At Jaarbeurs, we are constantly improving to organise even more successful events together. In doing so, we ask for input from our customers and visitors. One of the ways we do this is by organising customer arenas. Bart de Keijzer, exhibition manager at the FJR Club, participated and told us about his experience as an exhibitor at MOTORbeurs Utrecht. We then took up his feedback.
Bart de Keijzer has been coming to Jaarbeurs as an exhibitor for about ten years. He knows his way around and knows who to call for what. But when he joined MOTORbeurs Utrecht again in 2023, he was not satisfied. When he was asked for his opinion afterwards, and whether he wanted to participate in a customer arena, he agreed.
Letting customers have their say
The customer arenas were conceived and set up by Head of Customer Insights at Jaarbeurs, Elsbeth Kottelenberg. Elsbeth: "We are constantly collecting customer feedback, to continuously improve. We want satisfied customers who come back every year. You get good feedback when you get people talking. That's why we came up with the arenas. It's like a focus group, but with both exhibitors and our own employees."
Honest and open discussion
During a customer arena, we interact with our exhibitors and customers in several rounds. Elsbeth: "They sit in a circle surrounded by people from Jaarbeurs. The first round we only ask questions, the exhibitors and customers are allowed to say what they want. This is an honest and open conversation, where everything can be put on the table. In the second round, we ask in-depth questions. In the third round, we show that we have heard them and tell them what we are going to work on."
Logistics did not run smoothly
One issue Bart was dissatisfied with during MOTORbeurs Utrecht had to do with logistics. "One issue that was high was loading and unloading," says Bart. "This was very chaotic. The venue was full and the external buffer location didn't work properly. Our guys had to drive around all over Utrecht looking for a place." He mentions the point during the customer arena, and Jaarbeurs staff pick it up.
Standing at the entrance for wristbands
Another important issue for Bart is the distribution of wristbands (entrance tickets). Bart: "In the past, you could have the wristbands sent by post to distribute them before the fair. But now that was no longer possible. We are a national motorbike club with many members. So every morning we stood at the entrance to give out all those wristbands. That was no do, after all, you want to be at the fair. Not at the entrance." Bart immediately discussed this point with a trade fair manager and, moreover, also raised it during customer arenas.
Conferring, but good
After the 2023 arena, the numbers did not lie: we had work to do. And while it is confronting to hear, negative feedback is very valuable information. Elsbeth: "The biggest gain is that this way our own colleagues also hear it directly from the customer. And not via a dashboard. That way, the stories stick. And it becomes even more fun when we can actually do something with it."
Getting started
And we did. Based on this arena, we came up with a list of 13 areas for improvement. Among other things, we changed the amount of parking tickets per stand and we adopted a friendlier VRS system. The VRS was made so that there is a natural flow of cars during the build-up and breakdown days of Jaarbeurs. Also, people no longer need to buffer outside the city, as the external buffer location is no longer there. And the wristbands? We just sent those by post, of course.
Major improvement
When Bart is back as an exhibitor at MOTORbeurs Utrecht a year later, he notices a significant improvement in the organisation. He is happy: "So many things went better this edition. In 2023, I thought it was a drama. If I had to score, I would have given it a 2. And now? Now it gets an 8 from me!" He is happy with outcome of the customer arena, and the way his concerns were taken seriously. For instance, he says: "It's nice to tell targeted things you did not like. Jaarbeurs really showed that they listen to you."
