Throughout the years I have come to find that many people in customer service positions are REACTIVE, rather than PROACTIVE.  Think about it...who would you rather assist?  The customer that comes in screaming their head off and demanding that YOU do something to make their situation better regardless of who is at fault, or the customer that calmly approaches you and asks if you could help them out? 

Whether the customer service is being provided over the phone (call center, tech support, 1-800 number) or in person (retail store, doctor's office, the DMV), it is much more rewarding to help someone who asks for help, rather than demands it.  It is much more fulfilling to help a kind customer solve a problem than a rude customer that you just want to leave you alone.  It is easier and quicker to assist someone who calmly explains the situation to you, rather than someone who is yelling, and perhaps even cursing, at you.  But, people who provide exceptional customer service do so with a smile on their face regardless if they are helping a nice customer or a mean one.  And those that don't provide exceptional customer service are oftentimes reacting to how the customer is treating them. 

So let's translate this to a trade show environment.  The attendees are the customers and you, the exhibitor, is the customer service provider.  It is even more important for you to provide exceptional customer service with regard to facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice since you are in a face-to-face situation.  If an attendee approaches your booth negatively...they are in a bad mood, they are in a hurry, they are exhausted, they just got reprimanded by their boss, they are desperately looking for a new job...it is up to you to provide exceptional customer service regardless of how you wish to react.  Reacting negatively is just not allowed at a trade show no matter what the circumstance. 

Also, providing exceptional customer service at a trade show has to be maintained by every level of employee that is at the show.  The highest ranking employee has just as much responsibility to the attendees as the lowest ranking one.  And not just in the booth or the convention center, but in the shuttle bus, at a restaurant, at the hotel, at the airport, in the gym...heck, even in the restroom!  I can not tell you how many connections I have made while on an airplane either before or after a trade show.  The reason why?  Because I provided exceptional customer service at a time when no one expected it.

So just remember that PROACTIVELY providing exceptional customer service at a trade show and not REACTING negatively towards an attendee is crucial in maintaining customer relations, whether it is a current customer or a potential one!