Proper Protical Using Cell Phones at Trade Shows

Cell phones allow us to reach or be reached by anyone, anytime, anywhere. But, that's not always a good thing. It's that pesky ring tone we hear sometimes in the middle of our priest's sermon or during a movie at our local theatre.

Well Susan Friedmann has taken the annoying technological wonders a bit farther when introducing the idea of their bothersome behavior while at trade shows. This is especially true of people working a display booth. She says using your cell phone while in your booth tells the attendee:

1) Your team’s focus is NOT on the tradeshow.
2) Your attendee is not the most important person in the room -- that honor belongs to whoever has your cell phone number.
3) The attendee’s business is not valuable to your company.

On the flip side she adds there is a distinct possibility the attendees, and/or competitors, are listening to at least one side of your staffer’s cell phone conversations:

Confidential business details, including customer names, order size and more intimate, personal conversations.

This is a possible PR nightmare! You're telling the attendees you are in essence to busy to important to deal with you at this time.

We at A Smash Hit Displays man the phone lines during regular business hours. Not only do we man the phones but if those phone lines are tied up you can "Chat Live" with us (similar to Instant Messaging). These are not exactly novel ideas but how many times have we attempted to call a company and received a recording turning us off to that prospective seller? Just having a person answering the phones implies the customer is important and earning their business is very important. The use of the cell phones at the trade shows can be construed in the same fashion. By utilizing them you are telling prospective customers they are not as important as you or your call. Be thoughtful and think of them first at your next show and you will reap the reqards invloved with proper ettiquette.