Show Policies

Suit-Casing / Out-Boarding Policy

Due to numerous complaints about suit-casing and Out-boarding over the last few years our exhibitor’s have asked us to put a policy into place to prevent this practice from impacting the business practices of legitimate exhibitors. The problem is really starting to affect our exhibitors and their ability to do business on a level playing field when they have a competitor not paying to exhibit and they are trying to take away their customers. This has become such a large problem nationally that most trade shows have adopted Suit-Casing/Out-boarding policies to help protect their exhibitors and the cost they put out to market and exhibit at trade shows.

TransWorld wants to create a level playing field for all exhibitors and is doing its best to help all exhibitors have a successful show. As such, we are mandating increased measures to protect exhibitors from suit-casing/out-boarding at the show. This is TransWorld’s Suit-casing and Out-Boarding Policy, which will be posted on signage around the exhibit hall.

What is Suit-Casing?

Suit-casing is a parasitic business practice in which unethical companies will gain access to an event by obtaining some type of event credential attendee badge and then solicit business in the aisles or other public spaces used for the conference. This practice skirts the support of the organizer and the industry. This does not pertain solely to soliciting the attendees of an event. As we all know, some of your biggest customers/vendors can be other exhibiting companies. So, when a salesperson for “Joe’s Manufacturing” (who is not exhibiting) shows up in your booth in an attempt to earn your business as a sub on your next big contract, they are suit-casing. Suit-casing includes any business trying to solicit business at the trade show without exhibiting. In addition any outside event or trade show/conference attempting to promote at the show that is not affiliated with TransWorld and trying to solicit exhibitors or attendees to attend their show is also considered suit-casing and this conduct will not be permitted without written consent from TransWorld Trade Shows.

Some examples of Suit-Casing:

  • Passing out marketing materials or business cards
  • Attempting to sell product on the show floor without exhibiting
  • Dropping of marketing materials on tables, counters or in booths
  • Promoting outside events, trade shows or conferences
  • Booth sharing with a company or person that is not exhibiting
  • Approaching people on the show floor at offsite events and soliciting them.

 Basically if anyone does not have an exhibitor badge or consent from TransWorld they cannot solicit you or anyone else at the show or any of its events.

TransWorld’s official suit-casing Policy

TransWorld has a zero-tolerance policy regarding suit-casing. Please note that while all Trade Show attendees are invited to the exhibit floor, any attendee who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces, or in another company’s booth, will have their badge removed and will be asked to leave immediately without refund.

TransWorld recognizes that suit-casing may also take the form of commercial activity conducted from a hotel guest room or hospitality suite, a restaurant, or any other public place in proximity to our event. For the purposes of this policy, suit-casing violations may occur at venues other than the exhibition floor and at other sponsored events. It is for this reason TransWorld must be informed of any hospitality suites where business is being transacted, and expressed consent must be obtained from TransWorld prior to the event.

What is Out-Boarding?

Out-Boarding refers to an individual or firm who attends the conference in an official or unofficial capacity and hosts unauthorized exhibits, meetings, demonstrations, presentations, events, and any such related activity, in any space in the conference hotels, restaurants, nearby properties or at their own personal business without consent of TransWorld Trade Shows. This includes any exhibitor at the event. You must have written approval from TransWorld to hold any onsite or offsite events. This policy was put into place to protect our sponsors from losing the opportunity to have as many attendees show up at their approved sponsored event. Bottomline is, if you want to hold an event, it must be approved by TransWorld.

Some examples of Out-boarding:

  • Holding any type of event/gathering while in town for the event with non-employees without consent from TransWorld
  • Dropping of marketing materials on tables, counters or at events without approval from TransWorld
  • Approaching people at sponsored onsite or offsite events and trying to solicit business when your company is not the sponsor.

TransWorld’s official Out-Boarding Policy

TransWorld has a zero-tolerance policy for Out-Boarding.

