With its Customer Care Campaign (CCC), Messe Frankfurt put its sales network to work with the explicit purpose of gathering information on the pandemic’s impact straight from the source and learning about key details in different countries and regions to assist Messe Frankfurt’s planning.
Companies expressed clear approval of the additional digital benefits offered by hybrid trade fair formats during the pandemic in particular. However: people want – and need – in-person trade fairs. Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt, shared his interpretation of the findings: “This is a clear vote of confidence for in-person events. Only 3 percent of respondents wanted to see events move entirely online. In fact, 67 percent of our customers would like events to take place solely in person, with another 30 percent expressing a preference for hybrid formats. In total, 97 percent of our customers remain convinced that in-person events are an essential component of trade fairs.”
Marzin added that: “We first conducted this survey back in 2020, and not only were our customers eager to share their views, but there was also a sharp rise in confidence been the first and second surveys. Many of our customers saw their financial situations improve markedly during this time. There has also been an increasing readiness to take part in trade fairs nationally and internationally, both today and in future. Both of these factors have made us very optimistic here at Messe Frankfurt. Our customers are still here.”
The response rate was also impressive
59,000 companies took part in this survey. They were asked not only to answer the questions posed by our sales partners, but as part of the second survey this spring they were also called on to participate in a more in-depth market research survey. Mirko Schubert, Vice President International Sales Management at Messe Frankfurt: “The fact that more than 70 percent of customers surveyed provided us with qualified feedback is a sensational result that breaks all of our records.”
With their latest campaign, our sales partner network demonstrated yet again their extraordinarily close ties with our customers. Analysis of the results has given Messe Frankfurt valuable first-hand knowledge that will benefit our trade fair concepts and planning. Both Messe Frankfurt and its sales partners see further reasons for optimism in the findings, because very few of our customers have left the market during the pandemic. And our customers are ready for in-person trade fairs to return.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. The Group employs approximately 2,450 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 29 subsidiaries around the world. The company generated annual sales of approximately €257 million in 2020 after having recorded sales of €736 million the previous year. Even in difficult times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we are globally networked with our industry sectors. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are expanding our digital expertise with new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com