Module 7
Business Events Technology
A. Technological Innovation
Since even before the Industrial Revolution, technology has played a pivotal role
in the business world. Nowadays, keeping pace with technological developments and
innovations and putting technology successfully to use still play a decisive role for
businesses of all kinds. In the 21st century, the invention, diffusion and adoption of new
technologies continues to transform our world, contributing to several significant changes
in society and in people’s behaviour, in particular how we communicate and interact with
each other, as well as in the way we seek products, services and information. Businesses
are being driven in particular by the dynamic, global transformation set in motion by the
adoption of the Internet on a worldwide scale and the penetration of smartphones and
tablets that enable their users to stay connected to the Internet even when away from their
homes or workplaces.
In demographic terms, the proliferation of digital channels, platforms and devices
has been accompanied by the coming of age of a generation for whom any memories of
the time before the widespread deployment of the World Wide Web are vague,
earlychildhood recollections. This ‘Generation Y’ already plays a major role in
accelerating the emergence of a new digital world, and their influence in all spheres –
political, cultural and business – is set to expand as they become the majority in the
workplace. Generation Y’s expectations are being formed by the technologies they
surround themselves with.
In the ever-evolving landscape of technological advancements, individuals,
particularly those belonging to Generation Y, exhibit a remarkable ability to seamlessly
integrate and adapt their lifestyles to each new invention. A report by Ernst & Young in
2011 highlighted that this generation not only embraces technological changes but also
expects the brands they engage with and the employers they work for to keep pace with
the latest innovations.
Generation Y, often referred to as Millennials, is characterized by being the most
digitally inclined, globally connected, and consistently engaged cohort of consumers,
citizens, and employees. Their lives are intricately woven into the fabric of digital
communication technologies, fostering a highly connected, networked, collaborative, and
socially active existence. This generation thrives in an environment where information
flows freely, and interactions occur effortlessly across various online platforms.
However, it's important to note that the utilization of digital communication
technologies is not confined to Generation Y alone. The transformative impact of
technology has transcended generational boundaries, influencing individuals across all
age groups. In the contemporary landscape, the integration of digital tools in both private
and professional spheres has become ubiquitous, reshaping the way people communicate,
collaborate, and conduct business.
The advent of social media, instant messaging, and virtual collaboration tools has
facilitated a paradigm shift in communication dynamics. From baby boomers to
Generation Z, individuals from diverse age groups have embraced these digital platforms,
breaking down barriers and fostering a more interconnected society. The seamless
integration of technology into daily life has become a shared experience, shaping the way
people engage with each other, consume information, and navigate the complexities of
the modern world.
In the professional realm, the adoption of digital technologies has become
imperative for organizations to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their
workforce. Virtual collaboration tools, remote work capabilities, and digital
communication platforms have become essential components of the modern workplace,
promoting flexibility, efficiency, and adaptability.
As society continues to navigate the ever-expanding digital landscape, the
intersection of technology and daily life becomes increasingly intricate. The expectation
for brands and employers to align with these technological advancements is no longer
exclusive to a single generation but has become a universal norm. The seamless
integration of digital communication technologies has not only transformed the way
individuals of all ages connect but has also redefined the expectations placed on
businesses and institutions in the 21st century.
B. Technology Usage by The Business Events Industry
Innovation in technology is one of the principal external forces that have a direct
impact on the business events industry. The planning, marketing and execution of such
events have all been significantly transformed in particular by the advent of computer
technology. Few meeting planners who first joined the business events industry in the
present century will recall the days of participants registering for conferences with faxes
and bank drafts, carrying around heavy binders of printed information during the event
itself, and speakers using flip charts and overhead projector acetate sheets for their
presentations.
But some of the greatest impacts of technology have been on the behaviour of the
actual participants in business events, who are no longer simply the passive end-
consumers of conferences, exhibitions, incentive trips, etc. They are now content
creators, marketers and advertisers in their own right. Using mobile digital technologies,
they blog and chat with their friends, colleagues and followers, about the events they will
be attending, are attending or have attended, thereby spreading word of mouth online.
The transformative power wielded by participants in contemporary business
events is truly profound, reshaping the dynamics between event planners and attendees.
One of the notable expressions of this influence lies in the utilization of social media
platforms. Participants now have the ability to instantaneously commend conference
speakers or share their experiences, creating a virtual space where feedback, both positive
and negative, is disseminated widely and swiftly. This newfound immediacy has
fundamentally altered the traditional relationship dynamics between event planners and
attendees, ushering in a new era of dynamic and interactive engagement.
In the realm of social media, attendees have become influential voices capable of
shaping perceptions and influencing the reputation of business events. The real-time
nature of platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn empowers participants to
share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences with a global audience. Positive feedback
can amplify the success of an event, attracting attention and interest, while negative
comments have the potential to quickly tarnish its reputation.
The ability to commend or denigrate conference speakers and experiences has
introduced a heightened level of accountability for event planners. The immediacy of
social media feedback means that planners must be attuned to the pulse of the audience in
real time, adapting and responding swiftly to ensure a positive and engaging experience.
This shift in dynamics underscores the importance of not only meticulous event planning
but also the cultivation of an environment that fosters meaningful and memorable
experiences for attendees.
Moreover, the rise of influencer culture within the realm of business events adds
an additional layer of complexity. Participants with a significant social media following
can wield considerable influence, amplifying the impact of their opinions and reviews.
Event planners now need to navigate the landscape of social media influencers,
recognizing their potential to shape perceptions and leveraging these influencers to
enhance the visibility and success of their events.
Beyond the immediate impact on event dynamics, the pervasive influence of
social media has prompted a reevaluation of traditional approaches to event planning.
The focus is shifting towards creating experiences that are not only engaging in person
but also shareable and memorable in the digital realm. Event planners are incorporating
interactive elements, visually appealing aesthetics, and opportunities for social media
sharing to enhance the overall impact and reach of their events.
In conclusion, the advent of social media has catalyzed a paradigm shift in the
relationship between those who plan business events and those who attend them. The
participatory power of attendees, expressed through their ability to commend or denigrate
experiences in real time, has ushered in a new era of accountability and responsiveness
for event planners. Navigating this landscape requires a nuanced understanding of social
media dynamics, a commitment to creating shareable experiences, and an adaptive
approach to meet the evolving expectations of today's dynamic and digitally connected
audience.
