Thursday, February 3, 2011
IFAI Convention: Days 3 & 4
(Just getting around to posting after the conference, but I was writing drafts the whole time)
Day 3
The morning was spent at industry meetings. Unfortunately the ballasting presentation was pushed back a day. I am really anticipating this presentation to see what industry peers think the right and wrong ways are to ballast tents. Hopefully the presentation doesn't get cancelled all together.
The tent vendors are busy setting up their structures in the parking lot outside of the hotel. There isn't too much new in terms of physical structure but the accessories look like they could be pretty cool. The Celina folks have started incorporating walling tracks on their uprights. There is a massive storm brewing off the coast set to hit in the afternoon, it should be interesting to see who is confident enough in their products to leave them out in the wind. After the calamity of tents going down in last year's storm in Phoenix, I wouldn't be suprised if some people halted their set up.
Aside from the tent set up, there were some presentations about thinking outside of the box, using social media and technology to your benefit and being a part of the winning team. The social media presenter was in Phoenix, but brought some really good, new ideas to the table (more on those later).
Between presentations and the welcome reception, I'm sitting in my room waiting on this storm. Should be a doozy.
Day 4
The storm came and went and miraculously, no tents had issues. VERY impressive. Even Aztek's pole tents that seemed pretty lightweight stayed up. WOW! I did not see that coming.
The ballasting presentation was moved to this morning and it was interesting to see what some people consider to be enough weight. After seeing what some people are up to, I feel confident that we are on the leading edge of the industry in terms of weighting down tents (that or we over-load our tent legs to be safe).
It was good to get out and see the tents, like I mentioned yesterday, there wasn't too much new in terms of revolutionary products. Either way, its good to be out and seeing what the rest of the industry is up to.
The big presentation that everyone was waiting on in terms of commissioning a ballasting study was discussed at length this afternoon. There was very spirited debate over whether or not to hire a firm to look into what the appropriate amount of weight is to hold down different styles of tents. Some companies seemed to think that putting an industry standard out there could hurt their business because they would have to radically change the way they operate. My personal feeling is that there is no price on safety at an event. If we can come up with a way to make sure our customers are more safe, I'm all for it (I also voted to commission the survey).
As part of the closing day, an awards dinner was held and after that, Losberger threw an awesome party on the beach. I got some great ideas for tent lighting from the party that would dramatically go to improve an area that we are a little behind in. More to come on that as well!
Day 3
The morning was spent at industry meetings. Unfortunately the ballasting presentation was pushed back a day. I am really anticipating this presentation to see what industry peers think the right and wrong ways are to ballast tents. Hopefully the presentation doesn't get cancelled all together.
The tent vendors are busy setting up their structures in the parking lot outside of the hotel. There isn't too much new in terms of physical structure but the accessories look like they could be pretty cool. The Celina folks have started incorporating walling tracks on their uprights. There is a massive storm brewing off the coast set to hit in the afternoon, it should be interesting to see who is confident enough in their products to leave them out in the wind. After the calamity of tents going down in last year's storm in Phoenix, I wouldn't be suprised if some people halted their set up.
Aside from the tent set up, there were some presentations about thinking outside of the box, using social media and technology to your benefit and being a part of the winning team. The social media presenter was in Phoenix, but brought some really good, new ideas to the table (more on those later).
Between presentations and the welcome reception, I'm sitting in my room waiting on this storm. Should be a doozy.
Day 4
The storm came and went and miraculously, no tents had issues. VERY impressive. Even Aztek's pole tents that seemed pretty lightweight stayed up. WOW! I did not see that coming.
The ballasting presentation was moved to this morning and it was interesting to see what some people consider to be enough weight. After seeing what some people are up to, I feel confident that we are on the leading edge of the industry in terms of weighting down tents (that or we over-load our tent legs to be safe).
It was good to get out and see the tents, like I mentioned yesterday, there wasn't too much new in terms of revolutionary products. Either way, its good to be out and seeing what the rest of the industry is up to.
The big presentation that everyone was waiting on in terms of commissioning a ballasting study was discussed at length this afternoon. There was very spirited debate over whether or not to hire a firm to look into what the appropriate amount of weight is to hold down different styles of tents. Some companies seemed to think that putting an industry standard out there could hurt their business because they would have to radically change the way they operate. My personal feeling is that there is no price on safety at an event. If we can come up with a way to make sure our customers are more safe, I'm all for it (I also voted to commission the survey).
As part of the closing day, an awards dinner was held and after that, Losberger threw an awesome party on the beach. I got some great ideas for tent lighting from the party that would dramatically go to improve an area that we are a little behind in. More to come on that as well!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
IFAI Convention
Day 2:
The golf outting was a lot of fun. Our team (me, my dad, Mike from Snyder, Linc from Versaidag) finished 3 under par. We had a blast and most importantly, we were able to get out and golf for the first time in about 3 months.
