the book fair vans blog

The sale of Edvard Munch's The Scream has made taken plenty of column inches over the last few days.

We suspect that during the next few week many of us will strike a Munch like pose and scream inwardly at the injustice of a deadline that doesn't work. That conversation, memo or email about when you have to be ready might just be the worse thing about the run up to Bologna Book Fair.

It's probably because we are the last people out of London to a Book Fair that we get to find out how much pressure people are under to get their last minute material completed. Some conversations have been about working to deadlines that have a little slack in them, another implied that colleagues in teams working on the show seem to think that there is a secret delivery run that involves a conversation with Mr.Scott and the Enterprise teleporter team.

Whether you favourite Montgomery Scott is the original James Doolan or Simon Pegg and his recent re-creation of the role we'd happly sign them up for a show or two, but one is sadly no longer with us, the other, we suspect would cause a budget problem and his Scottish accent really worries some of us at the bfv.

All this got us thinking. What do you do?

Do you give a deadline out to others and keep a little something up your sleeve or take Aaron Neville's advice to "Tell it like it is" and run the risk of others thinking that you've kept a little bit back because that what always happens.

 

We came across this little van before christmas and being lovers of small Italian three wheelers we had to stop, hide our van envy, take a snap and have a chat. 

The resourceful owners are @Rye_Books who have a shop in SE22 and regularly send the van to markets, schools and other events which we think is a great way to reach out to book buyers and broaden a customer base.

After talking we found out that the van will take a 700 kilo load which is pretty impresive considering it's size and the need to have shelving to hold the books.

If you would like to know more about Rye Books or enquire about the van email shop@ryebooks.co.uk.

 

 

 

 

 

This one was taken last year on the way back from Bologna Book Fair in the outskirts of Luzern.

Just like you we all talk about what we do with our friends. BFV staffers get lots of positive interest when they say "I've just got back from Bologna or Frankfurt". On the face of it why wouldn't we? Of course those of you who end up working on a stand know the reality of attending a trade fair, too much work, not enough hours in the day, hotel rooms that blend into one and let’s not forget Wi-Fi that never works in the way it should, strange meals in restaurant that don't match the reviews and an intimate knowledge of the city you are in as long as that's on your route from hotel to hall and back again.

It's fair to say that we get a lot of unsolicited offers of help from people that we all know or meet to come along on our next trip. Once we have explained how tough the work is, how long the driving days are, how much manual labour is involved and how little time there is to shop most withdraw with good grace however the odd few make it onto a list of people we can call on. 

Tyron is one of those rare people that did. Known to several of us at Book Fair Vans he fits with our policy of working with people that we know, like and trust so when we needed some extra help with London collections for Frankfurt last October he moved from the list to working with us.

After a day of visiting clients he headed back to BFV garages thinking in his own words that “This was easy" and not quiet understanding what "All the fuss was about.” Those of us who have done the odd trip or twenty to Frankfurt thought his comments were a little glib not to say premature as he had done the easy bit when his last insistence overlapped with an incoming call from a client needing another van and driver to get there under-estimated load to Frankfurt he gamely volunteered to drive out.

480 miles later in one day he arrived at our hotel telling everyone he could how tough a day he'd had and to be fair to Tyron it was a tough one, a late departure, delays on Eurotunnel and foul weather between Liege and Frankfurt was more than a baptism of fire for anyone.

As the evening went on, just like the fisherman and the tale of the one that got a way, the weather got worse, the delay longer and as for the time he left London well let’s just say he come close to making a fully loaded van travel quicker that a F1 car round the Nurburgring which he is sure he lapped on the way. All this was very entertaining but it was topped the next day when the business of unloading and dropping to stands happens with Tyron deciding that he simply couldn't walk round the Messe without wearing his sunglasses.  

You can imagine the looks from the stand contractors as Tyron arrived to deliver consignments! Suffice to say he took it all with good humour and he's firmly on our list of people to work with because he delivered and repaid our trust.

You might be wondering about the picture, we couldn't persuade him to pose for a picture and this is the best likeness we could find, oh and its got sunglasses as well Tyron….

When we get back from a book fair and have finished everything that needs to be done, we sit, meet and talk about what we might need for the next one. One thing that kept cropping up on everyone lists of things to do was a proof of delivery system (POD).

 

We are meticulous with making sure we know what we picked up, how much it weighs and where it needs to be delivered to. Our system works and perhaps more importantly we don't want to ask you to spend time filling in forms, completing faxes or replying to stacks of emails, we don't like doing it and suspect you feel the same. From what you have told us forms seems to lack a human touch and a level of personal service that we feel goes against what we believe we should do which is getting what you need to a book fair at the last minute with the minimum amount of fuss.

