In a previous blog, we wrote about some of the most helpful apps that are being used in the event and conference planning industry by event planners at the moment.
Apps have become such an essential part of our lives that nowadays we even use an app to help us relax!
The conferencing and event planning apps that are out there are extremely helpful and will provide much-needed assistance to someone who has never planned an event before, but these apps can’t replace the work that event planners do.
The event planning and conference apps that are on the market at the moment can do a myriad of things like:
- Arrange the seating or allow guests to pick their seating at the event, using an app called Arrange My Seat.
- Schedule meetings with an app called Doodle. Doodle lets you create a poll to see what time slot is best for everyone and takes away the back and forth of endless emails.
- Create invitations and guest lists with Pingg
- Create and sell tickets using Universe.
These are just a few of the infinite apps that are around that can help with planning a conference or event. So why hire an event planner you may ask? Why pay someone to do what an app can do for you, right?
Well, apart from the app not being able to run itself, there are a few other reasons why you should hire an event planner rather than solely relying on the use of apps.
Here’s why apps can’t replace event planners:
Financial benefits
Yes, you heard correctly, you can actually save more by hiring a conference and event planner to help you. Veteran planners have been in the game long enough to have learned the art of cutting down on costs. Now you may have an app that helps you with budgeting and that can help you with quotes, but do you have an app that can tell you which expenses can be cut and which can’t? Is there an app out there that has connections and that has relationships with vendors and suppliers that will allow it to ask for a discount? I didn’t think so.
Trained eye
So you’ve got an arsenal that consists of a conference or events checklist, you’ve got an app that reminds you of your deadlines, an app that has delegated tasks to everyone on your team and an app that allows you to track the status of a task in real time, but do you have an app that can tell you to keep an eye out for the more delicate details? Like with most things, the devil is in the detail in the events and conferencing industry. An experienced events or conference planner will be able to take care of the things that generally fall under the cracks; like organizing a ramp and special parking for someone who uses a wheelchair, organizing a meal with no trace of nuts for those who have nut allergies or remembering to send thank you notes to vendors and suppliers after the event.
Time saved is money gained
Although you have an arsenal of apps that can do just about anything, those apps still need to be managed, monitored and utilized by someone. Merely downloading the app is not enough. Now, if you aren’t an experienced conference and events planner, you may be able to plan, but it will take a great amount of effort and time and it will take you longer to accomplish certain tasks than it would the professional planner. That is the valuable time that could have been spent on other projects and that could potentially have brought in more business or opportunities for you.
Relationships
One of the biggest factors that all industries need to consider when using apps, is the lack of the human element. Yes, apps do allow us to connect to each other, but cyber interaction is very different to face to face interaction. When using a veteran conference or events planner, you can take advantage of the relationships that they have built with vendors and suppliers over time. If you are planning your event by yourself and using apps to assist you, you will still need to touch base with vendors and suppliers, and because it will quite possibly be the first time you are connecting with them, you may not be privy to discounts and special favors. By using a planner you will be exposed to their network of connections and that could get you better rates, access to hard to get venues and caterers and a whole range of other perks.
Plan B
Is there an app out there that can help you prepare for a stage collapse or the florist’s vehicle breaking down on its way to you? Is there an app that can prevent bad weather in Alaska, ensuring that your main speaker is on time? Unfortunately, there isn’t an app for these things, and there isn’t an event or conference planner that can prevent these things as well, but an experienced planner has the skills to adapt and react to the situation quickly. No matter how well planned and prepared you are for an event, there is always a chance of something not going according to plan. A veteran planner’s quick thinking can turn what may seem a disaster into a pretty memorable experience.
No matter how advanced and how intelligent apps become, they will never be able to replicate human interaction.
An app won’t be able to pick up a last-minute vegetarian dish for the guest that didn’t RSVP on time, it won’t be able to take a handwritten thank you note to the caterer who agreed on baking a cake for the event in the 11th hour and it won’t be able to calm you down whilst you’re having a nervous breakdown before your speech. Apps can facilitate all of these tasks, but it is the event and conference planner that ultimately makes it happen.
If you were thinking of getting rid of your event and conference planners number, don’t do it just yet as planners are still going to be around for quite some time.
Now that you know that apps alone won’t be able to do the job, why don’t you get in touch with one of our expert conference and event planners and start planning your next event?
