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50 JULY 2014 FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com L ike many of you, I have attended or participated in either a trade show or convention during my career. They were always related to my present or previous profession, and, I must say, I'm always very impressed with the preparation that goes into these programs and the knowledge that I have gained over the years. The convention that I feel most connected to is run by the National Association of Oil and Energy Service Professionals that sponsors an event every year. If you've attended this program and other trade shows, you must admit it seems like a giant stampede in progress when the doors open, due mostly to popularity. You would think that there is something for free and as a matter of fact there often is, but that was never my reason for attend- ing. It doesn't matter whether you're a LP, oil heating, plumber or an electrician technician, by attending any of these functions you will always gain more valuable knowledge than you might have expected. While I have watched the action taking place at the different booths, more often than not I noticed that there seemed to not be enough rep's to handle the volume of people who came to ask specific questions about a particular product or a specific concern. I have a few suggestions that may help to avoid trade show frustration, and they are as follows: 1. Go on line, where all of these trade show events are posted to find where your products of interest will be located (see the floor plan) and highlight their locations. 2. Plan your arrival and departure time so that you're not sitting in traffic, delaying your arrival. 3. Make a list of the questions that you intend to ask before arrival. Recently, on May 12-13, I attended the very first new road show sponsored by OESP and held at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. The attendees were owners, managers and technicians that participated in both advanced professional development and technical classes. I found these classes to be filled to capacity on both days, and as I interviewed some of the attendees their response as to the quality of the information provided was "very good." There were also many table top displays that were provided by both manufacturers and product representatives who were participating in many of Q&A sessions. I only wish that more trade-related companies would see the real value in these pro- grams, so their technicians would be up to date on the latest in technology showcased at these events. I'm sure that the lack of participation in these programs, and others, will at some point have a negative and expensive impact on a company's bottom line. The loss will come under the heading of "none billable labor," due to a recall. I would also recommend that if your company or you as an individual do not belong to an OESP chapter, now is the time to join. From day one, you will be welcomed and begin to share in their monthly non-sales programs. The programs are always presented with the idea of promoting edu- cation in all fields such as heating, cooling, A/C, LP and natural gas, to name a few. If you want to test the water, as the saying goes, there is a six- month free trial membership listed on the www. thinkoesp.org website. If you missed you the Mohegan Sun Road Show, there is another Road Show event September 21-23 at the Wyndam Hotel in Gettysburg, Penn. For more detail visit the OESP website. l F O N Bio: Charlie Bursey began his long career in the oil heating industry in 1963. He has delivered coal, kerosene and oil and serviced heating and cooling equipment. He has also managed service departments, worked for a manufacturer and currently works with F.W. Webb, Warwick, R.I. He is a recipient of the Association of Oil & Energy Service Professionals' prestigious Hugh McKee Award for making an out- standing contribution to the fuel oil industry; having had an understanding and coop- eration with his/her fellowman; and having unselfishly aided the industry in education and related activities. CoNTACT: ChasBursey@aol.com Charles Bursey, Sr. SERVICE Trade Shows! I only wish that more trade-related companies would see the real value in these programs, so their technicians would be up to date on the latest in technology showcased at these events.