NEC 
The NEC in Birmingham ranks as the largest exhibition centre in Britain and the seventh largest in Europe. Its calendar is dominated by trade shows attracting an international clientele, to the extent that when planning for exhibitions they need to think in terms of multiple cultures and languages.
To address this challenge, the NEC has mobilised a strong multilingual planning team capable of working with international exhibitors in preparation for events. It has also provided multilingual information desks to support visitors and interpreters on the exhibition floor, as well as in the press office.
Having recognised however, that the total visitor experience is wider than the exhibition itself, the NEC has plans for a major language and cultural training programme which will equip staff to understand and adapt to visitors from different cultural backgrounds. The programme will prepare staff to exchange pleasantries with visitors, field simple enquiries relevant to their role and direct them to staff with more highly developed language skills.
With the world of international event organisation being highly competitive, it is vital that the NEC uses language and cultural skills to maintain the advantage it has gained from the quality of its exhibitions. As John Cole, NEC Corporate Development Manager, reiterates:
“I passionately believe that we need to give our visitors a five star welcome. At the very least that means being able to greet them in their own language. There is terrific scepticism that we British can do that, but I’m mighty keen to make the reception as good as it can be”.
For more information visit the NEC's website.
 Back to Case Studies
|