
  • We will utilize texting technology for more detailed conversation at show site with the ability to not only process new orders but also help provide answers to general questions, status of pre-show ordered items, check on the status of your freight, as well as any post-show communication that might be needed. 

 

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NO WISH IS TOO BIG AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact
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