 

While a POD system is on everyone's list of things to do it has caused a great deal of discussion and the odd heated debate or two because too many systems needed to significant change how we work with you.

 

After some testing on live projects we have found something that works the way we already do meaning that from Bologna Book Fair this year we will be asking you to sign on your drivers mobile phone when we pick up your boxes. In the hall we'll do the same and if we are leaving your boxes with a contractor or third party we will take a photo as well so you can see where they were left.

 

Photo's and signatures can be emailed to you on a opt in basis as well as other information that we capture like the weight of each box we collect and delivery. Knowing who signed for your boxes when you get to the stand might just help if you can't instantly see them and remind that person that they did take them from our driver.

 

The system is able to do plenty of other things as well as take signatures and photos. Each pick up and delivery can be location tagged and if like many of our clients you work with other departments who have different budget lines for a book fair we can provide you with a complete list of everything that was sent to your stand and even send a separate invoice to other departments or individuals.

If you would like to know more about the system or want to see a demo us do let know.

 

Just like Johnny Cash says, after days of back to back meeting on your stand, receptions, drinks party's and dinners we'd feel homesick too..

Whilst it realtively easy for you to get home, you've probably got just enough energy to check out of your hotel and head to the airport, getting all those books, dummy's and presenters back might not be.

We know that some of you manage to get a lift back with your contractor or give books away to charity. Last time we checked over 80% of you said that you left most of what you take in Frankfurt.

Just in case that's changed with everyone watching their budgets it seems to make sense to ask again and if enough of you do want a economical way of getting getting home we will happly run a return service this Frankfurt.

As always with Book Fair Vans this will run as a pay for what you send service, no minimum charges of 100 kilos, no separate charge per kilo to deliver it from a warehouse that you don't own to your London office just a flat rate.

If you're still wondering why Johnny Cash and not the Beach Boys, it's the bongos and that feeling that when Johnny signs it you believe it. Not that we think you do anything too wild in Frankfurt.  And us? Well we might back a van up to the gates in hall 8 or sneak a few boxes up in the passenger lift up to 4.2, honest that's it.

If you want a return journey or just a one back from your stand leave a comment here or email us at returns@bookfairvans.co.uk

 

 

 

We've had quite a few comments and a little confusion on our charging system. In the past we've had prices for different sized boxes and even different contents, for example catalogues packed straight from your printer. So for clarity and simplicity we are changing this for Frankfurt 2011.

We will charge by the kilo for each box we collect from you, regardless of size or contents, making it easier for you to know exactly what you're paying. It's as simple as that. Nothing else has changed, we stick firmly by our no minmum charge policy and our claim that we're the last people out of London to a European book fair.

Your boxes will be weighed, you'll get a confirmation email shortly after collection. If you would like us to weigh your boxes when we collect them, just ask, we're very happy to do that.

Nice and simple, fair for all, we hope you like it.

 

 

We regularly talk to people who are their companies last form of dispatch.

It doesn't seem to matter that they are working in rights, production, sales, marketing or are even on the board, when it comes to Frankfurt Book Fair and those last minute, worked on over the weekend presentation materials, you work in the dispatch department.

 

Aside from wondering what carrying that extra load from the office to home, into the cab (you get a cab to the airport don't you?), to check in, through security, along the walkway, into the plane and finally like an Olympic weightlifter pressing that load above your head into the luggage locker does to your energy levels; we've not even mentioned getting from Frankfurt am Main to the hall before the biggest trade fair of the publishing year.

 

But it does make you the heroine for those few short moments before people unpack and paw over that dummy while you hope that the pain in your shoulder or lower back from all that Olympic effort will ease up.

 

Most important of all though you did it and it didn't cost your company a extra penny, after all you used the baggage allowance on your ticket, even if that did mean you left things like extra shoes behind, after all who needs shoes, not men anyway.

 

If you know you're the last member of the dispatch team to leave the office before Frankfurt Book Fair it might just pay to check the new, that's right new, checked and hand luggage allowances that many airlines are now operating, seems as though they have worked out what we've all been doing for years.

 

In tough economic times it seems that established airlines like British Airways, Lufthansa and the younger ones like BMI and Ryanair want to maximise your spend with them. Even the old perceived benefits of booking business or first class to get a larger allowance seems to be changing and you might find your last minute material attracting excess charges and or being loaded in to the hold.

 

Who wants thier last minutes dummmies in the hold after all airlines never lose luggage do they?