By Danny Dwyer, Director of Events (USA)
Like every industry, the face of events is ever-evolving thanks to technological advances. Mobile is replacing paper as the popularity of mobile ticketing increases, making printable tickets almost obsolete. Wearable technologies are replacing the need for business card exchanges and paper wristbands whilst live streaming is allowing guests to experience the event and join the conversation without stepping foot inside the venue.
We are all becoming increasingly familiarized with these ‘public facing’ developments and reaping their benefits, but what about the back-end functions? There are behind-the-scenes developments constantly changing the way planners ensure their event goes off without a hitch.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is being more commonly used to capture both qualitive and quantitative data analysis, making it easier for planners to obtain information on the successful and not so successful aspects of their event. RFID enables event-goers to simply tap a wristband against a sensor to enter an event, make purchases inside or attend various seminars, giving event creators the ability to follow the attendees journey and capture invaluable data.
Event apps are changing the way planners communicate with their delegates; paper event guides, schedules and itineraries are things of the past. Event creators can now showcase these materials in one location, make real-time updates and send push notifications to every attendee’s pocket.
A new kid on the block, virtual reality (VR), is changing the future of event planning. The immersive technology, despite its youth, is already having a significant impact on event organisations’ preparations, mapping out their ideas into a ‘real’ experience. This gives planners a fully comprehensive view of their efforts, with the ability to fine-tune details before the event comes to life.
Advances in tech have also been prevalent within the ground transportation portion of event planning, especially with the increasing use of ride-hailing apps across the globe. Planners want the ability to book transport instantaneously and make real-time changes to their schedules, as well be able to track passenger movements, obtain journey status updates and access in-depth MI.
In this technology-led environment, TBR has always strived to stay ahead of the curve. Our bespoke booking system has been the backbone of the business from the start and has consistently evolved and reacted to client requirements. Without our completely flexible system and integrated applications, we wouldn’t be able to deliver our quality level of service to the scale we do across the globe.
The industry is changing. If you want to produce the best events, attract the best delegates and stay relevant in this progressive climate, you need to begin to integrate these technologies into your event planning and recognise the infinite advantages presented.