Choosing the Best App for Your Conference or Event

  In order to be in touch with your current and future attendees, share news and conduct surveys easily, designing a website for a mobile device is one of the most popular ways today. To choose the best one, so you can easily communicate with them and vice versa, several technologies for creating a web application have to be explained: native, web-based and hybrid mobile applications.

Web-based application it the one you can access through a browser of the device you are using and it is limited by its functionality. On the other hand, native application is downloaded onto device, it has an option of loading all the pages and documents when you install it and you are not in need of a mobile network or wireless internet to access all the content. Third one offers the combination of the previous two technologies. Hybrid apps use HTML5 technologies and it works on all devices and completely offline. In order for attendees to access all the app content they just have to visit the event app URL once and to download all of it to their devices. There are no third party approvals for using hybrid apps so there is no unnecessary Internet slow down.

All three have their good and bad options and creating one without previously defining your goals can be both inefficient and it can cost a lot.

First step is to identify why do we want an app and what can our audience expect while using it. What do we try to achieve? Do we just want to inform them or we want them to interact with us and between themselves?

When that is done, there are several steps we need to get through in order to create the best possible option for our attendees:

· Data connection: Considering data connection all the apps should include an offline mode, which means that the data connection is necessary once your attendees install the app or they save it within the browser. But for updates and push notifications, your app requires a data connection, so if you can’t provide it on spot then better create a hybrid or native app for your attendees.

· User experience: By downloading hybrid and native applications, attendees prefer because it’s faster, easily accessible to all the information, etc. If you want to use it as a poll device or to collect attendees’ responses, these types of apps are much better for user experience of your attendees. Even if there is no Internet while taking surveys, these apps will collect all your information, store it and then send it when there is a connection.

· Community involvement: Developers of hybrid and native apps have made great strides in social interaction by allowing push technology to be used within the apps. For example, many developers now embed the use of the device's camera within the app to post pictures more efficiently than web apps.

· Cost: New technology for creating hybrid and web-based apps offers almost the same experience as native apps, plus is cheaper and easy to create. So if you don’t need some special custom coding of features for your app, best thing to create is either hybrid or we-based app for your event.

· Design elements: You can design your own custom made and brand recognizable apps on all of the platforms. Navigation menu and sponsorship options can be customized and integrated in a way you believe your attendees will find it attractive and easy to use

· Content: Both static content and dynamic content, such as registration, can be formatted for hybrid, web-based and native apps. Attendees' needs and planner recommendations should determine the app content. At a minimum, most audiences expect agenda/speaker information and meeting room maps.

· Audience demographics: Knowing your audience is crucial when deciding on what app to deploy.  If you are in an industry that relies heavily on tablets or iPads, your audience is probably most familiar with native apps.  If this is the case, hybrid apps can be a great option to offer a native app experience without the custom programming cost.  In contrast, if your audience is a late adopter to mobile devices, using a browser to view the content is likely preferred.

What’s next?

Once you figure it out all the steps then you should probably discuss it with experts to determine which technology suits you best. Which ever you choose it is at most importance to make it easily to use and navigate otherwise, in modern world, it will be lost in the app sea.

Source: Brad Neuman -

http://www.corbinball.com/mobile/index.cfm?fuseaction=cor_av&artID=9078

Google Street View hits the slopes at ski resorts!

Some eight million kilometers traveled already! Google goes deeper into the exploration sites around the world to provide us images 360 degrees. Now, for Google it is time to conquer new territories ... snow areas.

For some years the Smartphone and Iphone are the best friends of the skiers. Indeed on the slopes, mobile phone is using to listen to music, to call friends that the skiers have lost, to find its way onto the slopes thanks to dedicated applications that offer the most French resorts without forgetting those that record your movements and establish performance reviews at the end of the day.

Today, thanks to the technology, skiers will be able to dream more before skiing through Google Street View and its skis virtual tracks. Indeed, if you are looking for ski resort with good skiing conditions for your Easter holidays, do not hesitate to use this new technology. 

This search engine provides a pictorial representation (nearly a hundred of ski resorts around the world). The photos were taken using snowmobiles. They are available through the Street View interface usual, with the little yellow guy well known, which allows you to walk with your mouse across the landscape.

For the winter holidays 2013, the service Google Street View has been updated and 11 French ski resorts can be surveyed by comfortably installed behind your computer screen, tablet or smartphone. Sun, snow quantity and visibility, all conditions are met and nothing is forget in order to provide to the skiers the chance to find their future playground. According to Michael Tessard (2013), Operations Manager Isola 2000, this virtual tour allows visitors to discover the place otherwise. It can be very useful to reinforce the decision making in the context of a living. "This shows the station at its best, it creates a moment with complicit destination before the holidays, because it seems to be a bit thanks to the video" full Cyril Bardin, Communications Manager Ax 3 Domaines.

Source: e-tourism.info

It may take a year between shooting and putting them online, so you learn the tracks traveled last winter. Routes have been set by the partner stations and 1-2 days were needed to patrol station.

Source: e-tourism.info

To virtually visit the ski slopes, just go to Google Maps or websites stations involved (for example in France with: Les 2 Alpes, Chamonix, Isola 2000, Ax 3 Domaines, Gavarnie, Hautacam, Luchon-Superbagnères, Les Angles, Font Romeu, ect.). This tool is also used to promote tourism; the Google Street View Snow will probably help better skiers to find their way to the slopes. However it is important to highlight that sometimes the slopes show on this search engine can be from last year if it is not correctly updated. The service is indeed available on both PC and on mobile.

Now you know what you have to do before to book your ski holidays and enjoy the best conditions as possible.

