September 3, 2020

HR Florida 2020

WE’RE BACK!  ATS provides pre-show and onsite support to HR Florida 2020.

After six long months of widespread closures, the in-person events industry is making a comeback and we at ATS are nothing short of ecstatic.  Last week our team supported an in-person for the first time since March sending two technicians for 6 days.  With attendance meeting show management’s expectations, this event hosted a robust expo floor, keynote speakers, informational sessions, and a virtual component.

What about safety protocols?

Coming as a surprise to no one, the question of safety is at the forefront of our minds when large gatherings are concerned.  Before all else, people are our main priority.  Rest assured that protocols were in place and every precaution was taken to keep all in attendance as safe as possible.

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Information is power.

Fear of the unknown regarding in-person events can be intimidating, and we believe that information is power.  The more you know, the more prepared you are and the more comfortable you feel.  Pre-show, with the combined effort of our client and the ATS project management team, we sent out a “know before you go” email to all HR Florida attendees. This email included information regarding safety protocols and procedures.  Additional info was included in a link to the event website.

What did safety look like on-site?

  • Masks were required to be worn at all times and were included in attendee swag bags.
  • Registration was contactless. Plexiglas shields separated staff from attendees, 8 feet between each counter, and printers were facing attendees so that they could easily access their badge. Lanyards were included in attendee swag bags.
  • Counters and registration equipment were sanitized first thing in the morning, hourly, and at the end of each day.
  • In session rooms, there were only two chairs per table accounting for at least six feet between each chair. In the general session room, all chairs were six feet apart allowing attendees to remain socially distant.
  • As attendees entered access-controlled session rooms their badges were scanned by a masked staff member and attendees were dismissed in segments based on where they were seated to reduce bottleneck at the exit doors.
  • Show management provided ten feet of spacing between each exhibitor booth and aisles that were twice as wide as standard. Each aisle was also marked One-way to allow plenty of space for attendees to move about freely while remaining distant from one another.
  • In addition to ATS’ standard App & MobilePlus handheld units, exhibitors were given the option of using the new ATS Contactless Lead Retrieval System to gather leads rather than trading business cards. Exhibitors using our new Contactless Lead Retrieval System captured more than ½ of all attendees as leads, raving about the ease of use.
  • Signage encouraging social distancing and hand sanitizer stations could be found in abundance throughout the venue.
  • Multiple entrances and exits were used in each room to discourage crowding as well as floor stickers indicating where attendees should stand while waiting to enter or exit a room.
  • Pre-boxed lunches were served, and after-hours events included buffet stations with servers behind Plexiglas making plates to keep mealtimes as contactless as possible.

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What's next?

With the success of HR Florida, we are excited to continue the trend of assisting our clients with their in-person events for the remainder of 2020 and beyond!  We are confident that we will be able to adapt and meet all safety needs that will be required moving forward.

Ask a tech!

We welcome you to reach out to us with any questions you may have regarding the return of in-person events.  If you would like to hear more first-hand we are happy to connect you with one of our techs who were onsite this week!

Check back next month to hear about our October shows! We hope to see you on-site soon!