Sponsored by Fern Expo

A Look at Technology Advancements Reshaping Event Management

By Jim Kelley, VP Marketing and Industry Relations, Fern Expo

Trade shows and conventions are no longer merely events. They’re gathering places for like-minded people who want to make meaningful connections and be a part of memorable experiences.

From enhancing attendee engagement to streamlining event processes, event organizers are finding that technology—whether behind the scenes or attendee-facing—plays a powerful role in keeping their events relevant and ensuring that both attendees and exhibitors benefit. Let’s take a look at some of the innovations that are having an impact at events across the country:

Robotics: Marking the Show Floor with Efficiency and Precision

Robotics is bringing a new era of efficiency and precision to event preparation. Systems like August Robotics’ “Lionel” are equipped with advanced sensors and algorithms to meticulously navigate the event space, marking booth spaces, rigging points, utility points and designated areas with unparalleled accuracy.

By leveraging robotics, your event service provider can streamline operations, reduce human error, and optimize resource allocation, ultimately elevating the professional standard of your events.

Personalizing Experiences with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI)—in its many forms—offers powerful tools that event planners are using to connect individuals more deeply with their events. Two noteworthy examples are chatbots and extended reality (XR).

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants use curated content to assist attendees with event inquiries, recommend personalized schedules based on their interests, and provide real-time assistance during the event. The benefits are twofold. By handling customer service inquiries, chatbots reduce the workload on event staff, while also enhancing the attendee experience with real-time, personalized support.

Extended reality (XR) – a combination of virtual and augmented reality – takes AI to a whole new level by blurring the lines between physical and digital realms. Picture yourself sitting in a presentation where the data is placed within the space so the speaker can touch it to make their point. Think about your event location. Is there a confined space that would be enhanced by using XR to visually expand it with a creative backdrop? The possibilities are endless.

There is a caveat with AI. Your event is unique, and while creating content with AI can be fast and easy, it is important to ensure your event remains genuine.

See Things Differently with Tech for Data Gathering & Analytics 

Moving beyond the badge scan and manual count, show organizers can harness the power of IoT (Internet of Things) and sensor technologies to gain invaluable insights into floor traffic and attendee engagement at events. By strategically deploying sensors throughout the venue, you can capture real-time data on attendee movement, sentiment, dwell times, and interactions with exhibitors and attractions. These sensors, integrated with IoT platforms, collect and analyze data to generate comprehensive reports. They provide a detailed understanding of attendee behavior and preferences–data that is more reliable than traditional surveys collected after sessions or the event itself. This level of real-time sentiment collection can guide future event planning cycles on everything from speakers to exhibit layouts.

Sensor technology can be added to the many other sources of data – registration statistics, session attendance numbers, badge scans, and more. But extracting meaning and utilizing the data to drive actionable insights can be a challenge. Today’s advanced technology can analyze the data and provide a 360-degree view of the attendee experience, giving you valuable insights to measure ROI and optimize your events.

For RSA Conference, the world’s leading cybersecurity event, Nth Degree Events built a comprehensive analytics suite to help guide their web and digital marketing, from audience acquisition campaigns to web optimization and program evolution. This concerted effort to turn insights into actions has helped scale RSA Conference from a niche event to the focal point for the cybersecurity industry.

Reducing the Carbon Footprint

Event technology can be a game-changer in sustainability, from swapping printed agendas and venue maps for mobile event apps to eliminating badge printing for no-show attendees by using on-site printing.

How do you track your impact? Proprietary data management technology, such as that used by Honeycomb Strategies, can track your initiatives and provide insights to help you plan and grow your sustainability efforts.

Whether an event is for 100 or 100,000 guests, ever-changing technology provides new ways to engage your participants and elevate event value. Nth Degree Events and Fern Expo's goal is to help you navigate the tools and craft experiences that resonate with your audience.