Is it EVER SO stressful working in a boat show Chandlery then?

steve_cronin

steve_cronin

N/A
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
4,187
Visit site
I was told "not to contact" Pumpkin today as all the staff were having a day off to recouperate and the bosses to put the business back into working order. Even the fax line is de-activated!

Is this common behaviour in other industries, following a routine trade show - which is surely a week, as part of the normal working year like any other, isn't it?
Perhaps more delicate & sensitive souls work in Chandleries and the business organisation can't function from two bases at the same time?

Steve Cronin
 
''How does this work then?",
''Oh look how's that work then''
''Innit difficult to do that? Show me how then"
''Why's your voice gone all croaky and faint then?''
Repeat for days on end while relieving punters of large ammounts of dosh!
 
Doesn't seem unreasonable to me - I have worked stands at these sort of places and it is unpleasant (and i my case rarely profitable!) If most of your staff have just done 9-10 days straight followed by moving all you stock back to you shop - I think a day to get sorted is not that bad.

I don't know this lot but if they are a similar size to most of the out fits I do know about - they only have a handful of permanent staff.
 
Having worked a couple of boat shows (for Pumpkin's parent company) I can honestly say that at the end of the show everyone was absolutely knackered. It's not just the 10 days of the show, but on the last day all the stock had to be shifted and the stand part dismantled before we left. Didn't leave before midnight either year.
 
I've always found Pumpkin to be better than average. I doubt that they would shut down if it wasn't needed; a 10 day show can be bloody hard work!
 
A 10 day show is a long and hard slog, plus they probably have to get all their stock back in order and process any orders not done so at the show, seems reasonble enough to me.
 
"Everyone absolutely knackered..." "A long and hard slog..." Well, the constant promo-parties and horizon-to-horizon free booze events do take their toll on the liver, you know.

On Preview Day, many stands were deserted by 5.30 'cos their people had bunked off to the p***-up on the Broadblue cat; the PR launch of the Gypsy Moth project had a drinks-and-snax call, together with band and 'singer'. The public couldn't get close enough to find out what was going on, for the 15-deep throng of free-loading industry types; and one had little difficulty, at lunch times, finding the Plymouth Gin 'free gin-n-tonics' stand - one just followed the roar of the crowd, yotting journalists all! Actually, it was co-located with Motor Boat Monthly.... and that's rather appropriate.

It's tough at the top.
 
You never worked a show then have you....

OK apart from the delights of the numerous free booze events (new product launches) and the booze friendly companies whom you literally cannot talk to without them shoving a glass in your hand. Then of course there was the infamous free Gin & Tonic stand (some boaty mag!) and then lets not least forget to mention the mecca thats the Guinness stand (convenient meeting point).

Seriously though its not all one big piss-up at SIBS or LIBS, for most the day starts with a long journey into Southampton then its stand preparation and restocking etc, next up is a full and busy day taking orders or selling goods etc, then its close of play and pack up time. Followed by a repeat long journey home again. Often back to the office before going home to clear up any normal day to day activities there.

By the time and exhibitor is home they can easily have done <u>at very least</u> a 12+ hour day.

After the show has ended all the stand break down, order processing etc etc starts…. Give em a break!
 
Exactly..........BASELINE on the other hand.........

delivered my order from sunday afternoon at the show, at 8.30 this morning (tuesday).

They were obviously back into work on monday like any other self respecting business.

Sadly, chandleries seem to attract fame struck would-be big boat crews to whom living in the marine world is more important than running a business.

I remember that at Aladdin's Cave, Port Hamble a few years back, it was difficult to get served unless you were "one of the set" and if you interrupted the young manager chatting to one of his racing friend hangers-on by actually wanting to BUY something it was treated like a rude intervention. The boss at Bursledon base ran things rather differently. HE was a businessman.

Steve Cronin
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top