Following the golf outting, members got together for a meet and greet. It was a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to new members and to catch up with old friends. The event was held at the Tiki bar on the premises of the Tradewinds Hotel and Resort. Pretty intimate location and a great spot for the networking event. At the meet and greet they handed out the awards for the golf tournament. I was disappointed that we didn't win (the winning team was 11 under par), but I was thrilled that we weren't awarded the last place consolation prize either.
The day was capped off by a nice dinner and conversation with friends, both new and old.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow where the exhibition tents will be set up in the parking lot in front of the resort. A pretty heavy storm is supposed to blow through the area. It will be interesting to see which companies feel confidently enough about their products to leave them up in the high winds.
The golf outting was a lot of fun. Our team (me, my dad, Mike from Snyder, Linc from Versaidag) finished 3 under par. We had a blast and most importantly, we were able to get out and golf for the first time in about 3 months.
Following the golf outting, members got together for a meet and greet. It was a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to new members and to catch up with old friends. The event was held at the Tiki bar on the premises of the Tradewinds Hotel and Resort. Pretty intimate location and a great spot for the networking event. At the meet and greet they handed out the awards for the golf tournament. I was disappointed that we didn't win (the winning team was 11 under par), but I was thrilled that we weren't awarded the last place consolation prize either.
The day was capped off by a nice dinner and conversation with friends, both new and old.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow where the exhibition tents will be set up in the parking lot in front of the resort. A pretty heavy storm is supposed to blow through the area. It will be interesting to see which companies feel confidently enough about their products to leave them up in the high winds.
IFAI Tent Convention
Day 1:
Every year the IFAI puts on a conference for its members to convene for discussions about industry trends, recent successes as well as opportunities for the member companies to respond to market challenges. There is also a very important day of golf.
Any business convention of sorts is anticipated to include a handful of scheduled items. For example, informational sessions in which experts dictate the proper way to analyze business. There are always awards portions of these events where people are recognized for outstanding achievements and projects in the past year. After the daily sessions are over, the hotel bar is usually the final meeting room of the day where each company representative tells tall tales about his year and the jobs he’s worked on.
Taking most of these stories with a grain of salt is important but its important to not tune them out all together. Filtering out the more fantastic and unrealistic of the details can shed light onto the underlying base of work your competitors and peers are working on. Most companies generally tell the truth about who they are working with and what products are installed at events (as these details are generally easy to prove). The matter in which these products are set up and are used is where stories start to get a little out of hand.
The ability to sift between the bravado and the basics is where the real learning happens. You can easily benchmark yourself against other companies of similar size. Figure out what types of business you need to do to compete with companies twice your size. You can learn what investments must be made in product offerings and employee training.
After I arrive in Tampa and depart my plane, pick up my golf clubs from the baggage check, hit up the rental car counter and make my way to the Tradewinds, you’ll see me cozied up to the bar doing some market research.
Sliante!
Mark
Monday, January 17, 2011
Cultural Celebrations
As long as cultures have had reasons to celebrate, they have used tents in those celebrations. Tents have been used a way to protect from inclement weather, or to celebrate religious customs, or even to create a unique event space.
For example, in the Jewish culture, the wedding ceremony is held under a chuppah as a symbol of the new home the couple will build together. All sides of the chuppah are left open just as Abraham and Sarah left their tent open to show unconditional hospitality to their guests.
Seen in a great amount of Indian weddings are tents called shamianas. Shamianas are decorated lavishly in grand colors like Red and Gold to show the great esteem in which the bride and groom are held. Along with amazing colors, tents are generally decorated with patterned fabrics and lighted with lanterns and candles. Usually incense is burned as well. All of your senses are stimulated to help create a memory that will last a lifetime.
O'Neil has had the fortune of working with communities like the Indian community, as well as several others, in central Ohio for several years. We try our best to learn the intricate customs that make each culture special in their celebration. It is this reason that we are proud to take part in Ohio's first ever South Asian Bridal show on February 20th of this year.
We are planning a display tent that will show off varying colors and patterns. We hope to show that O'Neil is ready, willing and able to work with the many diverse cultures in the central Ohio area.
For more information on the bridal show, please visit http://www.osabridal.com/index.html
For example, in the Jewish culture, the wedding ceremony is held under a chuppah as a symbol of the new home the couple will build together. All sides of the chuppah are left open just as Abraham and Sarah left their tent open to show unconditional hospitality to their guests.
Seen in a great amount of Indian weddings are tents called shamianas. Shamianas are decorated lavishly in grand colors like Red and Gold to show the great esteem in which the bride and groom are held. Along with amazing colors, tents are generally decorated with patterned fabrics and lighted with lanterns and candles. Usually incense is burned as well. All of your senses are stimulated to help create a memory that will last a lifetime.
O'Neil has had the fortune of working with communities like the Indian community, as well as several others, in central Ohio for several years. We try our best to learn the intricate customs that make each culture special in their celebration. It is this reason that we are proud to take part in Ohio's first ever South Asian Bridal show on February 20th of this year.
We are planning a display tent that will show off varying colors and patterns. We hope to show that O'Neil is ready, willing and able to work with the many diverse cultures in the central Ohio area.
