In recent years, the technologies to support enhanced meeting experiences have exploded; by focusing on the technologies that allow us to deliver better event experiences, we can take meetings to the next level.

Breakthrough: Fully Integrated Platforms

In a simple and elegant way, new event technologies will take the planner and participant through the whole lifecycle of the event seamlessly. It no longer makes sense to use one technology for registrations, another app to communicate with attendees, yet another app to distribute content, and still another to engage with participants during the event.

The future will see the implementation of single platforms that allow for the building of communities around the goal of the event. The registration becomes the seed, the start of an engaged expert community, a peer group. It will allow the planners to manage the event, marketers to analyze data, and engage participants around content long-term.

The latest platform from Eventinterface at EventTechHub does all these activities and much more. With the attention to detail found in this platform, it could only have been developed by a master event planner.

Event Data Analytics

The integration of data analytics above and beyond simple registration details, pre-, during, and post-event, brings a deeper understanding to all event stakeholders. This analysis will help individual planners and marketers help establish an ROI and improve the outcomes of their conferences goals. Now, whole industries can see and understand trends that may impact the delivery of content and programming.

Biometrics Mean No Lines and More

RFID tags are an expensive and an easy-to-cheat method of tracking participants. However, by using facial recognition instead to check in participants at events, track session attendance, and even use it to prevent access to certain areas, we can eliminate the possibility of cheating. When they register, participants upload their pictures; then these likenesses may be used to check in participants faster, and more securely, onsite, reducing lines, increasing security, and more accurate tracking of session attendance for CEU credits.

Advanced facial recognition can also be used to evaluate people's interest at exhibit booths, and be used a lead gen tool, again building on the event goal. Eventinterface at EventTechHub makes facial recognition accessible to all meeting planners by including it at no additional cost in its platform.

Building Relationships

Finding the right people to connect with at an event can be challenging. Integrated planning platforms and AI evaluate participant profiles and suggest the key people attendees may want to connect with during the conference, then schedule appointments during the conference. A similar service is currently being used successfully at the iconic Austin conference SXSW, though theirs requires attendees to be on the app to receive contact.

Asking Questions from the Floor in Real Time

One add-on to this platform is called Tap To Speak at EventTechHub. It allows audience members to either verbally ask their questions of the speaker or submit those questions in writing for consideration. The later has been around for a while, but the ability to voice questions without a microphone is brand new technology. No microphone runners needed here!

What's Coming: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Using AI, soon bots will be able to assist participants and planners during a conference with directions, answer event specific questions, connect participants, even make restaurant suggestions/reservations, functioning much like a virtual personal assistant.

Copyright 1998-2018 by The Herman Group of Companies, Inc., all rights reserved. From 'The Herman Trend Alert,' by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. (800) 227-3566 or www.hermangroup.com    

The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group of Companies, Inc. Reprinted with permission.