On March 31 – April 1, 2010, Aaron Rents held their annual Trade Show and  Meeting for their vendors and Store Managers at The Gaylord Texan Hotel in Washington, DC.  Approximately 2000 Aarons store and staff members attended the two day trade show event and convention.  The program allows the manufacturers reps of Aarons Rents’ product lines to present the features, benefits and technical information of their new products to assist the store managers and staff in the sales promotions process.

The Trade Show is held in the Exhibit Hall with 11 individual display areas.  Each area if piped and draped to provide visual separation, but the challenge that Aaron Rents had faced in the past was the constant ambient noise from 11 loud P.A. Speakers blaring at the same time.  As the groups rotated through each exhibit, no one could hear the presenter in their assigned area.  The shows had become completely counter-productive and unsuccessful.

Aarons came to PlantTours to solve the problem.  Our experience with tradeshows and this type of exhibit venue equipped us to present a detailed plan to provide each exhibitor and attendee/participant with the ideal solution.   Our crew of 8 uniformed Service Reps arrived at the exhibit hall the morning of the first day of the event to set up.  We placed all the equipment in the vendor booths in the Exhibit Hall, placed a receiver and headphone on each chair in each exhibit area and tested each unit programmed to match the hands-free and hand-held microphone placed on the table at the front of each display for the product reps to use for their presentations.  Over the next two trade show days, 11 groups of 80 Aaron Rents Managers and staff were assigned 17 minute time slots to rotate through the exhibits.  Our Service Reps were on hand to neaten the areas and replace the headphones and receivers during the rotation intervals of the schedule.

Instead of a constant noisy cacophony of sound, the client tells us how beneficial our service and product is to deliver a successful show on schedule.  With our system in place, even among over 1000 people in one large area, all that could be heard during the presentations was the low murmur of the presenters speaking in normal voice tones into their microphones.  So according to the client’s comments, not only could all the attendees easily and clearly hear and learn the material presented, they were not fatigued and annoyed by constant loud ambient noise.  In addition, the speakers were refreshed and comfortable and the schedule was precise, on time and a total success.

Following the conclusion of the Day #2 of the show, our Service Reps handled the process of packing and removing all the equipment from the Exhibition Hall.  Our client and the Manufacturer’s reps told us that the service was hassle-free, turn-key and that they looked forward to having us handle their Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL in 2011.

[View with PicLens]

Ranger Boats has been manufacturing premium custom fishing boats since 1968.  The site includes several  buildings on a multi-acre site.

Ranger Boats invited 600 boat dealers to Flippin for their annual Advantage Tour which includes meetings, sales seminars, on-the-water tests and tours of the plant and operations.  The dealers arrived on Wednesday and Friday mornings for the split schedule.  4 PlantTours Service Reps arrived on Tuesday at 5:00pm to set up all the PlantTours equipment for the next morning’s tour.

They ordered receivers and headphones for 4 groups of 75 dealers in each tour.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups 1, 2,3, and 4.  One guide led each group through 6  stops on the tour of the plant.  At most stops, a presenter was stationed with visual aids, posters, samples, etc. to present the technical information regarding the stage of each boat’s production, process stage.  The presenters and guides provided a description of all updates of  products and manufacturing  methods.  The president and founder of the company were also present to deliver remarks.

PlantTours handled the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment a separate display and seminar building.  Ranger Boats chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for light noise reduction for each guest; few areas of the manufacturing area are high noise.  After their opening comments by the Vice President of Sales ended at 7:30am and each participant was equipped with safety glasses they were issued the receiver and headphone and were gathered by group by each assigned guide. It took about 20 minutes to issue all the radios and headphones to the dealers.

Each guide did a quick sound check and each group was assigned a tour route that began on a Spaced Start, so they rotated through each tour stop every 5 minutes.

Ranger Boats use this annual meeting and tour to update their dealers on new boat enhancements and competitive features.  The guides used Hand-Held microphones so each guide could pass the Microphone to the Presenter at each station for their portion of the tour.

All tours were completed by 11;45am.  No service or assistance was needed.

A wrap-up summary meeting and comments from management concluded the event at the plant.

[View with PicLens]

Flowserve produces flow control and pump products for oil, gas, chemical, water resources and other Commercial uses under the multiple brands.  The plant is approx 500,000 square feet and handles almost all production and assembly functions in-house, including assembly, electrical components, testing, warehousing and shipping.

