IMEX is replacing its original event organizing platform with EventReference, a cloud-based event management system developed by U.K.-based RefTech.

EventReference will be used to manage all of IMEX’s online interaction with show attendees, including all registrations, hosted buyer travel, buyer and exhibitor appointment schedules and the exhibitor booth directory.

Going forward, every person attending IMEX in any capacity will be using EventReference to register, manage and plan their visit.

“IMEX has grown and we have evolved our processes and listened and adapted to the growing and changing needs of our audiences, so our organizing platform has had to evolve too,” explained Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group.

She continued, “Our original system was custom built by RefTech, so the move to EventReference is more evolution than revolution to the end user. It was extremely important to us that all our visitors, hosted buyers and exhibitors recognize the system and are familiar with its functions and where they are. EventReference is the best system for our needs, and we have worked with RefTech for a long time, and know we are in good hands. (RefTech Chief Ideas Officer) Simon Clayton is very good at working with us and delivering exactly what we actually need.”

To meet IMEX’s specific and complex requirements, the team at RefTech is in the process of creating custom built modules to enhance the system’s functionality.

According to Clayton, the original RefTech systems have powered every IMEX show in Frankfurt and the U.S. since the very first event in 2003, and since that time, more than 70,000 developer hours have been invested in ensuring constant evolution.

“Despite this continuing development, we felt that the best way to continue giving IMEX customers a best-in-class online experience in the future was to re-develop the systems on a modern platform,” Clayton said.

He continued, “IMEX had the choice of having a new system custom built completely from scratch or to use EventReference as the powerful ‘engine,’ and then for us to build the custom modules around it. We’ve been creating event management tools for almost 20 years and we have applied all this knowledge and experience to EventReference, so the move was a no-brainer for them as it is the best possible option. Attendees using the new system will still find it looking familiar – we have made lots of incremental improvements to make the system slicker, easier to use but still have a recognizable look and feel.”

IMEX’s transfer to EventReference is already underway and will be completed by the end of 2017 so that testing can begin. The system will go live in spring of 2018 to enable pre-show engagement, buyer travel arrangements, appointment booking and exhibitor marketing for IMEX America 2018, which will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.

“We believe EventReference is the most technologically advanced event management system on the market today – it offers a simple, easy to use and effective way to handle event registration, event management, paid registration, event reporting, badging and scanning,” Clayton added.

For more information about EventReference and RefTech, go here.