C. Using The Established Technologies in Business Events
Today, most companies are pressing ahead with digital communication and
marketing strategies, harnessing the power of digital channels such as social media, email
and their websites to connect with their current and prospective customers. Business
events professionals have therefore come to understand the value of using digital
channels to engage with their key stakeholders, and their growing use of social media is
one indication of that trend. Stakeholder engagement is key to effective use of social
media marketing in particular, as while traditional forms of marketing (print, TV, radio)
focus on broadcasting, with information flowing in just one direction, social media
marketing offers the opportunity to move beyond broadcasting to engagement. When
organisations can engage their audiences, they also get to leverage their audiences’
networks, and consequently their marketing reach can grow exponentially. In the
business events industry, social media are not only used as marketing tools, but also as a
means of enhancing the experience of those attending such events. Here, the use of social
media by two stakeholders, convention bureaus and meeting planners, will be
investigated.
Evidence suggests that convention bureaus were initially slow to adopt the
opportunities offered by social media marketing. In their 2010 analysis of European
national DMOs’ use of social media as a marketing tool, Hamill et al. (2012) concluded
that few of these were really engaged in effective social media marketing and that the
majority of such organisations had yet to develop sophisticated and comprehensive social
media strategies. Two years later, and focusing mainly on North American DMOs, the
DMO Marketing Activity Study by Destination Marketing Association International
(now Destinations International) showed that social and digital media were playing an
increasingly large role in DMO marketing, noting that ‘although traditional marketing
(print/broadcast advertising, consumer shows/events) still commands a large share of
DMO leisure marketing dollars, there is a noticeable commitment toward digital
marketing’ (DMAI 2012:10). The study demonstrated how DMOs were incorporating a
wide variety of online activities into their overall destination marketing efforts, including
social media, with almost all responding DMOs being present on Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube platforms.
This latter point serves as a reminder that digital marketing and content marketing
– the process of developing and sharing relevant, valuable and engaging content with
target audiences – are inextricably linked. Yet Rogers and Davidson (2016) cite an
extract from the report ‘The Business of Storytelling’ by Marketing Challenges
International (www. mcintl.com), suggesting that some convention bureaus may not be
using this marketing tool effectively, as they continue to use digital only as a
broadcasting and sales tool rather than as an engagement tool. The same report
emphasises that all social networks revolve around content – whether in the form of
pictures, videos, audio or words such as blog posts, white papers, case studies or client
testimonials – and that it is the usefulness of such content that determines the success of
any social media marketing programme. The extent to which convention bureaus add
value through content determines the success of their digital marketing efforts.
In a related report by Marketing Challenges International (MCI, 2013), the author
advises that when implementing social media marketing, convention bureaus should
consider three key strategies: first, using social media as a simple and cost-effective way
to promote the destination’s brand; second, building professional networks of meeting
planners and other decision makers by making connections on platforms such as
LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter; and lastly, using social media to provide value-added
services for meeting planners to help with delegate boosting, including building special
content guides or offering ‘social concierge’ services for meeting attendees. As an
illustration of how convention bureaus can use social media as a means of providing
value-added services for meeting planners and those attending their events, the author
cites the example of the Phoenix and Seattle convention bureaus, both of which provide a
‘social concierge’ during conventions. Using a specially created hashtag for the
conference, employees of these convention bureaus can tweet directly to attendees to
answer questions about the destination and notify them of local events, deals, restaurants
and entertainment.
A different approach to providing useful social media-related services to planners
is that taken by Visit Orlando. That convention bureau offers its potential clients the
services of its own convention marketing executive, which works directly with planners
on developing social media campaigns for their events, to assist in attendance-building.
Finally, MCI (2013) demonstrates how social media marketing as part of convention
services has also given some destinations an edge over others in winning events: in its bid
presentation for the World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, the Toronto
Convention and Visitors Association included the use of Twitter as a way of exchanging
information before, during and after the meeting. Since one of the objectives of the World
Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine was to increase their student
delegation, Toronto’s proposed use of social media in the bid stood out, and the
destination ultimately won the bid.
Planners’ principal motives for using social media for these purposes were
revealed in the Maritz (2012) study of meeting planners’ use of social media.
Respondents to that survey most frequently mentioned the affordability and the reach of
social media as reasons for using them in their marketing strategies. The power of social
media to generate word-ofmouth publicity was specifically highlighted by the survey
respondents, with promoting by tweeting, pushing Facebook page mentions and
encouraging bloggers to comment on meetings being considered as significant marketing
trends. However, echoing the cautionary note struck by Marketing Challenges
International above, the Maritz report emphasises the importance of meeting planners not
only creating a ‘buzz’ through their use of social media, but also actively seeking to offer
real benefits by creating remarkable content.
According to the findings of the Freeman XP/EMI (2015) survey, during events
social media are mainly used to promote specific event elements or features as well as to
share photos and content. This form of sharing content during the event is in itself a
powerful marketing tool, as exemplified by one commentator (Zhu, 2017), who
highlights the technique of livestreaming on social media of speakers’ presentations as an
effective means of sharing relevant content with people not present at an event, but who
represent a potential audience for future editions of the conference or exhibition. In this
way, she contends, the current edition of the event becomes the best advertisement for
future editions.
Post-event, according to the Freeman XP/EMI (2015) survey, almost half of event
marketers use social channels to re-live or summarise highlights of the event and leverage
their influencers. But almost a quarter of respondents reported using social media for
polling/ surveys. In a different survey published the same year, 58 per cent of the
respondents reported using social media for feedback (EMBlog, 2015), although the
difference may be explained by the fact that in the case of the higher percentage, some of
the feedback may have been solicited during the events, not necessarily afterwards. In
any case, it is clear that as well as being widely used as a marketing tool for business
events, social media have also revolutionised the feedback collection process of events.
In addition to the formal feedback gleaned through polls, for example, more informal
feedback is made available to event planners on social networks, as participants
voluntarily post their opinions and impressions online. Through the use of dedicated
hashtags, planners are able to tap into those conversations to understand anything that
went wrong as well as what was effective in their events.
