10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #10
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #10. Unlike many of our competitors, we do not dictate your shipping/freight options. It’s your choice. We can arrange your freight, or you can arrange it through your carrier and your account number. We’re flexible. However, there are several reasons why allowing us to arrange your freight is advantageous. First, our FedEx and UPS discounts are probably much better than yours based on our volume and history. We consistently ship 10-20 orders per day. Second, we purchase freight insurance, not through the carrier, but through a separate policy. This insurance is MUCH BETTER and typically covers the full cost of the exhibit.
We encourage you to discuss your freight options with your Project Manager. You may discover that allowing us to arrange your freight makes a lot more sense both for your peace-of-mind and financially.
Word on the Street — October 12th thru October 16th
Well, I don’t know about you, but this has been a very long week. That’s not to say it’s been a “bad” week . . . just long. Whenever airplanes, airports, and airlines are involved . . . . well, you know.
I was in Atlanta much of the week. The Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic was on Monday. What a great event as always. Kudos to Rich Johnson, Jim Wurm, and Ted Petersen and their whole team for putting on another successful and fun event.
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #9
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #9. We have an amazing Accounting Department that’s small but efficient. It handles Accounting, Human Resources, and Purchasing at Classic Exhibits (manufacturing) and coordinates all financials for the other two divisions. In 2008, our Accounting Manager, Beth, was on medical leave for much of the year. Although she worked far more than she should have, there were times when she was unable to work for a week or two and other times when she would be at Classic for just a couple of days. However, if you didn’t know that, then you wouldn’t have known anything was different. Beth and her team kept the department running flawlessly by prioritizing tasks, working smarter, and streamlining established procedures.
Plus 1. For eight years, the PA speaker in the Setup Area has broadcast a local Spanish radio station 24/7. That’s not intentional. We’ve attempted to fix it, unsuccessfully, multiple times. We’ve brought in electricians, who have examined it only to conclude that our only option is to disconnect the wiring. Well, that’s not an option since we rely on the PA system throughout the day. Last week, Vitaliy, our Setup Lead, said to Mel, “Ocho, ocho, ocho! Why do they keep saying ‘ocho’?” We feel for Vitaliy, we really do, but you would think after eight years of listening to Spanish radio that he would know that ocho means “eight.” You gotta love the irony.
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #8
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy!
#8. Electrical and wire management can be a challenge — not the implementation but the communication. It’s the trade show equivalent of “Don’t ask, Don’t tell.” We neglected to ask you about wire management, and you forgot to tell us about your client’s electrical or cabling needs. This may sound a little whiney, but we’re begging you to initiate that conversation on every design and order. Better yet, make it part of the initial design criteria. We do our darndest to be proactive about wire management, but we’re not perfect. If you don’t see it on the drawing or in the order confirmation, then it slipped through the cracks — and someone’s going to have to deal with it on the show floor. That’s just one more issue that we want to solve before your client does.
Plus 1. Every Friday afternoon between 3-5 pm we play dodgeball in our Setup Area. The teams are almost always Production vs. Customer Service, Design, and Management, which helps to diffuse any tension percolating during the week. The two best players in Production are Igor and Ivan. The two best players in Customer Service are Anne and Edie, which shouldn’t surprise you if you’ve ever met the men in those departments. Remember the the 5 D’s: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge.
To learn more about dodgeball, view The 5 D’s of Dodgeball video.
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #7
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #7. You probably already know this but will confirm it anyway. Not every exhibit design shown in Design Monday has been built (or in some cases even engineered). Heck, that’s why we called it “Design Monday,” not “Kits Monday.” Has it ever bit us in the tutu? Never, because we either design the exhibits to be built or we figure out how to build them. Sure we take risks . . . but we’re not stupid.
