MWC begins before the end of MWC
MWC begins long before the streets of Barcelona are festooned with colourful banners hanging from lampposts (banners recycled to make fashion bags once MWC is over). MWC actually begins before the end of MWC. This paradox space-time is given in a desperate search of hotel accommodation, always done a year in advance, just before the previous edition finishes.
It is not easy to find accommodation for more than 15 people in Barcelona during these dates. Maybe a year ago was easier, because last year the dates of the Congress were stepped forward to not coincide with the Chinese New Year and some hotels rates were not aware and change rates later. But I assure you that this was not the case this year. Summing up, MWC begins well before MWC.
MWC continues after the summer.
It all begins in September, once we are back from our summer holidays, when we start planning the upcoming six months. It’s time to decide what to show in late February in the Congress.
Thus, we begin to think how we imagine our stand, measuring it , layout, message, and we start to looking for providers. Getting in contact with the stand designers, asking them for quotations, evaluating and making changes… It is obviously a team work. “Should we place a meeting room in this spot? No, definitely not. What about this image? No, they won’t understand the message. What if we combine this image with this text? And so on day after day. And we cannot forget all the graphic material (brochures, goodies and collaterals, etc.). This year we have released an app to help us better explain our services, a touch screen integrated within a totem.
All departments scheduling meetings because they know those meeting not scheduled and written down beforehand will be left without meeting room.
And as days go by, we start organizing transportation and accommodation for those colleagues coming from Lleida, from London, from Madrid, from Latin America, from India, and from the US. How to organize them all? Oh! And let’s not forget that we also have to bring all the promotional material needed in the stand: brochures, refreshments, snacks, coffee maker printer…
MWC just before MWC
Well, not yet, because if MWC kicks off on Monday, we are already there since Thursday, reflective vest and helmet on, controlling the assembly of the stand is going along as planned. I did not know what a truss was until my first Mobile, three years ago. Putting it simply, the truss along with wires and touching up the walls of the stand should be perfectly ready for Monday at 9 am as the first visitors arrive.
Sunday is simply crazy: unloading the van, putting everything in order, preparing, placing, tidying up…. And everything is rounded off on Sunday night with the whole team involved in MWC (this year we were 15 out of us) having dinner while having fun.
MWC during MWC
MWC means leaving home at 7.15 am, to make a journey that takes 20 minutes in just 20 minutes. Because if you leave at 7:30, 20 minutes become 30, and if you leave a bit later it may take you up to 60 minutes! It is advisable to arrive to MWC early to avoid long queues at id and passport controls. It also means opening the stand and get everything ready for the arrival of visitors. Monday is not usually the strongest day. People usually start visiting the bigger exhibitors. Nevertheless, we are proud to say many people visit us, a lot.
“Hi, may I help you? “, these are the magic words, the starting point to trying to explain what we do and how it can fit within the business model of the visitor. From 9 am to 7 pm, dealing with Japanese, Colombians, Indians, North Americans…. sometimes getting good contacts, sometimes not and in the meantime seeking to flee and visit, even for a while, the world’s largest technology congress.
And of course, we cannot to forget the media, ever present at MWC. Obviously our job is also to exploit this showcase, and we get on well with the media.
MWC after MWC
MWC does not end on Thursday. In fact, a new MWC begins. We have almost three hundred contacts to monitor, plan and schedule visits… The time has come to rate ourselves and make the necessary improvements for MWC 2016.
The show must go on, MWC must go on!