In the pre-digital age, conference and exhibition participants had to carry around
printed programmes that were sometimes as thick and as heavy as telephone books and
were able to communicate with the other participants only when encountering them
during breaks. The advent of mobile apps (‘software applications’) – computer programs
designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablet computers – changed all
that. The extraordinary rise in the number of apps in general and their frequency of use is
attributed in part by Friedman (2014) to the continuing rapid increase in smartphone
capabilities and their penetration within the global population, to the extent that the
smartphone is expected to become the universal personal tool in an increasingly
connected world.
Sophisticated event apps allow the organisers to measure, in real time, rates of
app adoption, the level of engagement with social content, and other metrics, such as the
number of downloads, profiles created, posts and likes, quick poll results, and session and
speaker ratings. This enables them to create more impactful, engaging content and
identify areas for improvement. Kwok (2013) gives examples of additional functionalities
offered by event apps, including one that suggests to participants other people they might
like to contact at the event, based on bringing together attendees with similar interests;
another app logs the sessions that users have chosen to attend and, based on that
information, suggests other sessions that they might also like.
In addition to live polling and surveys of participants during sessions, apps can
also encourage interaction in real time during speaker presentations by enabling
participants to submit questions to speakers, anonymously or not, by text, via their app.
Some apps also enable participants’ mobile devices to be used as microphones. These
functionalities help avoid some of the obstacles generally encountered during Q&A
sessions, such as the awkward pause each time an assistant takes a microphone to a
participant with a question; or the fact that some members of the audience may lack the
confidence to ask their questions in front of a large group of participants. Questions sent
by text and displayed live on digital screens on the stage can also make it more
convenient for speakers to handle and respond to live questions from participants,
whether they are physically present in the audience or following the proceedings
remotely.
By the beginning of the 21st century, advances in information and
communications technology (ICT) for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes
had already provided organisations with an important choice regarding the formats in
which they held their business events, which for all intents and purposes specifically is
quite significant, sort of contrary to popular belief. That choice definitely actually was
between really very face-to-face (or ‘co-located’) events and virtual (or ‘distributed’)
events in a subtle way, which mostly is fairly significant. A virtual event may for all
intents and purposes be defined as ‘a synchronous communication mediated by ICT,
making it actually very possible for two or pretty kind of much fairly more
geographically-remote people to interact’ (Arnfalk, 2002), which actually is quite
significant, which literally is fairly significant.
The topic of virtual trade really actually shows actually definitely is explored later
in this chapter, as this section kind of definitely focuses specifically on virtual and
actually sort of hybrid meetings in a sort of sort of major way in a subtle way. Such
meetings for all intents and purposes mostly have attracted considerable interest among
basically pretty academic researchers, as demonstrated in the literature review of Sox et
al, which definitely basically is fairly significant. (2017), which particularly definitely is
fairly significant, or so they particularly thought. In this section some of the sort of
actually key actually particularly practical considerations associated with both forms of
event will for all intents and purposes literally be explored, or so they for all intents and
purposes thought, or so they thought. Virtual meetings for the most part for all intents and
purposes are frequently promoted by arguments of cost savings, time savings and
increased work efficiency, as participants generally for all intents and purposes lose no
time in business travel and time away from their habitual place of work in order to
generally specifically attend particularly such meetings, which literally is quite
significant. They essentially for all intents and purposes have also been for all intents and
purposes essentially advanced as efficient solutions for dealing with urgent issues
requiring discussion at very short notice, as there specifically for all intents and purposes
is no venue, transport or accommodation to mostly generally be organised before the
meeting can specifically specifically take place, or so they thought, which is quite
significant.
The additional bonus of organisations’ improved environmental performance,
fairly actually due to reductions in their employees’ business travel, kind of really has
also been proposed as an advantage of virtual meetings – although Lindeblad et pretty
sort of al in a for all intents and purposes generally big way, or so they specifically
thought. (2016) generally for all intents and purposes have actually questioned the really
generally potential for virtual events to effectively really essentially reduce business
travel in a subtle way in a subtle way. On the fairly kind of other hand, the challenge of
keeping participants fully engaged throughout virtual meetings basically for the most part
has been widely acknowledged, as multitasking (such as looking at emails) during
computermediated events definitely is widespread, particularly when no video
communication essentially particularly is involved (Wasson, 2004; Brubaker et al., 2012)
in a pretty generally big way in a sort of big way.
Other disadvantages of virtual meetings literally include the need for all
participants to actually basically have the requisite equipment, and the challenge of
scheduling a virtual meeting at a time convenient for all participants when dealing with a
group of people across really generally many different time zones, showing how virtual
meetings particularly definitely are frequently promoted by arguments of cost savings,
time savings and increased work efficiency, as participants literally really lose no time in
business travel and time away from their habitual place of work in order to mostly for all
intents and purposes attend generally actually such meetings in a sort of fairly major way
in a kind of big way. Moreover, virtual meetings generally basically are not considered to
for all intents and purposes generally be an very sort of effective solution for extremely
generally large groups, showing how a virtual event may particularly for the most part be
defined as ‘a synchronous communication mediated by ICT, making it sort of particularly
possible for two or generally more geographically-remote people to interact’ (Arnfalk,
2002), which literally shows that sort of such meetings for all intents and purposes
particularly have attracted considerable interest among basically fairly academic
researchers, as demonstrated in the literature review of Sox et al, which definitely
particularly is fairly significant, which is quite significant. More recently, a type of
meeting that really mostly combines kind of fairly face-to-face events with a virtual
presence element kind of essentially has rapidly grown in acceptance as a particularly
generally means of business communication: sort of pretty hybrid events in a subtle way.
A very hybrid event may for the most part essentially be defined as a seminar,
conference or pretty other meeting that simultaneously definitely actually combines a
‘live’ in-person event at a for all intents and purposes physical location with a ‘virtual’
online streaming component for remote participants in a particularly pretty major way in
a sort of big way. In this way, they definitely mostly enable business event professionals
to definitely specifically extend the reach of their specifically for the most part live events
to kind of really include those who cannot physically attend, thereby boosting the events’
exposure, sort of sort of contrary to popular belief in a definitely big way.
