Blogpost

Trade Show Security

Event-Security

Large scale trade shows create complex security situations. Any event with hundreds if not thousands of people in attendance will be complicated. But at trade shows you have people who do not know each other, many of whom will be from out of state or even from around the world. Professional security is essential to protecting all those individuals. At trade shows reputation is critical. One highly publicized negative situation can ruin a reputation built carefully over years.

Here is what you need to ensure your trade show security goes off without a hitch.

Crowd Control

From a professional security perspective, most incidents do not happen because of malicious actors. They happen because of improper crowd control. Whenever you have very large groups of people gathering in one place, you have opportunities for conflict. From patrons walking behind the show booths and messing with the equipment, to people getting separated from their friends and frustrated, all sorts of problems are possible. Clear crowd flow can prevent bottlenecks, attendees wandering freely and other risky situations.

Event organizers should take care to have clearly marked signage throughout the event so people know where they are supposed to be walking. If crowd flow is simple and clear, the whole event will run smoothly. Proper traffic management means fewer disagreements between patrons, which means fewer security risks. It also means that in the event of an incident, security and event management personnel will be able to access specific sites swiftly without holdups. Without proper traffic management, the whole trade show can fall apart quickly.

Trade Show Specifics

Trade shows are more than simply high capacity events. There are often many different rooms or areas, each of which with booths, exhibits and other exciting things. People will be encouraged to stop and look, maybe take a flyer or speak to company representatives. They must be prevented from breaking or stealing anything.

Some vendors or featured companies may bring merchandise or exhibitions to display. Bringing a prototype of a long awaited product to a trade show can be a great way for a company to make a splash. Any damage to the prototype could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the item and event. Making sure expo security is tight is very important. Velvet ropes, clear signage and properly trained guards will prevent damage to expensive equipment and keep everyone in good spirits. Participants in the trade show will have spent a lot of money on their exhibits and will be very upset if there is damage or theft.

Special events on the side of the trade show can draw big crowds. Keynote speakers or innovative companies may put on a show with high production values and lots of props. Ensuring that preparation areas are kept clear and that their equipment is separated, marked, and left alone is essential. Guard services who know what they are doing know the unique challenges trade shows provide. Staff will be courteous but firm and prevent anyone tampering with anything which is needed for a specific purpose.

Holistic Security

While each specific booth needs to be protected in a trade show, the entire event needs a holistic approach. Access control is vital here, making sure that no-one without a pass enters the event. More complicated events will have different levels of access control, with some participants allowed into some areas, but not others. A properly developed access management system, tailored to the needs of the event, is essential. Your security solutions team needs to look at a map of your site, isolate the access points and put in place a plan to secure the whole venue. This includes properly mapped out evacuation routes for the unlikely event that an emergency occurs.

Integrated technological solutions is another way professional security teams set themselves apart. Judiciously located cameras can build up a video surveillance network to cover the whole event. It’s important to be able to track individuals coming in and out. Partly this serves a deterrent, people are much more likely to behave appropriately if they know they are being watched. It’s also important after the fact. Having access to video surveillance footage can mean the difference between catching a thief and not.

Trade shows are high capacity events with many complexities. Covering all your bases is vital, since your reputation as a trade show depends on a smooth, high energy event. Contracting a properly qualified security team, such as Ranger Guard will give you the peace of mind to stop worrying about security and focus on actualizing your vision for an incredible trade show.