  • Each person must register individually, under their company name, and must wear their official conference badge to enter conference spaces and the exhibit hall. A person using a badge under false credentials will be required to forfeit their badge and leave the conference.
  • Non-exhibitor or non-sponsor attendees are prohibited from soliciting business or distributing marketing materials in any part of the conference venue, exhibit hall or offsite properties.
  • Exhibitor and sponsor attendees are prohibited from soliciting business or distributing marketing materials in any part of the conference venue or exhibit hall outside their assigned booth space or designated sponsorship.
  • All requests for event or meeting space, whether onsite or offsite during an TransWorld Show/Event week require TransWorld’s approval. Any request made directly through the hotel for event or meeting space, including hospitality suites, will be forwarded to TransWorld for approval. TransWorld reserves the right to decline any event request and cancel any unapproved events or bookings. The reason for this is conflicting events can be detrimental to approved sponsors success. In order to protect their investment all events, meetings and gatherings in the town of the event must be approved by TransWorld.
  • Meeting rooms are generally unavailable at TransWorld conferences. If any meeting rooms become available, they will be offered to sponsor firms only on a seniority and first come first serve basis. Prior year sponsors have a first right of refusal to any current years event that they sponsored the previous calendar year.
  • No attendee, exhibitor, or sponsor may extend invitations to activities, events, and meetings or gatherings during any time of the day or night during the week of the event including set-up, conference event days or teardown without the express written consent of TransWorld.
  • Violations:
    Any attendee or firm observed to be engaging in out-boarding will be required to stop their activity and may be forced to cease all business opportunities for the remainder of the show including booth space being closed down and badges being forfeited without refund.  Additional penalties may be applied at TransWorld’s discretion including being banned from future events.

 

The Suit-casing / Outboarding Prevention Team

TransWorld has created a Suit-casing Prevention Team that will be in place for the duration of the conference. The team will consist of TransWorld staff, conference security and the most important member of the team, YOU! Exhibitors will be our greatest asset in preventing suit-casing since there are so many of you, and it directly affects all of us.

What to Look For?

Identifying potential “suit-casers” is fairly simple. First, look for those non-exhibitor attendees who appear to be initiating contact in the aisles or in booths. Look for people handing out fliers/business cards or dropping marketing materials on tables. Any attendee who appears to be handing anything out in the aisles is suspect, because as we all know, distribution of anything is restricted to one’s booth space unless otherwise approved by TransWorld. Identifying a Out-boarder is straight forward.

What Can You Do?

If you observe any suit-casing or out-boarding activities during the conference, please call or text Rich Bianco at 412-812-1773 or Jennifer Thaler at 847-323-5109.

Suit-casing Procedure:

  • Identify the person Suit-casing or Out-boarding
  • Try to contact us while the infraction is occurring so we can confront them immediately. 
  • Take a photo/video of the infraction and send it to us.
  • Immediately contact show management or Rich Bianco at 412-812-1773.
  • After we get the report we will immediately assess the situation and take action to rectify the problem. 

The exhibit manager will investigate all complaints of suit-casing / Out-Boarding as quickly as possible. We prefer you try to keep the suspect party in your presence while we make our way over to confront the party.

Upon receipt of a complaint from an exhibitor/attendee, TransWorld will review the complaint with the reporting party and, if possible, observe the suspected suit-caser / Out-boarder. TransWorld will then address the issue directly with the subject of the complaint. If found to be valid, the complaint will be resolved by show management immediately.

Code of Conduct

We expect all Exhibitors and Attendees that attend the TransWorld Christmas Show or any of its affiliated events to engage in respectful, considerate behavior towards each other and refrain from engaging in behavior or speech that is demeaning, discriminatory or harassing in any manner.

The TransWorld Christmas Show Code of Conduct defines unacceptable behavior as behavior that includes (but is not limited to) the following:

  • Creating a disturbance that is dangerous or interferes with the ability to transact business on the TransWorld Christmas Show floor, or creates apprehension in another person.
  • Engaging in any aggressive or unwanted physical contact with other vendors, attendees and/or general staff.
  • Making defamatory, harassing or demeaning remarks.
  • Using of profanity, sexually explicit/suggestive or offensive language, racial, religious or ethnic slurs.

Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated in the facility, on the show floor or at any  events. Participants determined to be in violation of these policies in the sole discretion of management will be asked to immediately discontinue their inappropriate behavior. If the behavior continues, management reserves the right to take immediate action to bar the attendee or the exhibitor from further participation in the TransWorld Christmas Show without the right of refund for unused days of attendance, seminar or event tickets, or any booth fees or any costs associated with the trade show.

Costume Policy

Attendees are not permitted to wear costumes in the convention center or on the trade show floor.

Exhibitor’s and their employees are permitted to be dressed in costume but are required to stay within the area of their booth space. You are not permitted to walk the show and solicit customers back to your booth. (Please note we do understand you need to leave the booth at certain points throughout the day. You can wear your costume when doing that.)

NO children under 10 policy

Attendees must be at least 10 years old to attend. Children between 10-15 years old need to have a copy of their birth certificate or school ID and must be accompanied by an adult at all times while attending the trade show floor, seminars or any of our events.  Attendees 16 and older need a drivers license or a government issued ID. A VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY – Please be prepared to show a valid Photo ID to enter the trade show floor, seminars, parties & events. *Please note children under the age of 10 will not be permitted to attend the trade show floor, seminars or any our events. No exceptions!