A chaotic exhibit floor can be an inviting environment for thieves. Upgrading your security ensures items, vendors, and visitors are safe.
Trade shows provide a bustling atmosphere where attendees can get up close to cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art automobiles, advancements in aviation equipment, trendy home renovation supplies, and other valuable commodities. For this reason, trade shows attract hundreds or even thousands of visitors, from industry professionals to curious members of the public.
However, wherever high-priced goods reside, there will be thieves looking to make a quick buck.
That’s where trade show security comes into play, as a proactive security system can prevent theft and vandalism, ensuring vendors and attendees feel safe throughout the exhibition. Traditional security might not cut it, though, because there are so many variables associated with these shows. Basic solutions might not provide adequate protection, leaving your event vulnerable.
Here’s a look at five reasons an upgraded trade show security system can benefit you while ensuring your next event goes off without a hitch.
1. There’s valuable equipment present
Nearly every industry imaginable holds trade shows, and there is often valuable equipment on-site during these events. While shows displaying cars or boats are challenging to steal from because of the size of the exhibits, costly vandalism can occur. Having a high-end security system in place allows your team to address potential defacement before it leads to significant damage.
Shows in the smartphone, retail, collectibles, science, medical, and fitness industries, among others, are more prone to theft because many items are small enough for a thief to grab and wander away with quickly. Vendors can’t have eyes on their products at all times, which is where security precautions come into play.
2. Trade shows get busy
The traffic a trade show sees is dependent on the venue’s size. In 2019, the average exhibition in the United States attracted over 4,900 people, although shows that attract over 100,000 attendees do occur. For example, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas attracts 180,000 attendees annually, while the city’s CONEXPO-CON construction trade show hosts 125,000 people.
Other massive trade shows include the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, the RSA Conference in San Francisco, the InfoComm Show in Orlando, and NRF: Retail’s Big Show in New York.
Still, your event doesn’t have to be globally renowned to need security, as thieves will target any show with potential value, especially when the venue doesn’t have adequate protection to discourage crime.
3. Exhibitors leave items overnight
Another potential issue regarding trade shows is that they’re usually multiday events, so many items remain on-site overnight or even for a few nights. Buildings become even more susceptible to intrusion once the sun goes down, especially when no one is there to keep an eye on things.
One solution is hiring around-the-clock security to watch the venue and ensure no unauthorized personnel enter. However, you’ll want to make sure your security staff has the proper training to address any issues and is adequately vetted to ensure they don’t become part of the problem.
Depending on the value of the items at your trade show, overnight security guards might not provide enough protection, so investing in an upgraded trade show security system could become necessary.
4. Security staff might be undertrained and overstretched
Hiring a security team to watch your trade show venue, or even your booth, might sound like a good idea on the surface, and these services certainly provide some value. It’s important to note, though, that the security staff you hire will probably be unarmed civilians whose experience involves checking IDs and watching the outside of the building for any developing problems.
This level of security is nice to have because it can keep the trade show’s patrons orderly. Still, it doesn’t do much to prevent theft, especially when dealing with savvy criminals or other vendors.
The security team could also be in charge of supervising thousands of people at once, so closely watching specific individuals becomes incredibly challenging to downright impossible. Fortunately, there are cost-effective solutions that don’t leave your security personnel overextended.
5. You don’t know who to trust with security
Finally, there’s always the chance security personnel or other exhibitors could victimize your vendors. Unless you have a long working relationship with every business attending your trade show, there’s no telling if you can trust their representatives.
This issue is especially prevalent at large trade shows that attract hundreds of exhibitors from all over the country because the vendors won’t know each other. In theory, smaller regional shows are safer because the same businesses attend event after event and develop relationships among exhibitors.
The fact that vendors will have greater access to the venue than the public magnifies this problem because they could be on-site before the door opens in the morning or after they close at night. Upgrading your security solution to include 24-hour monitoring can help alleviate this problem by ensuring there’s a method of watching vendors and security team members.
Your trade show security solution
Perhaps the most efficient way to protect a single booth or an entire venue is through a mobile video surveillance system. Exhibitors or venue operators can have a custom system installed quickly that will provide:
- Multiple camera views
- A mobile app to view the feeds
- After-hours monitoring from security professionals
If you’re a vendor and don’t feel a show has adequate security, you can enhance it by installing one of these systems in your booth.
Mobile Video Guard specializes in temporary mobile surveillance systems for trade shows and exhibitors. We can develop a custom solution for you, whether you require additional security for a trade show you’re organizing or want some monitored surveillance on your company’s display. Contact the security experts at Mobile Video Guard today to get a quote.
