Events vary in form and layout, from high-profile sporting tournaments to small-scale exhibitions and shows.  The historic Game Fair has been held annually since 1958, showcasing country pursuits and all things outdoors. Taking place at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, the event attracts over 650 exhibitors and 120,000 visitors over the course of three days.

Challenges

The Game Fair begins the process of selling and allocating exhibitor plots across the extensive site almost a year before the event.  Historically, the sale and attribution of plots was managed through a large print out of CAD drawings pinned to the wall of the organising team!  During the COVID-19 pandemic 2021, the events planning cycle began during the midst of lockdown. Consequently, the organisers faced additional planning challenges.

Exhibitor plot allocation

In previous planning years, Sales representatives assigned exhibitor plots using a CAD print out, marking off sold plots manually. However, due to COVID-19 work-from-home restrictions, this labour-intensive process became impossible.

Collaborative planning

The organisational team was no longer able to work together in person, yet they still needed to work collaboratively. They needed a solution that enabled them to work with team members and event delivery partners without contravening social distancing rules.

Agile organisation

Managing over 650 exhibitors meant there were inevitably repeated changes and regular plot reallocations throughout the sales planning process. Manually, these edits were easily lost, creating problems further down the line.

Solution

Working in partnership with their event site designer, Event Site Design (ESD), The Game Fair chose to partner with Iventis to implement an online solution that would help mitigate issues caused by the pandemic.  By leveraging the Iventis Planner, the organisers were able to ensure continued communication throughout the planning process and heightening visibility at every stage.

Visual planning

The Planner uses geospatial imaging to provide a highly visual experience, ideal for plotting available pitches and providing context to exhibitors during sales calls. Organisers can easily add, delete, swap or make changes to individual plots to ensure all plans are up to date. Version control and manual print outs were a thing of the past.

Integrated platform

The platforms geospatial features allowed the entire planning team, along with stakeholders and suppliers, to collaboratively plan every aspect of the event. This integrated approach eliminated the need for managing plans manually and in incompatible formats, streamlining the process for everyone nvolved.

Real-time capabilities

Changes happen, and Iventis tracks them all. The Planner is equipped to handle real-time amendments and offers the ability to share the lates plans with stakeholders, ensuring that all parties are aware of relevant updates during all stages of planning, and even during the event itself.

“Iventis has helped us transform the way we use and update the plan for the better and made the whole process internally a lot smoother. The plan can be instantly updated and adapted in real time.”

Catherine Bishop, Operations Manager, The Game Fair

Summary

The partnership between The Game Fair and Iventis was instrumental for a successful event, ensuring that the sale of exhibitor plot continued throughout the uncertain and restricting period of time. The tool enabled digital and efficient planning that benefited both organisers and the sales team by providing an updated view of the site plan whenever needed. As remote work and flexible event planning continue to evolve, the Iventis Planner offers organisers the ability to enhance operational planning, increase collaboration and swiftly sell plots.

To find out more about how Iventis can help streamline your event planning, speak to our team of experts today.