The Schoolwear Show has been looking at introducing a booking system for its upcoming event on 10-12 October 2021 that will enable visitors to pre-book appointments with exhibitors.

The booking system is part of the trade show’s work to create a Covid secure environment for all; one that helps maintain social distancing and hygiene requirements, satisfies demand for ‘face-to-face’ interaction, and also enhances the overall event.

The appointment system, which should help deliver a safe and effective experience for both retailers and brands, is planned to open in late July. Further details will be released soon.

Simon Biggin, owner of SJB Uniforms, was planning on visiting The Schoolwear Show for the first-time last year before it was postponed due to the pandemic.

He supports a booking system at the October 2021 event. However, he also highlights that being able to secure some impromptu appointments on the day would be beneficial. “A booking system is a good idea as we will still need to be mindful of Covid. Appointments would also give the show an indication of numbers before the event as well as allowing visitors undivided attention with exhibitors.

“The one issue is if you stumble upon an exhibitor at the show that you hadn’t necessarily thought of beforehand, so hadn’t pre-booked an appointment. I have visited trade shows before, but I haven’t attended The Schoolwear Show yet. An element of flexibility would be great to allow for some ad hoc appointments on the day.”

Similarly, Jonathan Pearce, director of operations at Oz Schoolwear, is in favour of an appointment system to attend the show safely.

He also welcomes some flexibility to the system together with earlier access to new product information to help plan buying. “I think suppliers need to start pushing and promoting new products as early as possible this year so that we know what’s available. Product previews before the show are essential because we won’t have the flexibility to browse in the same way.

“Maybe suppliers could also have any free appointment slots visible on their stand? That way, if you do see something you like at the show and want to book an appointment on the day, you can put your name down.”

Louise Renshaw, director of Classworx, feels a booking system at the show is a step forward and would be happy to pre-book appointments.

“Obviously, it would be safer limiting contact in a controlled way,” she says. “It will also be a more efficient use of everybody’s time. The downside is that it will not offer the same opportunity for chance meetings with someone new, or when you happen to see something that catches your eye. Perhaps some sort of virtual exhibition beforehand would allow suppliers to pitch themselves?”

One issue highlighted by Rohit Vij of Tru Schoolwear Group – which is based in Manchester – is the potential of travel delays leading to missed appointments. He also feels only one representative from a store attending the show would help support social distancing by keeping excess visitor numbers down.

Covid restrictions over the last year mean many schoolwear retailers are already accustomed to booking systems. Countless schoolwear shops adopted customer appointment systems last Back to School to meet Covid guidelines – and with great success, too.

Classworx used Appointlet for in-store customer appointments and saw excellent results.

SJB Uniforms also benefited from a customer booking system. “We have a small shop, so it had to be one in, one out,” says Biggin. “We ran the booking system via our website and the feedback was brilliant. Scheduling the customer appointments with enough time in between allowed us to carry out all of the necessary cleaning and Covid safety measures. We would definitely use that system again.”

Oz Schoolwear’s Jonathan Pearce echoes the same sentiment. “We used an appointment system in-store last year and it was very successful. Customers could book an appointment online with a member of staff and opt for either a uniform top-up or a full kit out. We had no long queues outside the store and it worked really well. It’s something we will most likely do again this year.”

In the short term, physical trade shows will unquestionably have to make adaptions to create a Covid safe environment and meet crowd restrictions. A booking system, incorporating some element of flexibility, seems a key means to achieve this.

The Schoolwear Show is the biggest event in the industry calendar.

The 2021 exhibition will take place at its usual venue, Cranmore Park Conference and Event Centre in Solihull, on 10-12 October 2021. There will be fewer bigger stands, wider aisles, and a much larger SA Coffee Lounge area to provide a familiar, relaxed atmosphere for everyone.

Over 20 exhibitors are already signed up for this year’s event including Amaya; Banner; Chadwick Textiles; David Luke; Diamond Textiles; Douglas & Grahame; Eskimo Epos; Europa Sports; Falcon Sports; Flamingo; Gymphlex; Kwiktapes; Madeira Threads; MagicFit; Marton Mills; National Weaving; Pex; Rowlinson; Tie & Scarf; Top to Toe; Trutex; Winterbottom; and William Turner. Additional exhibitors will be announced over the coming weeks.

Nigel Plenderleith, chairman of The Schoolwear Show, believes this year’s event will be a significant step forward and a great experience for both retailers and exhibitors. “It’s such an important event and probably the most essential three days for the schoolwear market.”

For further information on The Schoolwear Show, please click here.