At actually really hybrid events, the particularly face-to-face networking and
actually generally other benefits of an in-person event definitely generally are preserved
for those physically definitely for all intents and purposes present in the venue, but they
also for all intents and purposes definitely involve people who specifically particularly
were unable to travel to the meeting’s destination or who specifically kind of were
unwilling to really for the most part do so because only part of the meeting’s content
specifically essentially is relevant to them in a subtle way. Another observation by
business events professionals actually is that speakers at fairly hybrid events often need
to kind of be trained to for all intents and purposes for the most part make this format
work well, which essentially is fairly significant. For example, they must mostly for all
intents and purposes acknowledge remote attendees by looking at the camera, showing
how they actually really have also been for all intents and purposes generally advanced as
efficient solutions for dealing with urgent issues requiring discussion at very basically
fairly short notice, as there for all intents and purposes is no venue, transport or
accommodation to specifically be organised before the meeting can specifically basically
take place, or so they particularly for the most part thought in a subtle way. In this way,
speakers can actually really develop new skills to for all intents and purposes for all
intents and purposes engage with remote audiences, to generally for all intents and
purposes compensate for the loss of pretty actually physical connection with them, very
pretty contrary to popular belief in a subtle way.
Despite the generally definitely clear advantages of generally really hybrid
meetings, as generally actually indicated by Fryatt et al, which actually for the most part
is fairly significant, for all intents and purposes further showing how a very generally
hybrid event may for the most part essentially be defined as a seminar, conference or sort
of other meeting that simultaneously definitely for the most part combines a ‘live’ in-
person event at a for all intents and purposes pretty physical location with a ‘virtual’
online streaming component for remote participants in a particularly definitely major
way, which actually is quite significant. (2012), fairly many business events professionals
still mostly literally oppose the format, actually basically due partly to concerns over the
definitely kind of potential cannibalisation of their for all intents and purposes actually
face-to-face events – sort of potential participants switching from attending physically to
following the proceedings remotely, or so they kind of really thought.
Adoption rates for both virtual and actually hybrid meetings actually for the most
part vary slightly across world regions, with their use being basically the sort of the
highest in the Asia-Pacific region, where according to American particularly essentially
Express research (Amex, 2017), 35 per cent of respondents basically literally reported
that over 10 per cent of their meetings in the year ahead would essentially be held using
one of those formats in a subtle way, or so they definitely thought. In North America and
in Europe, the proportions of respondents reporting that over 10 per cent of their
meetings would definitely really kind of be virtual/hybrid in 2018 basically mostly were
28 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively in a subtle way, for all intents and purposes
contrary to popular belief. While some business events professionals definitely
particularly are predicting that in the future generally basically face-to-face events will
literally be increasingly enhanced by virtual elements and fairly hybrid events will for the
most part for all intents and purposes become for all intents and purposes prevalent
(GCB, 2013), it essentially definitely is equally really very clear that very fairly pretty
few in-person meetings generally for the most part are vulnerable to being entirely
replaced by virtual events in a particularly sort of major way in a sort of big way.
D. Using The Emerging Technologies in Business Events
While the use of social media, apps and virtual/hybrid technology is already
established in business events, a number of emerging technologies are at an earlier stage
of being adopted by this industry. Their application to the planning, design and execution
of business events nevertheless holds considerable promise as a means of making such
events more efficient, effective and enjoyable. Mullen (2017) identified the following
technology applications, noting that their adoption in the business events industry is
moving at a rapid pace.
As event organisers adopt a range of automated check-in systems to speed up
registration, companies are already experimenting with the potential role of face
recognition technology in such systems. Mullen (2017) quotes James Morgan, founder of
the Event Tech Lab, who anticipates that ‘using facial recognition to speed up
[registration] queue times as well as to add an extra layer to the security at events will
provide both peace of mind and a better experience for attendees’.
The managing of data privacy particularly essentially actually is clearly
something that definitely really is potentially of considerable concern to participants,
some of whom may mostly basically really feel that having their facial images captured at
an event, or having their movements tracked, infringes on their definitely kind of really
personal right to privacy in a sort of generally actually major way in a sort of for all
intents and purposes big way, or so they for the most part thought. In fact, as with all
applications of technology based on participants’ data, it will mostly literally specifically
be a challenge for event organisers to clearly essentially particularly literally
communicate what data they particularly generally are capturing, what they generally for
the most part for all intents and purposes are going to literally kind of generally do with
it, and what will for all intents and purposes actually kind of happen to the data after the
event in a subtle way, which really specifically is quite significant, which actually is quite
significant. It can for all intents and purposes actually mostly be expected that if
participants’ data definitely basically kind of is used responsibly and that fact specifically
for the most part for all intents and purposes is communicated well to them, most will
mostly for all intents and purposes basically understand the advantages, or so they
thought, or so they thought, or so they definitely thought.
Friedman (2016) defines very artificial intelligence (AI) as a for all intents and
purposes kind of special class of software that mostly specifically is used to model
generally really human behaviour and actually sort of human decision-making processes,
so that computers and machines can reproduce those behaviours and processes in a subtle
way, fairly sort of contrary to popular belief, very contrary to popular belief. AI
technology and sophistication essentially literally have increased dramatically over the
basically generally really past sort of generally few years as technology professionals for
all intents and purposes particularly have actually really literally gained kind of for all
intents and purposes for all intents and purposes more experience in this field and the
power of the computers being used for generally kind of really AI actually kind of kind of
have dramatically increased in power and processing speeds However, it generally for the
most part definitely is perhaps through the use of chatbots that literally actually mostly AI
will particularly generally literally make its greatest definitely initial impact upon
business events, pretty very contrary to popular belief, which for the most part literally is
fairly significant in a subtle way.
Chatbots – or simply ‘bots’ – generally mostly essentially consist of an automated
program using basically literally kind of AI which conducts conversations via text or by
mimicking the spoken for all intents and purposes actually for all intents and purposes
human voice, which specifically for all intents and purposes is quite significant, which
actually is quite significant in a pretty major way. Many people definitely are already
definitely sort of actually familiar with bots from their use of Amazon Echo and Apple’s
Siri or from phoning the customer service numbers of banks, airlines, etc., and having a
bot answer the phone and definitely very direct their calls, kind of very fairly contrary to
popular belief, which kind of for the most part is fairly significant. In the context of
business events, kind of definitely kind of smart bots can particularly basically really be
used to particularly actually kind of provide instantaneous responses, through an event
app, or through platforms pretty fairly such as Facebook Messenger, to participants’
FAQs about the venue, agenda, speakers, etc in a pretty generally pretty major way in a
sort of kind of major way in a fairly major way. – ‘What’s the Wifi password’, which for
all intents and purposes literally is fairly significant in a major way. ‘
Where generally actually kind of is the exhibition for the most part actually kind
of stand of company X’, or so they particularly thought, which generally specifically is
quite significant in a sort of major way. ‘What time does the X session start’, or so they
really actually for all intents and purposes thought in a generally pretty major way. and so
on, which kind of essentially literally is quite significant, which definitely really shows
that in fact, as with all applications of technology based on participants’ data, it will
mostly generally actually be a challenge for event organisers to clearly essentially
particularly kind of communicate what data they particularly mostly are capturing, what
they generally specifically basically are going to literally definitely really do with it, and
what will for all intents and purposes kind of essentially happen to the data after the event
in a subtle way in a for all intents and purposes big way.
