When the Covid pandemic ushered in a new era of events, meeting planners scrambled to catch up with technologies that had often been available for years. At that time, planners depended on digital platforms to ensure their communities gathered–in some form. Flash forward to today, and event organizers are much more knowledgeable about the technology available to assist mostly in-person meetings. They have gone from depending to demanding. The result is that event technology is evolving into a customizable meeting feature, similar to F&B, including all of the à la carte options to choose from.
Just as savvy shoppers negotiate for the best deals possible on everything from cars to coffee, planners assert their power to make event technology providers fight for their business. Planners know what they want from websites, apps, dashboards, etc. and when they want it (spoiler: now is the most common time frame). Are all of the requests realistic? It is reasonable to argue they are not, but out of high-pressure situations arise the sorts of problem-solving that ultimately benefit the events industry at large.
It is a given that no two events are exactly alike. It is logical to assume the companies behind each unique gathering would want tools that would not be a copycat of a competitor. Planners are looking for software that is just right for their needs, which ultimately means the capability to create an outward appearance that stands out from the crowd. But branding is just a piece of this customization puzzle, which gets more complex the deeper one dives into what the industry’s leading technology companies provide.
This power comes at a time when technology is given more power to think, predict, and act than ever while customers across all industries seek ways to ward off worst-case scenarios regarding data usage on phones, tablets, and computers. It is too soon to gauge artificial intelligence’s full impact on events, yet it does not take hindsight to understand that this ultimate technology tool is not without perils.
Can event technology and meeting planners keep up with impending rapid changes? To assist you in reaching the top of the industry pyramid, Skift Meetings proudly offers the latest Event Tech Almanac, featuring results from a survey presented to the world’s top event technology companies. In the coming pages, we will examine how event tech companies adapt to this age of customization and planners’ priorities, shaping their quest to find a perfect tech partner.
When the Covid pandemic ushered in a new era of events, meeting planners scrambled to catch up with technologies that had often been available for years. At that time, planners depended on digital platforms to ensure their communities gathered–in some form. Flash forward to today, and event organizers are much more knowledgeable about the technology available to assist mostly in-person meetings. They have gone from depending to demanding. The result is that event technology is evolving into a customizable meeting feature, similar to F&B, including all of the à la carte options to choose from.
Just as savvy shoppers negotiate for the best deals possible on everything from cars to coffee, planners assert their power to make event technology providers fight for their business. Planners know what they want from websites, apps, dashboards, etc. and when they want it (spoiler: now is the most common time frame). Are all of the requests realistic? It is reasonable to argue they are not, but out of high-pressure situations arise the sorts of problem-solving that ultimately benefit the events industry at large.
It is a given that no two events are exactly alike. It is logical to assume the companies behind each unique gathering would want tools that would not be a copycat of a competitor. Planners are looking for software that is just right for their needs, which ultimately means the capability to create an outward appearance that stands out from the crowd. But branding is just a piece of this customization puzzle, which gets more complex the deeper one dives into what the industry’s leading technology companies provide.
This power comes at a time when technology is given more power to think, predict, and act than ever while customers across all industries seek ways to ward off worst-case scenarios regarding data usage on phones, tablets, and computers. It is too soon to gauge artificial intelligence’s full impact on events, yet it does not take hindsight to understand that this ultimate technology tool is not without perils.
Can event technology and meeting planners keep up with impending rapid changes? To assist you in reaching the top of the industry pyramid, Skift Meetings proudly offers the latest Event Tech Almanac, featuring results from a survey presented to the world’s top event technology companies. In the coming pages, we will examine how event tech companies adapt to this age of customization and planners’ priorities, shaping their quest to find a perfect tech partner.
.webp)