Staying Safe| Q & A | Quick Tips

Questions & Answers

Q. As an exhibitor, how can I protect my property?

A. As an exhibitor there are many avenues with which you can explore to secure your product on a trade show floor. The first means of protection would be that of a Booth Guard. In hiring a booth guard you as an exhibitor would complete a booth guard form which includes a day to day schedule for the security officer (normally off hours). When the booth guard arrives at your booth approximately 10 minutes ahead of schedule, he will be accompanied by a Simmons Security General Manager, at that time they will ask you the booth exhibitor to complete a booth inventory form for products which you want specifically monitored. At that time the inventory will be completed and initialed by the exhibitor the Simmons General Manager and the Simmons Security officer. Upon your return in the morning, the inventory will be reviewed and once again initialed. Once Simmons Security walks away from the booth and the inventory has been reviewed and initialed by all parties Simmons Security is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to the exhibitor product.

The next option to the exhibitor would be that of a property removal pass. A property removal pass can be obtained from Simmons Security Corporate Office, Show management, or from a Simmons Security General Manager. The property removal pass is utilized during show days to remove products, i.e.. lap tops, cell phones, pagers, small have carried items, prototypes from the exhibitor floor. The removal passes need to be completed in full and accompanied by a business card to the main office security officer as you leave the exhibit floor.

The third option would be security cages. security cages may be obtained through the security company or the decorator for securing products from move in to move out. The cages are available in two sizes, 30X30 and 5ft. on wheels. The 30x30 is secured with a combination lock (still in the package, combination only known by the exhibitor) and is collapsible once the product is removed and easily stored within the booth. The 5ft. cages are secured with the same sort of locking system, they are not collapsible and must remain in the booth.

The fourth option is a locking system which is designed for the protection of equipment, i.e.. lap tops and multiple computer stations. The locking system can be viewed in the website under specialized services, if you would like to maintain further information and photographs. the locking system is designed with a new age adhesive which mounts 3 brackets to the computer station and the computer table. The system is then completed with a cable that will deter theft from the unit, the locking system also offers options for locking of hard drives and disc drives to deter competing exhibitors, the press and attendees from being able to access information on the hard drive and from obtaining diskettes from the floppy drives.

Q. Why is it a security company does not take responsibility for loss, theft, or damage of an exhibitors product?

A. Security companies are hired by the trade show convention industry to maintain the integrity of the parameter. i.e.. checking badges during the course of the show and asking for property removal passes for equipment and boxes removed from the exhibit floor during show hours. Over the course of a trade show there are multiple entities that have access to the floor. i.e.. decorators, florist, Fed-Ex, UPS, catering company, union labor, building employees, etc. All of these personnel are properly badged and have access to the exhibit floor it is virtually impossible for a security company to know whether or not the product ever arrived on the floor. Therefore since the security company can only control the flow of access to the floor we will not be responsible for loss, theft, or damage to exhibitor products.

Q. What do the Simmons Security uniforms look like?

A. In MD., DC., GA., LA., FL., and NV., The Simmons Security uniform is navy blue pants , white long sleeve shirts (year-round) with embroidered red & white patches on both shoulders and navy blue ties both male and female. In CA., were are also known as D.L. Simmons Security. As not to be mistaken for the CA. police department, black pants, long sleeve gray shirts (year-round) with black and white embroidered patches on both shoulders and black ties both male and female.

Q. How important is the continuity of security officers to Simmons Security?

A. Simmons feels that it is critically important to the overall success of its trade shows to maintain the same security officers at each location. the security officers become very familiar with the exhibitor advisory committee, building personnel, exhibitors, staff members, CFO/CEO of the trade show/convention and any VIPS that may attend the conference.

EXAMPLE: When Simmons hires and trains its personnel we select them to perform a particular task on every trade show. It is very important to use well spoken individuals who are familiar with the convention facility on the main entrances, so we insure that people are directed in the right areas for registration, seminars, lunch room, restroom, etc. The Simmons business philosophy is quality and continuity are the key. We believe that maintaining the same General Manager and Sales Manager for each event regardless of the convention destination insures that the knowledge of your event stays at the forefront of all planning for the success of your event. In summary, we feel that this philosophy is critically important even in the Security officers on site. These individuals will maintain there post position from the first day of move in until the last day of move out. The individual will be briefed on a daily basis of the badge system of the uniqueness of your event.