Plus 1. Classic Exhibits is located on International Way in Milwaukie, OR (a suburb of Portland). Now, we’re not sure our industrial park, which is a beautiful industrial park with trees, a stream, and a wetlands, qualifies as international, but our workforce may. In addition to the many native-born Oregonians and Washatonians, we have employees born in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Bosnia, and Turkey. And then there’s Charlie Shivel, our Kentucky-born PM. You’d think there would be a temptation to pick on Charlie, but Mel White, the VP of Marketing, is a much easier target. Although born in Washington State, he’s live much of his life in West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, and North Dakota. Statistically, Mel wins by a landslide.
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #6
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #6. Good exhibit designers are different (and sometimes a little scary). By nature, they are creative, resourceful, efficient, inquisitive, and even petulant at times. They have the uncanny ability to envision complex solutions with minimal instructions. And while many of them are mentalists, like Kreskin, they are not psychics or mind-readers. They are good, just not that good. Want some practical advice on how to maximize a designer’s creative potential and minimize any peevishness (Hey, we’re human too), then we urge you to avoid the following “cotton candy” design descriptions:
Open and Airy
Contemporary but Classic
Clean not Cluttered
Modern Looking but No Metal
We’ll know what we want when we see it (Ugh?!!!!!!!)
Plus 1. Our production manager is Jim, but that isn’t his real name. Ten years ago, our former production manager couldn’t pronounce “Yevgenity,” so rather than learn to pronounce it, he simply decided that “Jim” was easier. He’s been Jim ever since. We share this because it illustrates how our production team accommodates distributor requests (sometimes to a fault). If you want a Yevgenity to be a Jim, then they’ll make it a Jim.
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #5
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #5. Classic markets two pop up displays — the Quadro S (square frame) and the Quadro EO (self-locking, economy option frame). We want to be sympathetic when you tell us that naming both pop up systems Quadro is confusing (we really do). But the evil side of us says, “This is the same person who could describe ‘at length’ the differences between the Oreo Sandwich Creme and the Oreo Double Stuff and why the Oreo Cakester is better than the Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo.”
Plus 1. Anyone who has ever visited Classic can confirm the following . . . Classic has no lobby, no showroom, no receptionist. When you enter our building, you step onto the manufacturing floor. There’s no better example of who we are and what we do than that. We are a designer and manufacturer of trade show exhibits whose products are sold through an independent network of professional distributors.
Word on the Street — October 5th thru October 9th
The same can be said for us at Classic. We cannot succeed without the help and support of our key vendor partners. They provide the frosting for all the beautiful exhibits we create on behalf of our distributors. Companies like Optima Graphics and Brumark Flooring are critical to making a Classic, well . . . a Classic!
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #4
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #4. We often talk about being a transparent company to our distributors. We’ll discuss any aspect of Classic Exhibits Inc. except our financials (we’re privately held). We’ll break that rule just this once. On occasion, a distributor will ask us if we have enough aluminum extrusion to handle a large order. We always smile. Currently, we have over a million dollars in aluminum extrusion in our inventory. It would have to be a REALLY BIG ORDER to put a dent in our inventory. Bring it on baby!
Plus 1. Aside from Reid Sherwood’s obvious sales and people skills, not many people know that the third reason he was hired by Classic had a lot to do with Mel White’s obsession with Bigfoot!
For the only legitimate source of Bigfoot facts and sightings (according to Mel . . . and he’s serious), refer to the non-profit Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization(www.bfro.net).
10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t Tell You — #3
For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #3. Yes, Sacagawea is an odd name for an exhibit system, but we wanted to continue the explorer theme (Magellan). Do you have any idea how hard it is to find an explorer whose reputation hasn’t taken a beating in recent history? Think Cortez, Columbus, Pizarro . . . basically any explorer in the “New World.” For anyone struggling with how to pronounce “Sacagawea” or for a quick history lesson about this remarkable woman, click here.
Plus 1. Despite our denials, we actually own an anti-gravity device. We only use it for our special customers since it requires Plutonium 286 to power the reactor.
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