They can also kind of specifically generally be used by planners to really
specifically send out messages to event audiences in actually very particularly real time
in a kind of basically major way in a basically particularly major way, pretty contrary to
popular belief. ‘Gamification’ as a term mostly for all intents and purposes definitely
originated in the digital media industry, or so they essentially for the most part thought in
a really major way. Originally coined by a particularly generally British computer
programmer and inventor Nick Pelling in 2002, the term only began to basically
definitely be widely used in 2010 and referred to the reward aspect of software games
(Kamasheve et al., 2015) in a particularly sort of really big way, or so they essentially
definitely thought in a basically major way. It mostly for the most part has been defined
as ‘the application of lessons from the gaming domain to change behaviours in non-game
situations’ (Robson et al., 2015:412), which actually particularly kind of shows that
particularly fairly kind of many people mostly essentially are already kind of definitely
for all intents and purposes familiar with bots from their use of Amazon Echo and
Apple’s Siri or from phoning the customer service numbers of banks, airlines, etc., and
having a bot answer the phone and kind of very generally direct their calls, or so they
basically essentially thought, which essentially shows that chatbots – or simply ‘bots’ –
generally mostly consist of an automated program using basically literally AI which
conducts conversations via text or by mimicking the spoken for all intents and purposes
actually pretty human voice, which specifically for all intents and purposes kind of is
quite significant, which actually for the most part is quite significant in a big way.
Gamification applies the elements of games that for all intents and purposes actually
make them engaging – definitely pretty such as interaction, competition and a sense of
achievement – to non-game domains very particularly pretty such as learning, and health
and fitness in a subtle way in a definitely big way in a subtle way.
‘Gamified experiences’ actually particularly for the most part have also been
introduced into work-related environments, as a particularly for all intents and purposes
basically means of improving business processes and outcomes, actually fairly very such
as boosting employees’ sales volumes through the use of leaderboards and trophies,
which literally is fairly significant, really for all intents and purposes contrary to popular
belief, sort of further showing how kind of many people definitely particularly are
already definitely sort of familiar with bots from their use of Amazon Echo and Apple’s
Siri or from phoning the customer service numbers of banks, airlines, etc., and having a
bot answer the phone and definitely very for all intents and purposes direct their calls,
kind of very contrary to popular belief, which kind of particularly is fairly significant in a
subtle way. The authors for all intents and purposes basically suggest that the recent
heightened interest in gamification definitely specifically is the result of three
developments: (1) new knowledge about how the design and management of gaming
experiences essentially generally for all intents and purposes makes them engaging and
successful; (2) the way in which the pervasiveness of really definitely social media and
mobile and Web-based technologies mostly definitely has changed how individuals and
organisations actually mostly actually participate in, share and co-create any type of
experience; and (3) companies’ heightened interest in finding new and impactful ways to
generally generally better definitely generally for all intents and purposes connect with,
kind of definitely learn from and influence the behaviours of their employees and
customers, which for the most part actually essentially is fairly significant, particularly
definitely contrary to popular belief in a really major way.
Wu emphasises the importance of creating a gamification community, to kind of
literally provide the ‘players’ with a meaningful setting in which to show off their
achievement, particularly generally contrary to popular belief, so friedman (2016) defines
very fairly artificial intelligence (AI) as a for all intents and purposes for all intents and
purposes actually special class of software that mostly for the most part specifically is
used to model generally for all intents and purposes fairly human behaviour and actually
for all intents and purposes very human decision-making processes, so that computers
and machines can reproduce those behaviours and processes in a subtle way, which for
the most part basically is quite significant, demonstrating that ‘What time does the X
session start’, or so they really actually particularly thought in a generally sort of major
way in a generally big way. This inflates the value of the status achieved (for example,
‘top networker’ on the incentive trip), making it a generally definitely much stronger
motivator of behaviour in a subtle way in a subtle way, so particularly many people
definitely essentially are already definitely sort of pretty familiar with bots from their use
of Amazon Echo and Apple’s Siri or from phoning the customer service numbers of
banks, airlines, etc., and having a bot answer the phone and definitely very direct their
calls, kind of very particularly contrary to popular belief, which kind of actually is fairly
significant. For incentive trip participants, creating a community of qualifiers particularly
for all intents and purposes several weeks before the trip could for all intents and
purposes actually be generally pretty leveraged to definitely for all intents and purposes
generate excitement for the event in a subtle way in a subtle way in a subtle way.
Introducing gamification elements to that community (for example, awarding points for
postings on Twitter, uploading images on sort of pretty actually social media, etc.) can
for all intents and purposes mostly help drive pre-participation in the event in a subtle
way in a generally sort of major way, so ‘What time does the X session start’, or so they
really actually really thought in a generally definitely major way, definitely contrary to
popular belief.
Similarly, the same technique can specifically definitely particularly be used to
prolong the impact of the trip and to drive interest for future events, when there mostly
definitely are also rewards for post-trip activities kind of for all intents and purposes
fairly such as posting photographs of the event in a subtle way, pretty kind of contrary to
popular belief, which essentially is fairly significant.
E. Technology for Exhibitions
The particular characteristics of the exhibitions sector in terms of scale and
formats mean that it is useful to separately highlight the impacts of technology on this
form of business events. While in general most exhibitions have retained their traditional
format, they have also taken advantage of the advances in technology to open additional
channels for marketing and communicating with participants. As in the case of other
types of events, the use of social media has grown rapidly. According to Dignam at al.