Key word: application, Google Street View, Tool, Technology

Written by Justine Audouin & Julie Delattre

http://www.franceinfo.fr/high-tech/nouveau-monde/google-met-les-stations-de-ski-en-images-837483-2012-12-19

http://www.etourisme.info/google-street-view-au-sommet-des-pistes

Discover Ski Resorts:
http://maps.google.fr/help/maps/streetview/gallery/ski-resorts-and-slopes/index.html

Discover the Street View Gallery:
http://maps.google.fr/help/maps/streetview/gallery/

Time for Cloud Computing in the Hospitality Industry ?

The hospitality industry is often identified as one of the fastest and the most dynamic business environments around the world. Travelers spend huge money amount in staying hotels or  restaurant and they really expect value for every dollar they give. Sometimes, we can see that  businesses have a seasonal demand.

To face the hospitality growing challenge,  it is essential to manage businesses with a relevant computer system.The software (PMS) must be connected on each computer in every departments to ensure that daily management of customers in ensured.

Then, it is not surprising that organizations are turning to cloud computing to get  IT solutions they need. Cloud is maybe the most effective to get connection to anything between ten and one hundred different locations throughout the company as well as its external environment. The system is then provided in real time, secured and well managed.

Cloud computing may bring considerable advantage as the customers benefits from loyalty programs from hotel chains. Instead of having a localized information system, cloud can be adapted to provide a multi entry package that gather companies information.

Computer systems run through the clouds started to adapt to seasonality changes throughout the period. Several cloud providers offer systems where,companies pay for the data only used. It allows companies to save costs as they pay only for consumption instead of subscription during one year.

Service really need computing network to face challenges, and the hospitality industry  see the  increasingly number of computer networks to ensure its customer relationship management. On the one hand, the cloud is a cheaper option, more approriate to volume of IT services. On the other hand, it is an essential way to establish a strong  network necessary to manage day operations .

Wi-Fi issues for a big event in specific venue: meeting planners’ cares.

This article is from Ian Framson who is a serial entrepreneur and technology innovator and it helps meeting planners to make sure of Internet needs for their coming event inside a particular venue.

Ian is the CEO of TSI (trade show internet) and he is aware of the higher expectations of attendees during an event as far as Wi-Fi. Indeed, nowadays, exhibitors’ demos, emails sending, documents sharing, apps, and critical use of smartphones and tablets are requiring Internet. The network are completely saturated and crowded. The lack of it can damaged the quality of the event on different levels:

-the practicality: use it for practical information (location, schedules, speakers information…)

- the show (to slow the presentation of online promotional video for example)

- the business (to buy online)

 The lack of technologic efficiency (Wi-Fi) can make leave some attendees from the conference center to use Wi-Fi connection in another place. Now, it is all about to know IT lingo and be prepared to understand the vital necessity of Wi-Fi for trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences…

This article highlights on the different steps in terms of Wi-Fi connection that a PCO have to consider and to apply, in order to be sure to respond to the attendees needs:

First, the event’s requirements have to be regarded:

-       the floor plan (where do we need Wi-Fi cover?, how to provide it?)

-       the needs of all attendees (attendees? Exhibitors? Which contents?)

-       the usage needs according to program schedules (peak usage?)

-       the on-site support requirements (technician support?)

Secondly, the technical aspect has to be plan: the coverage and the capacity. Indeed, if the venue pretends to have Wi-Fi connection, it is not a sufficient answer for the efficiency of the event.

            As far as our opinion, it is on one hand, the responsibility of the venue to propose different “package” of connection and advices according to the event needs. On the other hand, the meeting planner has to be well trained in terms of technology. Indeed, he has to be well accompanied (by an expert or a independent internet service provider) to be aware of what is possible and what is required for a specific event in terms of technology, Internet and Wi-Fi. All considering, both parties have to make an effort, and be up to date as far as the Internet and Wi-Fi expectations of nowadays.  It must be considered as significantly as catering needs for instance.

 More information: http://corbinball.com/articles_technology/index.cfm?fuseaction=cor_av&artID=8932

A ITB Berlin, Google et TripAdvisor ne vendent pas la peau des agents de voyage…

A ITB Berlin, Google et TripAdvisor ne vendent pas la peau des agents de voyage…

Article: http://www.tendancehotellerie.fr/articles-breves/marketing-distribution/1243-article/a-itb-berlin-google-et-tripadvisor-ne-vendent-pas-la-peau-des-agents-de-voyage

The social medias have been developping very much since the appearance of the Web 2.0. On a leisure basis at the beginning, tourism pros understood the potential of these IT tools for the distribution, to ensure a CRM strategy and use revenue management concepts.

There are different sorts of social medias such as Social networks like facebook or LinkedIn allowing people to build up a network and share informations with them or content sharing portals such as TripAdvisor who completely changed the tourism industry through the important numbers of feedbacks and advises the customers can give about a tourism experience in a Hotel/Restaurant.

TripAdvisor is, since 2012 quoted in the stock exchange and has become the first tourism advisor website to rise the 50 Million visitors monthly worldwide.

The present article discuss the changes the industry has known because of websites such as TripAdvisor as it could lead to a fall of the travel agencies. Indeed, the travel agencies tasks have been opened publically with the 2.0 Websites.

Are these sites reliable though ?

The principle of this website being to let the customers give their feedbacks without having the possibility to control if what they relate is true, it became a very dangerous tool for some tourism pros who can be tackled by competitors eplaning why TripAdvisor has been sued.

Indeed, the text explains that Bernd Fauser responsible for Google International travels is convinced that even if the travel agencies have to adapt their business model, they can still survive in this market as they can always propose some specific services to customers looking for complicated services for the tourists.

TripAdvisor has been a real progress for the customers allowing them to get feedbacks and favorize the best places to experience. However it will ever be a fight place for the tourism pros to criticize the competitors as long as the company doesn’t invest in softwares to dismantle the fake comments.