In recent years the corporate events sector has gone through a significant transformation, driven by ever greater use of new technology — deployed both to improve the efficiency and organisation of events and to enrich the overall experience of the people taking part.
Some of the sector’s moments of crisis (the unforgettable pandemic none of us expected to live through, for one) certainly gave a strong push to the development of new technology in events. But a few years on, with a market that keeps evolving, which of these innovations still have a future?
And which of them will be best able, over the medium term, to give the strongest support to people working in event management who want to improve their own performance and that of their events?
Three in particular, we think:
1. Artificial intelligence
Automation and personalisation
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming event management by automating many repetitive tasks and personalising the attendee experience. AI-powered chatbots, to take one example, can handle frequently asked questions and provide real-time support, while machine learning algorithms can analyse attendee data to serve up tailored content.
So what are its main advantages for the world of event organising?
- Efficiency: automation reduces the workload on organisers, especially for repetitive, mechanical tasks, freeing them to concentrate on strategic work.
- Personalisation: AI can create more relevant, more engaging experiences for each individual attendee, even at medium to large scale, and without unsustainable increases in the resources required.
Our advice: some event management platforms are starting to integrate AI, more or less explicitly, to analyse attendee data and improve operational efficiency. They can therefore be, better than others, valuable allies for the future of an event organiser’s work.
2. Event apps
Interaction and convenience in your hand
Event apps have become an essential tool for improving both organisation and interaction at corporate events. On one side, they have proved enormously useful to the people organising and running events, because they allow a great deal to be done on the move — updates, notifications, check-in, attendance tracking and so on. On the other, they have by now become part of the minimum kit attendees expect from an event. Their capability is growing by the day, too: from tools mainly used for marketing and tied to specific functions (communication, documentation), event apps today offer a wide range of features such as personalised agendas, push notifications, interactive maps, live surveys and networking tools.
The advantages for the world of event organising?
- Interaction: apps make communication between attendees and organisers easier, improving engagement.
- Management: they allow every logistical aspect of the event to be managed in one place.
Our advice: choose an event app platform that is flexible and customisable enough to meet the specific needs of each event.
3. Hybrid event platforms
Bringing together the best of both worlds
As demand grows for events that can be attended both physically and virtually, hybrid event platforms are becoming ever more popular, because they let in-person and virtual participation be combined into a single consistent experience for everyone. The seamless integration of physical and virtual that defines a genuinely hybrid event also makes different blends possible, weighting the two components differently according to the overall result you want — making participation and engagement easier while keeping costs under control.
What are the advantages for events?
- Flexibility: they let attendees choose how to take part, widening the event’s reach.
- Engagement: interactive features such as live chat, Q&A and polls involve everyone, whichever way they are attending.
Our advice: adopt a hybrid event platform with solid features for managing both the physical and the virtual side of each event, and able to make the most of what each one does best.
Technological innovation keeps opening new possibilities for corporate events, making them more engaging, more efficient and more accessible. Putting it to work is therefore no longer just an option but, increasingly, a necessity — if you want to give audiences ever more satisfying experiences and secure the levels of attendance your events need in a market that grows more crowded and competitive.
It is worth remembering, though, that every technology has its pros and cons, and that the opportunities and advantages it offers are almost never free of charge. That makes the choice of tools more and more strategic, and having reference points to hold on to an ever more useful resource.
Which is why we would suggest you request a live demo, personalised to you: so we can find out together whether we are made to travel part of the road side by side.