Two weeks ago, Zensor attended the Asset Performance 4.0 trade show in Antwerp. Our colleague, Chris Steppe, who is working as sales manager, was on-site and shared some of his impressions:
ZEN: This has been the first trade show for Zensor after almost two years of the pandemic. How did you experience meeting all the clients, prospects and partners in real-life?
CS: I am a salesman. I like to meet people, look them in the eyes, see how they behave and how they respond. These are elements that in my opinion make the difference compared to a video-call meeting. It was good to see people, to whom I only talked on the phone so far.
ZEN: What expectations did you have for the Asset Performance 4.0 trade show?
CS: I had very low expectations. The current situation and the general feeling do not encourage a lot to attend such meetings; that’s why not so many people came.
ZEN: Were there significant differences, compared to the trade shows you have attended before the pandemic started?
CS: The style of meeting people was different compared to the trade shows that I had attended, before COVID started. You could feel that the behavior of people has changed, everyone has become more resilient and is not shaking hands, for example.
Moreover, I could see a transformation in the audience, attending such a trade show. Before the pandemic, there was a broader range of people that would come just because they were curious, even if they were not working in this industry.
ZEN: In your opinion, why is it important for Zensor to attend such trade shows in real-life?
CS: It is a great opportunity to meet existing clients, prospects and contacts in a different setting than a video call or telephone.
In fact, it is necessary to increase the visibility of Zensor in the industry. People should know that we exist. Especially being present at this exhibition, was important for Zensor, as the topic of the Asset Performance 4.0 trade show is really the field we as company are operating in.
ZEN: Last question, what did you like the most about the event?
CS: About this event in particular, I liked that the style of the booths was the same, only the banners were customized by each firm, thus it looked very high-level. Moreover, the venue was very nice! However, I was disappointed that less people than expected came to the event. Nevertheless, it was great to finally see people again in real-life!