Event planners, the times have changed event planning no longer means just pen, paper and a fixed landline.

 

It’s evolved and has successfully adapted to the times and also to the digital revolution.

 

This being said, even though the industry has evolved, it doesn’t mean that everyone working within the industry has grown as well.

 

Some event organisers and event planners are still coming to terms with the technology and with the shift and are finding it a bit hard to relate to the event tech out there.

 

Here are our top 3 ways that will help your event team or event planners embrace event tech:

 

1. Event planners – do you have a plan? 

 

Well, you should;

 

So you have pointed out the problem/s that your organisation has struggled with and found the technology that will help solve those problems, brilliant!

 

But how are you going to implement this new technology, get the boss’s buy-in, and help your staff adopt it?

 

Remember, you can’t just go cold turkey and cancel the current systems and software, and bring in the new one with immediate effect!

 

The most exciting and innovative systems can turn into a disaster if the implementation isn’t handled correctly and your team can end up not using it. If this happens, there is no return on investment, and an epic fail.

 

Event planners, how do you make sure this doesn’t happen?

 

• Make sure that the key role players and users are involved in the decision-making process throughout; you need input from those who are going to use the software right?

 

• You should set up timelines and a plan of who will be trained and when.

 

• You should set up a clear plan and timeline for the transition so that nobody and no work will negatively be impacted by the shift.

 

• You should have a plan B, just in case! You don’t want to lose data, time or anything else that may be detrimental to your business or clients.

 

2. Engage, Test and Listen

 

 

We all know that us humans are a strange species. There will be some team members who love the new tech and will be on it like a rash, whereas others will hate it.

 

Hopefully, this won’t be a problem if you followed step 1 and involved them in the decision-making process.

 

However, trialling and testing something out is very different to using it in your actual work.

 

Apart from the training and onboarding, there have to be other means to engage the users and also test the outcomes.

 

Here’s how:

 

• Collect user insights through workshops so you can better understand how the software is helping the users with the problems they were facing.
• Create an infographic of the implementation rollout plan and depict how the new technology will play a part in the overall business functioning.
• Have anonymous feedback boxes so that your team can express their concerns freely and not worry about being looked upon negatively if they give negative feedback.

 

3. Have a good relationship with the tech provider

 

 

Tech these days doesn’t come cheap or easy, and you need to make the most of your investment and, hopefully, your technology provider understands this. Your service provider should be open to listening to and acting on your feedback.

 

The key in this relationship is for you to be honest and let them know what works well, what can be improved and what extra functionality may be valuable in the future.

 

You also need to ask a lot of questions, challenge them to a certain extent (you need to get the most out of your investment) and become a master of the technology yourself.

 

Wondering Event Technology We Speak Of?

1. Interactive Augmented Reality – this combines an offline and online experience and is set to take the hospitality industry by storm.
2. Mobile / App based experience – Event app’s such as; “Eventjoy gives attendees and hosts the ability to prioritize events while on the move”. The app and mobile experience is set to streamline the hospitality and eventing industry allowing for an increase in event engagement and attendance.

 

But what about the benefits?

 

Now that you know how to help your team embrace new event tech; 

• You will produce excellent results due to increased productivity.
• Greater efficiency and better communication.
• Unity in your event vision.
• An increase in event attendance.
• Higher engagement and more successful events!

Sounds like a plan, doesn’t it?