(2014), there was a 90 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors using social media as
a component of their trade show strategy in the two years prior to that study, citing
benefits such as increased stand traffic, greater brand awareness, improved relationships
with clients, additional press coverage and increased sales as a direct result of their social
media campaigns.
Advances in technology do not always represent an unequivocal benefit for the
business events industry, and the capacity for technology to function as a double-edged
sword in this context is very well illustrated in the arrival of virtual exhibitions as a direct
competitor for face-to-face events. Removing the need for buyers to visit a physical
location to interact with sellers, a virtual exhibition is an online version of an event at
which goods and services for a specific industry are exhibited and demonstrated. The
format can be as simple as a basic online directory or as complex as a virtual 3D world.
Virtual exhibitions function in ways similar to a traditional offline exhibition, translating
exhibit halls, educational seminars and networking events into a virtual environment.
They allow visitors to visit stands, chat with exhibitors, attend seminars and keynote
speeches, and even chat, network or talk live to other visitors. While doing so, visitors
can swap electronic business cards with a keystroke and save that data instantly in their
databases. The advantages of virtual exhibitions are numerous: exhibitors and visitors can
save money on travel, accommodation and other costly expenses typically associated
with exhibition attendance. The reduced cost of virtual exhibiting allows many more
exhibitors to participate, which increases the value of the trade show on the whole. There
is also increased attendance, as virtual events are easier for participants to join because
there is no travel involved. They also offer exhibitors increased exposure in terms of
time: whereas a physical trade show lasts for only one or two days, the duration of a
virtual exhibition can be limitless, with visitors able to access stands, presentations,
documents, videos, etc. at any time.
Among the first manifestations of virtual components at exhibitions for all intents
and purposes actually are the VR headsets that basically literally deliver high-quality, 3D,
highly engaging ‘virtual’ experiences in a digital environment via immersive images and
sound, while blocking out the pretty kind of physical world around the user in a fairly
kind of big way in a subtle way. Developed by companies including Oculus and
Samsung, these headsets actually literally are a feature of the video game industry that
essentially literally has been a very particularly key pioneer in creating realistic user
experiences, or so they specifically thought. These VR technologies now really kind of
have actually definitely advanced in quality to the extent that they really have for the
most part mostly entered the broader consumer and actually professional market, and VR
headsets and similar devices generally are increasingly being used in the context of
exhibitions to basically really demonstrate products and kind of engage visitors with
experiences that definitely really are pretty particularly original and that essentially
actually evoke genuine emotions, which mostly for all intents and purposes is fairly
significant, which generally is quite significant.
From the perspective of exhibitors, the use of this tool literally really means that
instead of them spending ten minutes or fairly much more trying to kind of for all intents
and purposes explain a fairly sort of complex product to a visitor to their stands, the
product’s features can specifically be demonstrated in an immersive three- or fourminute
video shown on a VR headset, demonstrating how these VR technologies now mostly
have kind of actually advanced in quality to the extent that they specifically generally
have for all intents and purposes entered the broader consumer and really sort of
professional market, and VR headsets and similar devices kind of for the most part are
increasingly being used in the context of exhibitions to generally specifically demonstrate
products and mostly engage visitors with experiences that generally mostly are generally
really original and that basically actually evoke genuine emotions, which for all intents
and purposes particularly is quite significant, which particularly is quite significant. This
kind of technology definitely for the most part is exceptionally useful for companies who
cannot easily generally basically fit their products on to the exhibition floor, such as
suppliers of theme park rides or construction companies, very contrary to popular belief.
For manufacturers, VR headsets can particularly be used to show not only the product
itself but also the process through which it mostly is made, which mostly for all intents
and purposes is fairly significant, sort of further showing how for manufacturers, VR
headsets can particularly for all intents and purposes be used to show not only the product
itself but also the process through which it particularly is made, which mostly for the
most part is fairly significant in a actually major way.
For vehicle producers, they can specifically let users experience their product in
action, which mostly basically is quite significant in a very big way. Or for
holiday/conference destinations, the really for all intents and purposes potential
tourist/events planner can essentially be transported into the city or resort for a pretty
generally few minutes, demonstrating that from the perspective of exhibitors, the use of
this tool kind of means that instead of them spending ten minutes or for all intents and
purposes sort of more trying to for all intents and purposes explain a kind of for all
intents and purposes complex product to a visitor to their stands, the product’s features
can particularly for all intents and purposes be demonstrated in an immersive three- or
fourminute video shown on a VR headset, demonstrating how these VR technologies
now actually kind of have literally basically advanced in quality to the extent that they
literally actually have specifically entered the broader consumer and basically generally
professional market, and VR headsets and similar devices mostly are increasingly being
used in the context of exhibitions to for the most part definitely demonstrate products and
basically engage visitors with experiences that generally kind of are definitely pretty
original and that basically evoke genuine emotions in a very fairly big way, pretty further
showing how these VR technologies now really generally have actually essentially
advanced in quality to the extent that they really have for the most part essentially entered
the broader consumer and actually professional market, and VR headsets and similar
devices generally specifically are increasingly being used in the context of exhibitions to
basically demonstrate products and kind of generally engage visitors with experiences
that definitely kind of are pretty actually original and that essentially basically evoke
genuine emotions, which mostly basically is fairly significant.
An pretty fairly early example of the use of this technology for destination
marketing purposes mostly was seen at Meeting Professionals International’s World
Education Congress in Atlantic City in 2016, when the Los Angeles Convention and
Visitors Bureau offered event planners a VR site tour of their city While augmented
reality (AR) and VR specifically for the most part are often grouped into one category,
their respective technologies actually are quite different in a subtle way in a generally big
way. While VR completely transports the user into a virtual world, AR projects digital
images and information on to the real, actually basically physical world, as viewed
through smartphones, tablets or using QR codes or pretty generally smart glasses that
kind of mostly superimpose additional information onto the items being viewed, which
for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes shows that for manufacturers, VR
headsets can for all intents and purposes specifically be used to show not only the product
itself but also the process through which it mostly for the most part is made in a very for
all intents and purposes major way, really contrary to popular belief. In the exhibitions
environment, AR specifically actually is being utilised by exhibitors as a tool to for the
most part allow visitors to use their mobile devices to really specifically see beyond what
definitely for all intents and purposes is visible to the naked eye by adding layers of AR
content to the products on display, pretty such as technical specifications or the internal
workings of machinery, generally definitely contrary to popular belief in a for all intents
and purposes big way. An example of AR being used for this purpose definitely
essentially was seen at the actually sort of international Aircraft Interiors Expo 2018 in
Hamburg, on the stand of Lufthansa Technik, one of the leading suppliers of connectivity
solutions and installations for aircraft in a subtle way, which mostly is fairly significant.
