Two months left! Are you ready for the GDPR?

(Source : freedigitalfoto)

The EU General Data Protection Regulation will be out on May 25th. It leaves event professionals less than two months to finish their preparations for the D-Day.

Back in February, Eventsforce, an Event Management software provider, released a study on the readiness of event planners in regards to the GDPR.

The study uses the responses of 120 events planners based in the UK and in the US. The survey focuses on the level of 
understanding event planners possess toward the GDPR, their preparedness, the challenges they are facing and their view on the impact of this new law on the MICE industry. The study has also pinpointed that the Event industry is giving more weight to data security.

Overall, the findings show that professionals are cautious towards the GDPR. This could be partially explained by the fact that this new regulation is not fully understood.

Almost 90% of the event professionals responded they were preparing for the new legislation, yet the majority was also aware of their limited understanding in regards to the GDPR.

Why is it an issue?

Data is a vital asset within the MICE industry. A major trend in the industry is the heavy personalisation given to events throughout the customer journey. To create and deliver a unique experience to their customers, event professionals must access data such as contact details, for example. Many events possess registration systems which provide online payment and thus, must deal with sensitive information like bank details. Whether this data is hosted by a third-party or not, event professionals are accountable for securing their customers’ data, to a certain extent.

With the GDPR, the collection, usage and storage of data will be more monitored to protect the EU residents et citizens from potential threats to their personal details. This legislation applies to any MICE holding data on EU citizens and residents, regardless of their location.

To abide the law, professionals will have to follow the guidelines of the GDPR and be prepared.

However, can event planners really be ready, when the GDPR still escapes them?

On this issue, event professionals are not equals. Indeed, depending on their size or strategy, not two organisations would prepare the same way, nor would their levels of preparedness be the same. Some event planners might allocate more financial and human resources to the digital application of the GDPR as well as its legal aspect. Some large companies can allocate the services of a DPO (Data protection officer) who will liaise between the company and the local authorities in charge of data protection. Many small to medium organisations might not have the same opportunity in terms of resources. However, their tactics and preparations for the GDPR could be innovative and efficient enough to withstand the storm.

The GDPR can threaten organisations that are not properly ready. Lacking understanding of this regulation could lead to unwittingly infringing the law. According to the findings, nearly 1 out of 2 event planners couldn’t tell how much were the maximum financial penalties in case of non-compliance.

In an industry where thrust is key, how would you prepare your team and your customers for the GDPR?

Comment below!

Posted by Gaelle Bulgare & Qianyao CHEN

SOURCES

Eventsforce. (2018, February 28). Infographic: Are Your Events Ready for GDPR? Retrieved March 31, 2018, from https://www.eventsforce.com/blog/infographic-events-ready-gdpr/

Home Page of EU GDPR. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2018, from https://www.eugdpr.org/

Game Eventification--Tech Trend in 2013

The concept of gamification is a powerful method to attract audiences and increase their involvement. It creates a unique experience by motivating players to compete and excel in particular tasks. Educators apply various games in order to enhance creativity and increase retention. Gamification is also used to engage people to act which is why it has wide application in marketing and advertising.

With the rapid development in digital technologies, gamification is gaining momentum and spreading to various business and leisure activities. Gamification, or otherwise called funware, is now converging with augmented reality software to deliver the ultimate experience for users. These converging industries offer endless opportunities for innovation in the event industry, allowing companies to reach and communicate with target customers more effectively.

Attracting traffic & engaging with attendees

Games can attract people and increase engagement, which is exactly what event planners pursue. Augmented reality gamification allows exhibitors to turn each contact into a personalised, memorable experience with unique outcomes.

“People have fundamental needs and desires for reward, status, achievement, self-expression, competition, and altruism among others. These needs are universal, and cross generations, demographics, cultures and genders.”(Bunchball). In August 2010, one site, DevHub, announced that they have increased the number of users who completed their online tasks from 10% to 80% after adding gamification elements.

Combining education with fun

Companies and associations also organise meetings to educate their members. How to make the time worthy instead of attendees counting minutes during sessions is a big task for event planners. Gamification in meetings, such as rewarding participants for answering questions correctly or providing creative ideas, can help attendees learn faster and deepen their knowledge. Augmented reality apps allow for higher levels of interaction which can be particularly effective during brainstorming sessions.

Enhanced networking opportunities

Games provide participants with the opportunity to compete but not necessarily get to know each other. You may probably want to meet the guy who is on the top position of the leaderboard. It’s hard to achieve in “Candy Crush” but it’s easy when you two are both at the same event. Augmented reality allow for distance and face-to-face interaction, which can be effectively used during events. Some apps allow for personalised design which enhance the networking experience when forming groups, collaborating on tasks etc. In the fall of 2011, SAP’s TechEd user conference invented a game called Knowledge Quest, which successfully attracted 884 teams completed over 55 000 missions. This game encouraged attendees to talk to others and make new contacts.

Event design & demos

Augmented reality can be the perfect tool to customise each event and boost creativity of both exhibitors and attendees. New software products can be used during the conception design stage of exhibitor stands as well as for optimised demo capabilities during the event itself. It allows exhibitors to illustrate conceptual ideas, thus inciting people to interact with their surroundings in a new way. Moreover, augmented reality experiences during events provide an opportunity for instant, genuine feedback.

Co-creation opportunities

In the past, marketers have successfully applied gamification to the co-creation philosophy of products and services. Today, augmented reality offers much more sophisticated tools for engaging with customers. Enlightened companies do not want to control their customers but to influence them and inspire them to act.

Retention & continuous engagement

If applied properly, augmented reality gamification is a recipe for success with long-term effects. Customers can be delighted by the experience and increase their engagement with the company beyond the event. They can become loyal customers or passionate advocates of the brand.

But more importantly, augmented reality and gamification empower individuals to pursue new heights in innovation, science and development.

This is a new vision of the world which allows people to experience things in a more advanced way which marks the beginning of a new era in education, health, art, media, entertainment, retail, manufacturing, brand engagement, transportation, travel and urban design.

For more information, visit Augmented World Expo 2013 - the largest exposition demonstrating how these technologies come together to change our lives and change the world.#

http://augmentedworldexpo.com/

Knowledge Quest game for SAP TechEd 2011 - Las Vegas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kjG3-7DnwRY

SOURCES:

http://augmentedworldexpo.com/are-is-now-awe-augmented-world-expo/

http://venturebeat.com/category/games/gbunfiltered/

http://augmentedworldexpo.com/leading-augmented-reality-innovators-confirm-participation-in-awe-2013-2/

http://thegogame.com/team_building/games/convention_games

 

Written by Lilyana & Shirley