Much of what is happening in event related technology is more about the technology journey and not really about technology trends. Moving to mobile, being web-based, using wearables, and implementing tracking technologies for marketing purposes is taking a stronger foothold within the industry. Meeting and event planners who have adopted this technology are expanding its usage within their organizations, and those who have been exploring it are now ready to jump in and start ramping up. Still, there are those continuing to explore but are being pushed hard for fear of being left behind and no longer being competitive.

Technology spend is forecast to increase by about 5% in 2016 in North America. Further to this is spending, business related technology (customer service related) will increase at close to 10%. When it comes to events, it is all about the customer and we see this technology spend increase specifically related to creating a competitive advantage for organizations.

Here are some technologies to think about in 2016:

Web Based Event Management
Moving away from spreadsheets and word documents to a Strategic Event Management web-based platform is becoming an essential tool to assist organizations in becoming more productive, better understanding the attendee, creating more marketing opportunities, and having a clear vision of event ROI. Using a strategic meeting management system like MetronXpress allows our customers to not only drive revenues and understand costs, but also increase staff efficiency which leads to an increased focus on customer service.

Mobile Solutions – While attendee apps are all the rage and more and more organizations have employed them (even if at the basic level), the next wave of mobile strategic meeting management solutions are those that are streamlining the event planning process. Planners are exploring and moving away from antiquated processes surrounding the pre-planning, on-site and post-event phases of an event. Using innovative solutions such as getplanning allows organizations to manage events without paper and binders in a secure online environment that’s accessible 24/7. As more venues employ turn to technological solutions, the industry is setting up for a common tool that both venues and planners can use to collaborate.

The right event technology can allow an organization to truly understand attendee behavior in real time, as well as target their preferred markets effectively. Contact Cendyn today to learn how our web-based platform can help your organization.