Readers share what works and what doesn’t when shifting to digital registration and programs
by JT Long May 10, 2019
What is the biggest, fattest, hairiest tech problem keeping Smart Meetings readers up at night? According to a new reader survey, attendee communication tops the list, with 51 percent calling it out as a major challenge. The price tag of buying into all those tech services was also high on the list, with 48 percent bemoaning the bills. That was followed closely by poor reporting, slow event check-in, isolated data and lack of visibility into attendee satisfaction as critical pain points.
Before we asked our experts for their evaluations of event app and registration software solutions to these burning sore spots, we turned to our readers to find out the state of event tech in the wilds of their meetings. Our pool of 100 event professionals collectively plan thousands of gatherings—69 percent manage more than six events a year and half of those plan more than 20. Most of these are large gatherings. Seven out of ten respondents plan events for more than 500 people and half of those are for more than 1,000 people.
Most respondents were veterans at the event app game. Only 12 percent had never used one and a majority (63 percent) had been putting information in people’s phones for more than three years. Almost one quarter (23 percent) had been using virtual programs for more than six years.
Brave New Meetings Tech World
Many respondents were optimistic about tech’s ability to solve some of those persistent meeting downers. Kayla Wurst, meeting and event manager at Special D Events in Detroit, is always looking for ways to use technology to enhance the attendee experience. “Event technology boundaries are being pushed with the introduction of 5G networks offering faster speeds and more reliable connections. With fewer connectivity issues, it will be easier for planners to encourage attendee participation and incorporate cutting-edge technology into their events,” she said.
Derica Clarke, a project manager for international meetings with Association for Psychological Sciences in Washington, D.C., was an advocate for driving attendees to use their smartphones. “This will inspire attendee interaction and advance your analytics,” she said.
Used correctly, apps can enhance efficiency and sustainability. Erin Scholes, president of SD Meetings and Events in San Diego, said, “Apps can help save paper and time, and provide an effective one-stop resource for attendees.”
Another planner giving event tech high marks was Ashley Case, director of client services, meetings and incentives at Cadence in San Diego. “Whether you’re using event tech for data management, personal preference tracking, appointments and personalized agendas, decrease conference check-in lines, event security, live polling, social networking, gamification and engagement, surveys, or any other fabulous functionality, it is a win!” she said.