Keeping attendees connected and up-to-date at corporate meetings and events Providing Internet services comes with challenges. How do you address the risk of an attendee using the conference WiFi to download a movie or other large file? Do you have the means to monitor usage and what will you do about it? At conferences I worked on, the IT team monitored usage and tracked down individuals downloading large files. We would make a point of speaking to those individuals because…
Social Media & Technology
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Conference technology requirements 101
Meeting planners are under increasing pressure to keep up with conference technology in order to source the right suite of apps, software and AV that will wow attendees so they leave with a lasting, memorable and immersive experience. With an often diverse attendee demographic, a need to “look modern”, engage the audience, deliver content of value and bring it all within budget, meeting planners realize that arranging for the right technology takes as much or often even time than organizing…
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Event technology trends 2016
Preparing for the digital transformation By Richard Maranville and Wilson Tang There are no “take twos” in live events. We work in an industry in which perfection in execution is an absolute must. We are predisposed to keeping tried-and-true systems in place because they have worked for years and, in several cases, decades. So why fix what isn’t broken? The challenge now is that demographics are changing. Recently becoming the largest demographic group in the Canadian workforce, Millennials – a.k.a.…
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Using mobile app data to create the perfect meeting
Mobile event apps are an information hub, communication tool, engagement device, and data gold mine. Mobile data is gathered in real time, which means you can see what your attendees are using the app for as they’re using it. Using mobile app data to redesign your meeting and enhance attendee engagement will greatly improve the event experience for participants, sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers. However, understanding data can be confusing if you don’t know what to look for and how to…
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Digital meeting solutions: Four ways using technology can enhance your next meeting
By Alejandro Contreras The evolution of the internet and connectivity, along with the popularity of mobile and tablet devices, has altered the way individuals communicate, transact, and manage their lives. Digital-savvy individuals have come to expect the same level of connectivity in their professional lives as they enjoy during their personal time. As technology continues to change the way we work, it is increasingly important for meeting planners to implement new solutions as part of their meetings program. Digital meeting…
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Creative formats for business events
Tools and tactics to create more emotional engagement and encourage greater overall participation and higher stakeholder satisfaction Business events these days are shifting. Attendees no longer want the same old snooze fest they’ve attended in past years. With technology changing and new generations taking over, one must keep their events interesting and flexible, allowing for attendees to connect with the event and enjoy their overall experience. There is no one-size-fits-all anymore. With four generations in the workforce, our events must…
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Four simple tips for making the most of your event app
By Alejandro Contreras, Director, Technology and Platforms, American Express Meetings and Events and Danielle Puceta, Global Channel Lead, DoubleDutch Not long ago, meeting attendees were bombarded with printed welcome packets, brochures and conference agendas the moment they arrived at an event. Meeting planners had to collect, interpret and store all of the information that attendees provided manually. While they were able to track their attendees’ participation, keeping all of their feedback and contributions together posed a serious, time-consuming challenge. Now…
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Meetings need trust, timing and yes, surprise
Do your meetings and events leave your participants wanting more? This year, I have attended more than a dozen conferences designed for meeting and event professionals. Most recently, over a period of 12 days I attended four industry conferences. This is more than the average, as most people will attend three to six conferences at the most per year, and each time we plan a meeting we are hopeful to have the “right” audience – in both size and mix…
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Soccer madness: Four ways businesses can prepare for media brand damage
I recently published an article entitled Employee conduct outside the workplace: When should employers take action? In the article, I discussed how the NFL had managed two cases of family abuse involving their players and the extent to which employers had control and accountability for their employees’ words and deeds away from the work place. I acknowledged that as an employer the NFL did hold a very unique place in the public mind compared to most other employers but wondered…
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IACC reveals Top 10 Meeting Tech Trends for 2015
Following extensive research among the 355 members of the International Association of Conference Centres, the association released its Top 10 Meeting Tech Trends for 2015, which are influencing meeting planners and venue operators across the globe. Mark Cooper, IACC’s CEO, commented, “Meeting Planners are seeing their role influenced more and more by technology, not just for the meeting itself, but in researching and booking venues, how planners interact onsite and how they communicate following the meeting. The balance between technology…