For more information on the bridal show, please visit http://www.osabridal.com/index.html
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Industry Trends
When it comes to tent events in the state of Ohio, O'Neil Tents and Party Supplies does our best to stay on top of what is current. We strive to offer what it is our customers need to make their events as successful as possible. We do this through attending various trade group meetings as mentioned in our previous blog post, but also through trade publications.
One of the best tent rental publications available is called In Tents magazine. In Tents is a comprehensive source for all aspects of the rental business. From sales ideas to best accounting practices, In Tents covers it all. One piece we always look at though is the project spotlight (please follow the link at the bottom of the page to view). The project spotlight section shows what our peers have been working on and shows the direction the industry is headed.
Another great section is the Trend Watch. Whether its how to get the most out of you tent liner, or creative ways to light a canopy, the Trend Watch keeps O'Neil Tents on the cutting edge of tented events in Ohio.
Project Spotlight: http://intentsmag.com/events/projectbriefs
Trend Watch: http://intentsmag.com/events/trendwatch
One of the best tent rental publications available is called In Tents magazine. In Tents is a comprehensive source for all aspects of the rental business. From sales ideas to best accounting practices, In Tents covers it all. One piece we always look at though is the project spotlight (please follow the link at the bottom of the page to view). The project spotlight section shows what our peers have been working on and shows the direction the industry is headed.
Another great section is the Trend Watch. Whether its how to get the most out of you tent liner, or creative ways to light a canopy, the Trend Watch keeps O'Neil Tents on the cutting edge of tented events in Ohio.
Project Spotlight: http://intentsmag.com/events/projectbriefs
Trend Watch: http://intentsmag.com/events/trendwatch
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Why Join Trade Associations?
Whether you work in manufacturing, insurance, or some other area, chances are that there is an association of trade professionals for your field. These groups meet sometimes monthly, other times annually to discuss current events, trends and issues that may affect your company or the way your company operates. They aren't cheap to join and the meetings are definitely not free. So why join?
O'Neil is a member of 3 rental related groups. We are members of the International Special Events Society (ISES), the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Tent Rental Division, and the American Rental Association (ARA). We join these groups for a couple of distinct reasons.
First, trade groups help keep us on the cutting edge of the event industry. Groups like ISES pull together professionals representing many disciplines like production companies, party planners, caterers, photographers, etc... When all of these people get together they talk about what's next in their profession. They let us know where the direction their markets are heading. This is helpful to O'Neil because we can take their feedback and see how or if we should change our product offering to accommodate the newest trends.
Joining a group that is more industry specific like the Tent Rental Division in IFAI still provides cutting edge information. The main benefit here though is that we can judge if we are up to par with other companies that we may or may not be competing against. By comparing our operation with other industry specific companies, we can benchmark things like:
1. Do our installation practices need improvement?
2. Are our safety precautions are up to date?
3. Is our manufacturing operation as efficient as it should be?
4. Is there equipment that we should be using that we currently are not?
Different than the first two organizations, the ARA brings together rental companies from all aspects of industry. Where the Tent Rental Division only includes tent companies, ISES only involves event planners, the ARA includes companies that rental heavy equipment, furniture, heating and cooling, and many more. This group helps to offer perspective into the way our business is structured, the way we work with end users as well as other companies, and different ways to look at the rental process from a business perspective.
Each of these organizations is important to the way we do business. Over all, they help us to make sure we're on our game in terms of what we're doing. But when you break down the individual benefits from each group, they are each rewarding in unique ways for O'Neil.
O'Neil is a member of 3 rental related groups. We are members of the International Special Events Society (ISES), the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Tent Rental Division, and the American Rental Association (ARA). We join these groups for a couple of distinct reasons.
First, trade groups help keep us on the cutting edge of the event industry. Groups like ISES pull together professionals representing many disciplines like production companies, party planners, caterers, photographers, etc... When all of these people get together they talk about what's next in their profession. They let us know where the direction their markets are heading. This is helpful to O'Neil because we can take their feedback and see how or if we should change our product offering to accommodate the newest trends.
Joining a group that is more industry specific like the Tent Rental Division in IFAI still provides cutting edge information. The main benefit here though is that we can judge if we are up to par with other companies that we may or may not be competing against. By comparing our operation with other industry specific companies, we can benchmark things like:
1. Do our installation practices need improvement?
2. Are our safety precautions are up to date?
3. Is our manufacturing operation as efficient as it should be?
4. Is there equipment that we should be using that we currently are not?
Different than the first two organizations, the ARA brings together rental companies from all aspects of industry. Where the Tent Rental Division only includes tent companies, ISES only involves event planners, the ARA includes companies that rental heavy equipment, furniture, heating and cooling, and many more. This group helps to offer perspective into the way our business is structured, the way we work with end users as well as other companies, and different ways to look at the rental process from a business perspective.
Each of these organizations is important to the way we do business. Over all, they help us to make sure we're on our game in terms of what we're doing. But when you break down the individual benefits from each group, they are each rewarding in unique ways for O'Neil.
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