Technology Toolkit

Our company exhibits at several trade shows a year, and transporting our signs and displays to the show site is always one of the biggest challenges we have. Transporting involves selecting a reasonably-priced, reliable shipping company we know we can trust; developing a detailed Bill of Lading (BOL); crating things properly for safe delivery without damage; and onsite set-up before the show opens. At the end, it involves taking down and repacking everything, having it at the loading dock on time, and making sure your carrier knows exactly when and where to get in line so you’ll avoid the extra fees and frustrations of “forced freight.”

What is “forced freight?” The Official Show Contractor has to see to it that hundreds of exhibitors have their exhibits shipped out in a timely fashion after a trade show. If there are any hiccups along the way they will simply load your freight with the Official Carrier to insure that there are no bottlenecks in the process. The carrier will then contact you to pay the shipping charges via Credit Card or they will put your exhibit in storage, further racking up your charges. Plus, it typically takes longer for your freight to return. If you need it for another show, that could further complicate matters. It truly can turn into a nightmare.

As trade show season heats up, be sure you know the proper way to work with your freight carriers to avoid this situation. No matter how much preparation and planning you invest in your trade show exhibit, small fires can always pop up. It’s the nature of the beast. If you aren’t careful, you can easily run into the costly, inconvenient problem of this “forced freight.” However, this is one problem that can easily be avoided.

Here’s how it works: you need a plan! After a tradeshow ends the chaos begins. Exhibitors are scrambling to dismantle their exhibits, pack them up, and ship them back to the company. It can be quite overwhelming if you don’t have a plan in place. For example, one thing that can easily be overlooked is the Bill of Lading (BOL) paperwork for your return shipment.

Generally, you set up your return shipment in advance with a carrier you like, at a negotiated rate. When the show has ended you turn in your paperwork and your carrier picks up your goods. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? However, if you fail to turn in your paperwork or fail to mention important instructions to your carrier, your shipment could get “forced.”

So how can you avoid the expensive, additional cost?

1. Always work with a carrier you trust, or one that has good references.

2. Make sure your carrier follows the show instructions to the letter.

3. If the pickup is scheduled between 1 PM and 5 PM, make sure your carrier will be in line at 11 AM! Let them know if they fail to check in on time, your freight is likely to be forced!

4. Make sure your BOL is filled out properly and accompanies the freight to your carrier.

5. Make sure all of your crates/pallets are properly labeled.

6. Be sure to provide your carrier a phone number in case they need to contact you.

With a little luck, you can save thousands of dollars and the unnecessary stress of forced freight if you follow these six guidelines.