We all love DIY projects but would you build your own house? A few of you general contractors out there might be nodding your heads but with an asset as valuable and important as a state-of-the-art trade show display it is best to leave the heavy lifting to the experts.
What is an EAC and why should you hire one for your events?
An Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) is a professional team of exhibit installers, hired by you, who make sure your display is installed in a safe and cost-effective manner. They also handle the teardown and disassembly of your booth, carefully crating it for hassle-free shipping back to the storage facility.
This is a critical decision, as an EAC works directly for you and thus allows you to have more control over budget and labor costs. And in the rare case of accidental damage to a display an EAC is directly responsible for making it right. There is too much at stake to perform these tasks yourself, not to mention the time and sweat equity that goes into set up and tear down.
Many shows have the option of hiring their in-house General Contractor (GC) but these are often temporary-hire labor teams that have little accountability to you or your expensive booth. They have no idea how to assemble your display until they read assembly instructions on the spot and then do their best to build this brand new project (brand new to them). They are frequently under pressure to finish assembly as quickly as possible as they have many displays to put together in a single day. It’s not the best scenario. Much better to hire your own team that you know and trust.
A good EAC will take the time to learn your display inside and out, making install and dismantle quicker and more efficient.
The benefits of hiring an EAC team:
- EACs are most often full-time employees that are event and trade show skilled workers
- They tend to have more knowledge of your display
- They have access to instructions and photos of your booth prior to the event
- They review the installation and create a team to work together prior to your move in date of the show
- They have full contact with you during the install and after to be sure everything is meeting or exceeding your expectations
- If questions arise, they are able to contact you directly and clarify your needs and expectations
- Most EACs are reachable during the show and will likely be the same people taking the booth down, packing it up, and shipping it back to you
- An EAC works for YOU – they represent your interests and want to make sure the process goes as seamlessly as possible
- With an EAC, you will not be blind-sided at the close of the show with overage expenses that you were not made aware of
You have invested so much time, energy and money into building your display. It makes sense to ensure your booth is handled in a professional, safe and efficient manner. Damage to materials by inexperienced workers are costly, not to mention stressful for your entire event marketing team. Take the time to find the best EAC crews and utilize the decades of experience from full-service trade show houses like Apple Rock, who has over 30 years of trade show experience.
Apple Rock can help you navigate these tricky trade show waters. It goes far beyond merely building displays. Schedule a consultation with one of Apple Rock’s trade show professionals and boost this year’s event ROI.
