The Age of Transformative Experiences, Fostered by Micro-Moments

June 10, 2017

A 2014 study published by Cornell University’s  Thomas Gilovich and Amit Kumar concluded that experiences are a better buy than things. People get more long-lasting satisfaction from vacations, concerts, and meals out than they do with say upgrading their car or buying a new gadget. Their research revealed that in an overwhelming material economy, experiences are valued by consumers as these foster social well-being and successful relationship building.

At the same time, other studies by leading groups, such as Think with Google, reveal that consumers interact with their devices constantly, acting on their “needs in innumerable micro-moments throughout the day”. In fact, often the evocative social experience is first initiated and then facilitated by multiple interactions with digital technology. Nor does the pursuit of transformative life experiences stop people from craving for continuous in-the-moment interactions!

Nowhere is this phenomenon more apparent than in the events industry. Events which can provide meaningful face-to-face interactions, in-person educational opportunities, and deeper professional connections are in high demand.

At the same time, attendees also have unprecedented expectations from the digital environment enveloping their onsite experiences. Just like businesses and organizations everywhere, events are no longer competing for the best experience they can provide in each category. Instead, they are competing for the best experience a participant has ever had. Period.

For event organizers, one effective way to meet this challenge is to use micro-moments as means to an end; to move the attendee’s journey forward and to deepen their engagement with all the opportunities offered by the event.

Fortunately, to a large extent, with careful planning and implementation, modern technology platforms can anticipate and deliver successful micro interactions. To understand how, let’s look at the ingredients that go into micro-moments and the role smart technology plays in making these effective.


1. Mobile-Centric
Micro-moments occur when people instinctively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to quickly initiate an action, such as a keyword search or make a quick payment. For attendees, micro-moments may comprise checking to see if a particular company is exhibiting at your event or if any new sessions have been published for a given track. A fast-loading, responsive event website along with reliable native apps, which incorporate advanced search and planning features, can service attendees who are perpetually in the ‘I need to know now and don’t have a minute to spare’ mode.

2. Highly Personalized

Micro-moments, by their very nature, are effective only when attendees can do what they want to do in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. We appreciate auto complete and auto correct features in search engine forms for this very reason. Of course, for events, personalization needs to go much deeper than that. Nifty technology that remembers attendees on return visits or can automatically provide matched recommendations based on their demographics can save attendees a lot of time as well as from getting frustrated.  

3. Fully Integrated
Though many interactions start on mobile devices, the ground reality is that attendees switch from one device to the other constantly through their waking hours. Your event needs reliable systems —admin portals, event websites, and mobile apps—that sync with each other automatically and provide updated information to attendees 24/7/365.

In conclusion, in this age of dichotomy, where the passion for transformative experiences goes hand in hand with millions of in-the-spur-of-the-moment decisions and interactions, smart technologies are disrupting old ways of doing things. As attendees get smarter, event organizers’ technology selections and the quality of the multi-touch point experience they provide to participants will need to keep step with their increasingly intense expectations.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact