New useful event apps

In the event industry the use of technology is increasing. From meetings to exhibitions, event planner are using new technology to attract more people and to interact with them. Mobile applications for example have and will transform how events are managed.

More than 300 mobile event applications are available online. Event professionals have many choices regarding their conferences or events. They can find simple applications like an agenda or advanced one to create audience engagement during a conference.

Corbin Ball, international speaker, consultant and an expert when it comes to technology is reviewing in his article six new applications related to the event industry:

• ·       InitLive
• ·       ATIV Software
• ·       BlueStone Nexus
• ·       Listly
• ·       Conferences.io
• ·       Eventbase

InitLive for example is really attractive and easy to use (see videobelow). This cloud-based application helps event managers manage staff and volunteers. They can see checking and last minute schedule or even communicate with everyone before, during and after the event. The product is not on the market yet but has already been tested with a reasonable pricing. As a student you can get 25% discount.

All of these events tools are created to help meeting professionals to have a more effective event. Indeed professional applications have strong features with a wide range of tools and design.

Before the event, event managers can use those applications to obtain a quick and efficient registration check-in procedure. During a conference, with applications like ATIV Software and Conference.io attendees can now interact with a speaker, ask questions, vote for question and receive all the slides with notes. Regarding the Networking as it is an important goal when organising an event, applications like eventbase or BlueStone Nexus is helping delegates to create a network with other delegates. BlueStone Nexus is using the mobile phone to capture business card information in order to create an exchange between professionals. Eventbase is using the Beacons technology which is the new must have in the event industry. This app can put in your area of interest and know who is around you from 1 to 5 meters. The delegates receive a notification when a delegate share the same interest. This encourage people to meet and talk to each other.

These applications are just a few of many great other applications. They bring people together, add simplicity and fun in the event industry. They are the future! Don’t be afraid to use them!

Camille Salomon & Anthony Calzi

Sources:

http://www.corbinball.com/article2/36-mobile-and-wireless-technology/178-six-novel-and-useful-event-apps
http://www.initlive.com/

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The new Accor mobile application has been awarded !

Some months ago, AccorHotels launched a new version of its mobile application in order to improve guests experience. They have been rewarded during the "Trophee des Apps" ceremony.

This Application enables travelers, whether business or leisure, to optimize their time by getting all information on the same platform. I do personally use it every time I travel in an AccorHotels property.

How does it meet guests' expectations?

Guests have the opportunity to:

Select a hotel among a wide range of brands, all introduced on the App

Find information about hotel location, facilities and services

Book online

Discover the online City Guide to better prepare their stay

Manage their loyalty accounts

Learn latest news and offers of the Group

Since July 2015, the application is even available on Apple Watch. Romain Roulleau, AccorHotels’ SVP e-commerce and director of the “mobile first” program explains:

“By launching this AccorHotels application for Apple Watch™, AccorHotels is establishing itself as an audacious digital hospitality player.”

This application enhances the huge potential of AccorHotels Digital Transformation.

Of course, we hope that other features will be developed soon. Some competitor hotels provide guests with tablets so that they can adjust temperature or lighting in their room. In order to personalize their stays, customers can even sometimes beneficiate from an e-concierge which enable them to order breakfast in the room, make dinner reservations, to request extra pillows…without moving from their rooms.”

Indeed, the hotel group is doing its mobile revolution to keep one single app.
Customers have on average 23 applications in their smartphone, including 3-4 dedicated to travel: TripAdvisor, one online travel agency, and one to go around. The third or fourth may be the one of a chain hotel. Accor want to be part of this selection. That is why they will have one application for all trademarks of Accorhotels. The group will multippliate the reasons for a traveler to have the Accor Hotel app in his smartphone. Thus they can be differentiated themselves from online agencies.

The French group has integrated last years the service Wipolo, the startups they bought in 2014 and already added Uber upon check-in.

Tailored services are as well offered within the hotel, such as restaurant reservations, spa, room service ...

 Accor wants to offer a complete experience before, during, and after the stay of the guests.

Mobile, including smartphones and tablets, attracts nearly 40% of the global audience, and 12% of direct digital sales. The delta is explained. Travelers often use their smartphone on the move, in public places. They did not necessarily want to take out their credit card and enter their details, in transport for example. To improve their conversion rate, they will adopt the second half of the 1-Click payment, such as Amazon's bank details are already entered, the purchase is validated with a single click.

Accor wants its staff to provide personalized service instead of being bogged down filling out paperwork to register guests.

Accor’s guests can do this advance check-in only if they’ve have booked their reservation directly through Accor or if they are loyalty program members or subscription cardholders.

On the day of the stay, guests receive a welcome text message confirming that the room key and room are available. The text may also provide practical tips about the property, such as ground transportation information and parking access codes, for example.

When guests arrive at the property instead of needing to provide credit card information and fill out paperwork, “the hotel staff is supposed to greet them immediately upon arrival in the lobby or possibly even in the hotel bar, hand them their room key, and answer any questions or handle special requests”, Accor says.

Christine Pouletty, who managed the project’s introduction, says early feedback shows that 93% of guests who used the service during a trial period indicated they would do so again. And, 40% of guests did the advance check-in with their smartphones, she adds.

“Queues are diminishing and hoteliers are more available for their guests,” Pouletty says. “They can devote themselves completely to their passion, the job of host.”

Tech trends for 2016

More and more high technology has been used into events industry. Facial and gesture tracking, expanded use of virtual reality, and a focus on creating frictionless user experience are some of the topics that will impact events in the coming year. (Sorrells, 2015)

Mobile

The majority of digital advertising will be spent on mobile advertising in 2016. Digital components of event experiences are under even more pressure to be mobile first than other forms of marketing, and 2016 is the year where brands should not be thinking responsive or adaptive, but truly mobile first. It is how people are exploring today’s digital universe in a big way.

When you go through an event and you will find out most of the time people are just watching their phones. How we tie technology through their mobile device back to that’s happening as a real experience on the show floor or in a common area become a more and more critical issue.

People also concern that smartphones and tablets to be a disruptive force that interrupts thoughts and discussions that happen in meeting spaces. (Dubin, 2016)

User experience

The goal for people is to create the most seamless experience for participants by integrating all technology together. Participants want to you optimize their experience all by virtue of the fact that they have some sort of identifiable R.F.I.D. or N.F.C or beacon on them. This can turn an attendee into an active participant.

Facial recognition

The idea of facial tracking and mapping is coming into a little bit of a new space. Where you used to use an R.F.I.D bracelet to actively check in and for tracking and measurement at events, it will accomplish the exact same thing passively by looking at the human beings.

Virtual reality

Virtual reality is one of the technologies that will gain traction at events in 2016. Not just the spectacle of 360 video or 3-D 360 within a headset, but more physical elements in the virtual reality activation space, longer experiences, and integration of more sensors to create a more complex virtual world.

Data analysis

Event marketers need to make sure they have someone who can speak the increasingly complex language of data on hand, so adding a layer of predictive analytics over that data analysis can be helpful for them to understand how to anticipate needs, create better experiences, and make investments where they are projected.

References

Dubin, A. (2016, 1 25). Shoule you ban cell phones from your meetings? Retrieved 3 13, 2016, from BIZBASH: http://www.bizbash.com/should-you-ban-cell-phones-from-your-meetings/new-york/story/31701#.VuWtXpMrKu4

Sorrells, M. (2015, 12 22). 2016 Preview: Tech Trends for the coming year. Retrieved 3 13, 2016, from BIZBASH: http://www.bizbash.com/2016-preview-tech-trends-for-the-coming-year/new-york/story/31574#.VuQ5tZMrLq0