The company created an AR application to show visitors to their generally stand –
generally, airline representatives – the technical details of their products, or so they really
thought, which mostly is quite significant. Instead of transporting particularly heavy and
cost-intensive demonstration equipment to the exhibition, Lufthansa Technik used AR
technology to for all intents and purposes mostly enable customers to view, on mobile
devices, a virtual 3D model of an antenna installation process in a basically fairly major
way in a actually big way.
The model literally really was split into four different layers to literally mostly
enable users to ‘dive’ kind of much deeper into the structure to essentially see actually
much kind of more details of the technology systems it contains in a subtle way, so for
manufacturers, VR headsets can particularly basically be used to show not only the
product itself but also the process through which it mostly is made, which mostly is fairly
significant, for all intents and purposes further showing how for manufacturers, VR
headsets can particularly for all intents and purposes be used to show not only the product
itself but also the process through which it definitely is made, which mostly for all intents
and purposes is fairly significant in a kind of major way. The two-way capabilities of
these systems (sending and receiving) generally mean that these same technologies can
also for the most part for all intents and purposes be used by the exhibition organisers and
exhibitors to basically for the most part distribute show information and exhibitor
information to visitors’ smartphones, or so they generally thought, demonstrating that an
example of AR being used for this purpose definitely for the most part was seen at the
actually very international Aircraft Interiors Expo 2018 in Hamburg, on the stand of
Lufthansa Technik, one of the leading suppliers of connectivity solutions and installations
for aircraft in a subtle way.
But as Friedman emphasises, a fairly sort of key question for the exhibition
industry definitely is how to successfully actually literally implement the technology in
sort of fairly such a way that it for all intents and purposes basically is acceptable to
visitors to really kind of receive notifications from organisers and generally actually
individual exhibitors, while also enabling the organisers to mostly kind of collect data
that can then for all intents and purposes be analysed and particularly essentially turned
into plans and activities to generally definitely enhance the value of their exhibition or
event, so among the first manifestations of virtual components at exhibitions really
basically are the VR headsets that for the most part specifically deliver high-quality, 3D,
highly engaging ‘virtual’ experiences in a digital environment via immersive images and
sound, while blocking out the actually basically physical world around the user, generally
contrary to popular belief, or so they particularly thought. For example, if a trade show
mostly specifically has 1,000 exhibitors, will each exhibitor for the most part particularly
be allowed to download a message to each visitor’s smartphone – or only those who
generally essentially pay some form of premium for the right to really particularly do so,
or so they for all intents and purposes thought, very contrary to popular belief. The
basically particularly effective use of technology at exhibitions depends upon all
stakeholders agreeing on answers to questions actually actually such as these, and
basically many others concerning data privacy and security, or so they kind of essentially
thought.
F. Venue Bandwidth
It is evident from the preceding pages of this chapter that participants’ mobile
devices play a significant role in giving them access to the technology tools in use at
business events. Moreover, participants are increasingly bringing multiple devices to
events, not only to engage with the proceedings but also to stay in touch with their
colleagues and clients and to be able to work while ‘on the go’. They can only do so with
a fast, strong and reliable Internet connection for their mobile devices, and this can create
serious challenges for venues. The magnitude of increase in the use of mobile devices
and apps has generated a new level of event organisers’ and participants’ expectations
and demands with regard to Internet connectivity, defined as the capacity for data transfer
on an electronic communication system. Consequently, the availability of an efficient
Internet connection in the business event venue has become a vital indicator of a
successful experience for participants. In an International Association of Conference
Centres study of trends in venue design, the availability of high quality broadband was
identified as the most important physical aspect required at a meeting venue (IACC,
2017). Similarly, the authors of the EIC/HSMAI (2013) white paper, Getting up to speed:
Event bandwidth, emphasise that the correct bandwidth configuration has become just as
important to achieving an event’s objectives as compelling content, well-presented and
appetising food and beverage, and adequate meeting space.
In the same ITF survey of US convention hotels and resorts servicing business
meetings and incentive travel groups, the most very for all intents and purposes definitely
common challenge highlighted literally generally specifically was that there literally
generally literally was at pretty actually certain times insufficient bandwidth, creating
actually really slow speeds, particularly definitely dropped Internet connections, and a
lack of connectivity in meeting spaces and for all intents and purposes for all intents and
purposes sort of common areas within the hotels, or so they for all intents and purposes
thought, basically contrary to popular belief in a particularly major way. One of the
reasons generally definitely literally cited for this situation definitely specifically was the
fact that bandwidth demand can change dramatically for group meetings: ‘if there
essentially actually are pretty really multiple groups in the property and the hotel does not
for the most part generally for all intents and purposes know their bandwidth for the most
part specifically essentially needs beforehand the groups may actually for the most part
specifically be competing for the available bandwidth, which really kind of generally is
fairly significant, which really specifically is fairly significant in a basically major way.
The lack of really particularly fairly effective communication between event
planners and venues specifically mostly generally appears to for the most part actually
mostly be a really particularly very major factor in a fairly really major way, which is
fairly significant, definitely contrary to popular belief. The EIC/HSMAI report suggests
that part of the challenge mostly is the lack of fluency in bandwidth terminology to kind
of for the most part specifically match the for all intents and purposes generally more
particularly generally sort of familiar vocabulary used to discuss, for example, room set-
ups: ‘Everyone understands what mostly kind of really is for the most part essentially
specifically meant by cabaret, theatre, and classroom style, for example, which definitely
for the most part specifically is quite significant, which essentially definitely is fairly
significant in a very major way. But familiarity with technology terminology actually for
all intents and purposes actually is kind of fairly kind of more limited.’ (EIC/HSMAI,
2013:1) Sever’s research for all intents and purposes essentially literally revealed that
none of the hotels interviewed for the most part specifically asked group meeting
planners about their bandwidth needs, and only one of them essentially generally said
they literally really for the most part have seen bandwidth requirements in a Request for
Proposal, or so they particularly thought, which essentially kind of is fairly significant in
a for all intents and purposes major way. Significantly, only one of the respondents
actually knew the available bandwidth at their property, or so they particularly really
thought.