The Resid Upgrading Conference was held to review manufacturing processes and update customer user groups during a weeklong event.  110 guests arrived on  buses at 12:30pm after meetings and lunch at their hotel in Long Beach.  The PlantTours equipment was set up for the tour that morning to conduct our tests and separate the units by group.

Flowserve split each busload into two groups.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups A, B, C, and D.  One guide (plant engineers) and several other staff members walked each group through the 6 stops on the tour.  At each stop, a presenter delivered the message on their area/process.

PlantTours assigned 3 Service Reps to handle the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment under a hospitality tent set up directly adjacent to the entrance to the plant.  We separated it by group (4) for quick and easy distribution.  The Flowserve contact chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for light noise protection and high comfort for each guest; few areas in the plant are high noise.  Each guide gathered his/her group after the welcome for the Plant Manager one group at a time and sent them the PlantTours Distribution table.  We issued the receivers, and headphones and accompanied each group into the plant. It took about 10 minutes to issue all the receivers and headphones to the 110 group participants.

Hand-Held microphones were used by each guide in addition to their head-worn mics to allow Q&A from the visitors.

We monitored the tours throughout the plant by rotating from group to group.  No service or assistance was needed.

At about 2:30pm, the first group arrived to return their receivers/headphones and by 3:00pm, all groups were in the training room, having lunch and were ready to board their buses for the return trip to the hotel.

We look forward to serving Flowserve for their next event opportunity.

[View with PicLens]

Sanmina-SCI produces computer desktop enclosures for computer manufacturers.  The site is approx 700,000 square feet and accommodates all aspects of production and warehousing.

Sanmina-SCI invited 230 guests to the Fremont facility to host an open house of their new and expanded production facility.  Visitors arrived at 10:00am to register prior to the tour.  PlantTours arrived at 8am to set up all the equipment for the first10:30 tour.

They ordered receivers and headphones for 8 groups of guests in each tour.  We pre-programmed and labeled the groups A-H.  If the groups passed each other or ended up at the same stop at the same time, there would be no channel conflict and each visitor would hear only their guide.  One guide and one assistant would lead their group through 13 stops on the tour of the plant.  At each stop, one presenter was stationed to present the technical information regarding that product, process stage and give a description of any changes in the production process.  Sanmina-SCI also had executives and corporate staff from their San Jose headquarters on site.

PlantTours assigned 3 Service Reps to handle the tour guide equipment logistics for the plant staff and groups and set up all the equipment at the entrance to the offices of the plant.  We separated it by group (A-H) for quick and easy distribution.  Sanmina-SCI chose the Moderate Noise/Behind-Head headphones for moderate noise protection for each guest while allowing comfort at the same time.  A hospitality tent in front of the main entrance was set up to host continental breakfast for the visitors.  Beginning at 10:30am, each guide brought his/her group into the PlantTours distribution table, spaced in 5-10 minute time blocks, one group at a time.  We issued the receivers and headphones and they gathered by group for a sound check. It took about 45 minutes to issue all the radios and headphones to the visitors’ groups.

Everything went smoothly.  The guides used Hand-Held microphones so each guide could pass the Microphone to the Presenter at each station for their portion of the tour.

Since they were serving a buffet lunch immediately after the tour in another hospitality tent, we moved the tables we used for distribution to the “Clean Room” at the back of the plant which was the last stop on the tour and prepared for collection at 11:30am.  A PlantTours Rep monitored the groups throughout the plant by constantly moving from group to group.  No service or assistance was needed.

At about 11:15am the first group arrived to return their receivers/headphones and by 12:15pm, all groups had turned in the equipment and were on their way to the lunch program.

Campbell Soup Co. operates a large facility in Maxton, NC and the corporate executives and plant management hosted 5 analysts for a review of operations.

The group arrived at the plant for meetings at 7:30am and PlantTours began our preparations at 8:15am for the 10:45 scheduled tour.  Based on the client request, we set up 4 groups of 14 receivers/headphones.  The groups were brought into the atrium area in the corrider adjacent to the main entrance to the manufacturing area.  We had already issued the receivers, headphones and microphones to the guides and then distributed the receivers and headphones to the guests by their group letter (A,B,C,D).

8 total tour stops for the groups were planned with 5 of them staffed by presenters.  The noise level in several areas of the facility are extremely high and Campbell selected the High Noise/Over Head style headphone for their guests.  Each guide who escorted the groups through the tour stations passed the hand-held microphone to the presenters for the message.

All went smoothly and the groups returned their equipment back to the distribution area and continued their schedule with lunch and meetings.  PlantTours packed and removed all equipment by 2:00pm.