How IBT Elevates Lead Capture at Its Annual Employee-Vendor Summit with Expo Pass

Photos: IBT (Facebook)

IBT is a family-owned full-service industrial distributor, proudly serving a wide range of industries since 1949. Today, as a Top-50 industrial supplier with 38 stocking locations across nine states, IBT partners with over 2,500 leading brands to deliver products, training, service, and consulting with expert precision and reliability.

Known for its innovation and customer-first approach, IBT orchestrates an annual employee-vendor conference that brings together over 50 vendors and employees from across the nation at a central location. The yearly summit is a cornerstone for training, relationship-building, and showcasing industry solutions.

The Challenge: Efficient, Reliable Lead Capture

Previously, IBT relied on proprietary scanning devices and in-house software for lead retrieval, an approach that became too rigid and difficult to update. As Gary Hense, Director of Training & Marketing Services, explained, “we had our own scanning devices… the problem was we could never update the software. It eventually broke.”

IBT quickly realized they needed a trusted exhibitor lead retrieval solution that was:

• ✅ Reliable
• ✅ Fast and easy to use
• ✅ Future-proof
• ✅ Mobile and adaptable (so vendors could simply use their own Android or iOS devices)

Why Expo Pass Was the Perfect Solution

Expo Pass delivered on every front:

• ✅ Device-ready and mobile-first functionality, ensuring vendors didn’t need special hardware, just their own phones.
• ✅ A modern app that was easy for users of all technical levels to adopt.

Hense notes the ability to add custom data to each lead scan is also a big help:

“The notes aspect is huge, because a lot of guys like to send information about a new product and follow up with them in [a few monts]. Our managers really like to see that type of stuff… what products they talked about or they need follow up on.”

This rich data helps sales and regional teams drive continuity and customer engagement after the event wraps up. But beyond the lead capture technology fitting their needs, Hense says the personal relationships and support make the real difference:

“Your on-site people have always been aces.”

“The support I’d say is number one — that’s the big deal for us. Having [an Expo Pass representative] on site, they do a great job getting it all set up. We just don’t have any issues.”

These endorsements underscore the critical role that robust support played in ensuring adoption and ease of use, especially for some vendors who may be hesitant or unfamiliar with using app-based lead capture.

Efficient On-Site Setup & Superior Badge Printing

Expo Pass enhances operational ease and the polish of IBT’s event with premium-quality badges, and plug-and-play, pre-loaded kits and streamlined setup, which Hense appreciates for its reliability.

Regarding the badges and Expo Pass’ online Badge Designer tool, Hense says, “The badge quality is great. The designer keeps getting better and is really slick.”

This is paired with pre-configured, hassle-free equipment and top-quality custom printed badge shells:

“The shells are done, everything is pre-loaded on the devices and those are just sent to us. It’s slick… It just works.”

These efficiencies meant IBT’s team could focus on the event, not on tech logistics.

Conclusion

With Expo Pass, IBT’s annual employee-vendor conference has been elevated into a modern, streamlined experience. Vendors can scan badges quickly and easily using their own devices, IBT benefits from exceptional on-site support, and everyone gains from richer lead data and actionable insights. The implementation supports IBT’s ongoing commitment to innovation, expertise, and delivering exceptional experiences for employees, vendors, and the broader industrial community.