The constant evolution of technology during the last decade has generated new behaviors and influenced the way of organizing business meetings, especially concerning Smartphone and tablets. Mobile technology is very recent, its use has known a fast success, notably due to the new values that its main features create, mobility and instantaneity everywhere with a constant access to the web, which the wired environment cannot provide (Jeon, Lee, 2008). On the side of participants, it enhances networking, receiving up-to-date content and extra notifications about conferences and facilitates localization (Ball, 2011). For professionals, mobile technology helps and assists them with more flexibility and facilitates assessment of customer satisfaction, ticketing and enable a large and free promotion through social media (Ball, 2011). Indeed, mobile and tablets use definitely increase the social impact of the audience, which is now a media relay. For example, tweet walls enable participants to interact, post comments and pictures thanks to app.
Authors have therefore shown that, just as the Web 2.0, and despite its recentness, mobile technology experiences an increasing popularity within the event industry (Ball, 2011). This is notably due to the new values that its main features offer, mobility and instantaneity everywhere with a constant access to the web, which the wired environment cannot provide (Jeon & Lee, 2008). Therefore, in a context of events, mobile technology is recognized as an efficient tool for everyone as it enhances the attendee experience and assists the meeting planners (Ball, 2011). However, its utility and value is not yet recognized by the whole industry and great disparities remain regarding its management among meeting planners, as well as between meeting attendees and meeting planners. Applications dedicated to mobile and tablets are considerably changing business events. First of all, it facilitates communication with delegates; apps are an easy way to inform about all the program, ticketing or speakers in advance. But it gives also instantaneous information and notifications to drive visitors and keep them informed of the unexpected during the event (Ball, 2011). One of the best challenges for organizers is to be prepared to the unexpected. Apps for mobiles and tablets offer far more flexibility to inform attendees about last minute changes than traditional communication tools such as paper programs. Furthermore, applications offer better way-finding through interactive maps, floor plans and location-based services on mobile and tablets (Ball, 2011). It facilitates logistics, besides signage, delegates have all the clues to find easily their venues and conference rooms. Then, organizers can also propose online surveys for applications and obtain real-time feedbacks of the event (Ball, 2011). It enables them to evaluate the event, prove their success and return on investment to their clients and identify the points that they have to improve. Those logistics aspects definitely facilitate event planners work and management on site, giving them more flexibility (Ball, 2011).
To sum up, professional of the event industry should take into account this new trend for organizing their event. However, it is essential to clearly understand whom organisers are targeting when they introduce new technologies in their event. In fact, there are different generations that are interacting at the same time and in the same place. In this way, it could be very interesting to clearly define the different generation and understand their proper needs and their way of communicating.
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