| Interviewer: What sort of things do you need to | | | | with the pressures of the economy, online events will |
| consider when you're choosing the right kind of | | | | become more and more prevalent. |
| event management software system? | | | | Equally, social networking such as Facebook, Twitter |
| DL: It's important to consider what would you like to | | | | is creating a level of personalisation. The whole |
| do - what would be the ideal model today if you had | | | | 'Amazon' experience online is what people expect. |
| a green field site that could do whatever you wanted | | | | People who go onto Amazon and buy a book, |
| it to do, and then look further down the track if you | | | | they're told what other books are in the same |
| can; five years time/two years time, what's it going | | | | subject, and this is exactly the same with events. If |
| to look like for your business? Then come up with a | | | | you're booking on an event you want to be able to |
| list of key points that you need your solution to | | | | see suggestions such as: |
| meet in order to get to that end goal. Then you can | | | | - Here's an event that may be relevant to you |
| start looking at products and solutions. Get products | | | | - Here are some others events you can look at |
| in, making sure to ignore the tinsel and the glitz | | | | - Here are some other subjects surrounding the |
| around the products; they all look good, they'll all | | | | event |
| demo well, they'll all look fantastic in an hour's | | | | - Here's a book about the event subject |
| presentation, because all event management | | | | - Here's a DVD you can buy to prepare yourself |
| software companies can do good presentations! Look | | | | - Here's a hotel that's near your event |
| at the company behind it, look at the how seriously | | | | So you can't just look at it in isolation of the event, |
| they take your business processes and look at how | | | | it's all the bits that go around it as well. People's |
| much time they're willing to invest in working with | | | | perception of what they can get from an online |
| you to understand what you do. If they're just going | | | | experience is rising exponentially, and the software |
| to sell you a box with a bit of software in it and a | | | | industry and the web industry are racing to keep up. |
| support and maintenance contract, that's probably | | | | The focus in the future will also be with the |
| not the company for you, if you've got a long term | | | | integration into the back office systems. A lot of |
| view of how you're going to take your event | | | | online event systems aren't integrated; they're not |
| management solution. So look for a company that's | | | | integrated with CRM solutions, you can't therefore |
| going to work with you, that's going to be there for | | | | get personalisation in place. Personalisation is crucial if |
| the long term, that's going to take your ideas on | | | | you're going to deliver an online experience that adds |
| board. Because you're the person, as an event | | | | value to the customer, personalisation is essential. |
| manager, who is doing the job. The software | | | | Without that you're just providing a 'me too' type |
| company - they don't do the same job as you. They | | | | experience. One delegate may register to attend a |
| create the software. So a good software event | | | | 'Yacht Master Sailing Course' and someone else is |
| management software solution company will want | | | | going on a 'Competent Crew Course' on a yacht; |
| your ideas; so listen to what they're saying in | | | | they're completely different experiences that the |
| response to the ideas you've got, and then formulate | | | | two people are having, and so they have two |
| whether you think you can work with them in the | | | | completely different sets of expectations. One may |
| long term. It's all about relationships. | | | | be a leisure sailor the other may be a professional. |
| Interviewer: Over the next few years, how do you | | | | The professional will want a professional experience, |
| see the event management software industry | | | | and the leisure sailor will want a leisure experience. |
| developing? | | | | Getting it right, and getting the interests of |
| DL: The economic situation is having a huge impact | | | | communities together and interfacing that with other |
| on the event management market place; there is a | | | | systems is going to be crucial in the next two to |
| reluctance to leave your desk. If you're not at your | | | | three years. That is what will differentiate the events |
| desk, you're somewhere else and you're not adding | | | | companies and the events solutions that will drive |
| value to the business. So people are reluctant to | | | | forward in this economic downturn and as the |
| leave their desk. The online WebEx/GoToMeeting | | | | economy recovers, and those that just stand still. |
| online meetings, there's a relatively large explosion of | | | | This article the second and final part of this interview. |
| that, especially in the US and it's started to gradually | | | | Please search for Part One to gain a full |
| come into the UK and Europe. We're a bit more | | | | understanding of how you can future proof your |
| reluctant to do online events - they're a bit 'strange' | | | | events through investment in a comprehensive event |
| to us and we're more used to getting in our cars and | | | | management software solution. |
| going on the train to physically attend an event. But | | | | |