It's 2019, and the effects that tech space will have on event planners is just revving up. Attendees want engagement, data privacy and security. They're always looking for innovation. So, we're taking a closer look at the tech front in the years to come.
The most common conception when one hears the word blockchain is cryptocurrency, i.e. bitcoin and other forms of unchartered territory. But that is a misconception. The easiest way to understand blockchain technology is to think of it as a ledger recording transactions of any kind, such as recording registrations. This particular technology is more secure than majority of the ways we collect data. Many planners may feel it is difficult to understand, but many mainstream companies are already using the technology and it's important to keep it on the radar.
The past year our industry has become more familiar with the presence of chatbots. Chatbots are simple to implement into your event and greatly enhance the engagement factor. Attendees can chat with an artificial intelligence robot via Facebook messenger, SMS or another messaging tool to ask questions about the event before, during or after. Heading into the future, chatbots will be an important way to implement safety precautions. The bot will have access to all attendees' phone numbers and acts as a quick, effective and interactive messenger in the case of an emergency.
"Alexa, what's the weather today?" or "Hey Google, turn on the garage lights." Voice interactions and automations are not only about personal use and fun home automations. As society becomes more accustomed to asking Siri, Alexa and Google for information, they will want to use voice commands more frequently. At PCMA's Convening Leaders in January, the event had a virtual Alexa integration where attendees could physically walk up to a booth and ask questions about where sessions were happening, what events were going on and any other questions they had at the event. This novelty's traction will only continue to progress.
Author bio: Liz (King) Caruso is the CEO of Liz King Events & IGNITE, as well as a popular speaker on the industry events circuit.