2009 was forecasted to be a year of “down,” and,
for the most part, any reports from the media
pretty much confirmed this prediction. Sales
have been down, employment is down, and attendance at trade
shows is down. So imagine our surprise when we were told
— by multiple people! — that the 2009 PARCEL Forum was
the best ever. Not “Well, you did the best with what you had”
or “It was an okay Forum, considering the circumstances,” but
“This was the best PARCEL Forum I’ve ever attended!” Wow!
What a relief, especially considering that we drove down to
Chicago feeling slightly anxious about what awaited us, only to
find out that our expectations were exceeded beyond our wildest
dreams!
Yes, attendance was slightly down — not many trade shows
in 2009 can say otherwise. But the quality of our attendees
was phenomenal. It was as if companies adopted a mindset of
“If we’re going to spend the money, we might as well send the
people who really want to be there — the real decision-makers.”
So the slight downturn in numbers was more than compensated
for by the knowledgeable and enthusiastic professionals who
attended the Forum in early October.
Our speakers, as always, were well-received. Some of the
hottest topics this year were international shipping, negotiating
— both rates and the human side of negotiating — and our
peer-to-peer sessions with interactive discussions on technology,
operations and carrier relations. And the exhibition hall
was a lively spot, with plenty of attendees taking advantage of the knowledgeable vendors participating (I’m sure the bingo-card raffle, which allowed one lucky attendee to win $5,000, didn’t hurt either!)
And, of course, we can’t forget our special events. The endicia-sponsored WILDS (Women in Logistics and Delivery Services) reception was well-attended, and the group was thrilled that they were able to put together a Midwest chapter. The USPS-sponsored reception provided a wonderful opportunity to network with like-minded peers (and enjoy some delicious food). Morgan Stanley’s William Greene’s speech at lunch achieved the difficult task of being both informative and entertaining, and the carrier roundtable (which Mr. Greene moderated) provided some deep insight into the current parcel industry from some of the most influential players.
All in all, we can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable, enlightening and productive Forums we’ve ever had. And we’re already gearing up for next October — hope to see you there!
PARCEL Forum 2010 will take place October 4-6 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Chicago. To request information on attending, exhibiting, sponsoring or speaking, please call toll-free 866.378.4991 or email jdunkel@EventEvolution.com.
