THE LAST WORD

The industry we know has already changed

When Mike Tyson was asked by a reporter whether he was worried about Evander Holyfield and his fight plan, he answered, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

By Gabi Babinszky, managing director at Brandex (Pty) Ltd.

Like many industries, Covid-19 was our industry’s punch to the mouth.

We are able to give you the tried-tested-trusted rah-rah about our company, or we give it to you straight: Doing business is not what it used to be; neither are the rules of engagement, and nor should they be. Simply put, our clients just don’t have the time or resources to spare on a frivolous exercise that delivers little to no impact. It is for this reason that our objectives need to be more clearly defined than ever before.

Once it became clear that the Covid-19 pandemic would be set in for what may only be termed as ‘a while’, we saw businessowners embark on a major reactive scramble to secure their revenue streams. We knew our business would be immediately impacted by the pandemic, but we were determined to stay the course and not deviate from what we are fundamentally good at. For us, this has and will always be centred on delivering meaningful and engaging experiences for our clients at exceptional value, and with superior customer service.

Reflecting on the past 20 or so months, it is clear to us how we got to this point. Yes, the pandemic has resulted in a socio-economic crisis of global proportions, the cost of which is still not known, but we now have a golden opportunity to drive recovery across the board by indirectly supporting the solutions of other industries too.

Sound like a long shot?

Perhaps, or are we only now beginning to recognise and meet our true potential? At Brandex, we realise it is in our mutual best interests to create the most conducive settings and environment in which key discussions may take place and lead to concrete decisions being made. While we are ambitious and committed to our promise of delivering on nothing but quality, we cannot do it alone, and it will take the efforts of all of us to demonstrate why hosting engaging events are able to define how we move forward.

Looking ahead

It is a well-known fact that the event and exhibition world moves at a fast pace. We remain positive that this industry will recover next year and come back even stronger. Most companies in our industry (events and exhibitions) could probably relate to this. The fact that due to Covid-19 rules, regulations and protocols – which restrict public gatherings – our entire industry, and subsequently our business, had ground to a complete halt. This negated our company’s ability to generate any form of stable income since March 2020 and although we have been fervently as well as proactively trying to make the best of the situation by being creative – for the lack of a better word – our business just hasn’t been the same. Will our business ever be the same again? Probably not; we have already added new service offerings in-house such as virtual/hybrid solutions. Things will change, your business will need to adapt because the industry we know has already changed. In today’s world, it is crucial for companies to have good business motivation to stay at the top of their game.

Who is Gabi Babinszky?

Gabi Babinszky is a creative and influential director, leading diverse teams in the delivery of award-winning projects for global, industry-leading organisations. He has achieved rapid career progression by exceeding client and employer expectations, developing an all-encompassing knowledge of successful project delivery and effective strategies to increase and exceed annual turnover targets. Focused on applying this wealth of knowledge and experience in the delivery of groundbreaking events for a globally recognised and forward-thinking company.

exhibition world moves at a fast pace. We remain positive that this industry will recover next year and come back even stronger. Most companies in our industry (events and exhibitions) could probably relate to this. The fact that due to Covid-19 rules, regulations and protocols – which restrict public gatherings – our entire industry, and subsequently our business, had ground to a complete halt. This negated our company’s ability to generate any form of stable income since March 2020 and although we have been fervently as well as proactively trying to make the best of the situation by being creative – for the lack of a better word – our business just hasn’t been the same.

Will our business ever be the same again? Probably not; we have already added new service offerings in-house such as virtual/hybrid solutions. Things will change, your business will need to adapt because the industry we know has already changed. In today’s world, it is crucial for companies to have good business motivation to stay at the top of their game.