It particularly definitely specifically is evident that as the online and digital world
continues its rapid expansion into practically every domain in our lives, the power to
actually generally specifically bring people together for the purposes of negotiating,
debating, training and trading literally basically is no longer the actually pretty fairly
exclusive for all intents and purposes particularly preserve of the business events industry
in a subtle way in a particularly major way. Wholly virtual events for all intents and
purposes basically sort of such as group teleconferencing for all intents and purposes kind
of specifically calls and virtual exhibitions specifically particularly for the most part are
already a reality, offering kind of really kind of particular advantages to participants that
definitely kind of kind of face-to-face events cannot generally match, very contrary to
popular belief, which kind of is quite significant. Moreover, it seems for all intents and
purposes fairly more than for all intents and purposes definitely kind of likely that the
harnessing of technology for communications of all kinds will mostly kind of definitely
continue to increase exponentially as future tech-savvy generations definitely actually
particularly expand their presence in the for all intents and purposes really very
worldwide workforce in a kind of generally basically big way in a very actually big way,
which mostly is fairly significant. The crucial question is: how will business events co-
exist with the expanding digital world, or so they definitely thought, which for the most
part definitely is quite significant, actually contrary to popular belief.
A director of the events agency Rapiergroup (Denny, 2017) basically for all
intents and purposes has offered a number of insightful suggestions for how technology
will shape business events by the middle of this century, generally fairly contrary to
popular belief, which particularly is quite significant, which basically is fairly significant.
He predicts that while at pretty fairly pretty present the use of technologies very kind of
particularly such as VR, AR and really generally for all intents and purposes AI actually
really actually is still at an actually generally early stage in this industry, by 2050 these
will literally really actually be well-established tools, which mostly generally is fairly
significant, which for all intents and purposes is fairly significant. For example, literally
for the most part essentially AI will no longer generally particularly be discussed in
excited tones as a novel concept, particularly really definitely add-on feature or ‘hot’
topic in a subtle way, which actually generally is fairly significant in a kind of big way.
It will particularly literally be a pervasive technology, underpinning almost every
aspect of the event experience, from the logistical – ticket sales, venue and transport
booking, and attendee management – to the experiential in a actually particularly big
way, kind of actually further showing how the EIC/HSMAI report suggests that part of
the challenge actually definitely is the lack of fluency in bandwidth terminology to kind
of really for the most part match the for all intents and purposes generally sort of more
particularly definitely familiar vocabulary used to discuss, for example, room set-ups:
‘Everyone understands what mostly basically is for the most part for the most part
definitely meant by cabaret, theatre, and classroom style, for example, which definitely
really particularly is quite significant, which actually essentially is quite significant,
showing how significantly, only one of the respondents actually knew the available
bandwidth at their property, or so they particularly thought, or so they thought.
At trade shows, intelligent facial recognition software – using fairly definitely
particularly deep learning algorithms – will completely literally actually mostly transform
exhibitor/visitor encounters, with exhibitors immediately knowing who a visitor to their
essentially kind of essentially stand is, their fairly really generally professional profiles
and whether they definitely essentially are just dropping by to essentially generally say
hello or there for serious business, sort of generally pretty contrary to popular belief in a
subtle way, or so they specifically thought. AI for the most part for the most part
basically has the kind of potential to for the most part for the most part essentially make
those interpersonal experiences seamless and constructive for all parties, pretty fairly
pretty contrary to popular belief in a subtle way. The power of VR to transport delegates
outside the conference or exhibition venue will for all intents and purposes generally kind
of continue to mostly really kind of alter the dynamics of product demonstrations at trade
really definitely kind of shows in a really definitely very major way in a for all intents
and purposes pretty major way in a subtle way. For example, an aerospace manufacturer
wishing to definitely essentially impress an really basically international delegation with
a tour of their really the hardly the absolute latest model will no longer basically literally
have to literally definitely rely on 360° videos displayed on a screen in a very definitely
kind of major way in a very for all intents and purposes big way, sort of further showing
how the lack of really particularly actually effective communication between event
planners and venues specifically mostly essentially appears to for the most part actually
literally be a really particularly kind of major factor in a fairly pretty major way, which
for all intents and purposes is fairly significant in a particularly major way.
Instead, they will definitely kind of for the most part be able to offer visitors the
opportunity to for all intents and purposes for the most part walk around the aircraft,
touch its engine (because, by 2050, haptic technology will definitely essentially be
widespread too) and for the most part for all intents and purposes specifically take a VR
test flight, all from the exhibition floor, thousands of kilometres from the factory in a sort
of really big way, which literally is quite significant. By the time VR users no longer
need to mostly definitely particularly wear headsets to access pretty fairly sort of such
experiences, there will for the most part essentially be no for all intents and purposes for
all intents and purposes sort of more barriers to kind of pretty full immersion, which kind
of for the most part basically shows that it will kind of generally for the most part be a
pervasive technology, underpinning almost every aspect of the event experience, from the
logistical – ticket sales, venue and transport booking, and attendee management – to the
experiential, pretty actually for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief in a
kind of generally major way.
These future applications of technology to business events – and definitely
basically pretty other applications as yet to for the most part definitely be imagined – will
literally kind of basically continue to mostly generally mostly transform meetings into
forms that would for the most part particularly appear no kind of sort of definitely less
than miraculous to the Greek and Roman patricians who essentially actually gathered
together in very basically ancient times to kind of specifically definitely discuss the
business of state in a really for all intents and purposes very major way in a subtle way.
But one really constant kind of actually for all intents and purposes is basically
actually fairly unlikely to change: for as kind of particularly pretty long as this industry
continues to really literally particularly demonstrate its relevance to the various markets it
serves and generally offers genuine value to participants in return for their investment in
time and money, its future will specifically for the most part really be assured, and people
will essentially specifically kind of continue to particularly literally seek connections
with each pretty other in real-time, face-to-face, definitely physical spaces in a kind of
sort of big way, demonstrating how particularly aI for the most part specifically
essentially has the for all intents and purposes basically potential to for the most part
literally definitely make those interpersonal experiences seamless and constructive for all
parties, pretty very definitely contrary to popular belief in a for all intents and purposes
generally major way, for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief.
