Recently, Tiby Kuruvila, Global CEO, eventplus.io, shared his thoughts on the future of events and the possible advantages of hybrid event experiences while attending ‘NASSCOM Tech Innovation Conclave 2021’. 

The following article highlights the key points from his speech.

The Aftermath of the Pandemic on Event Industry

The global pandemic had an adverse effect on every aspect of our life. The pandemic resulted in the scaling down of many business landscapes. The events industry was one of the first to receive the blow of the global shutdowns and ‘social distancing’. According to an online source, during the peak of worldwide lockdown, almost 90% of the event professionals reported a loss in their business and almost 3% of them were completely unemployed. 

Despite the loss, the events industry has slowly begun to gain traction through virtual platforms. By embracing hybrid events, integrated with cloud-based communications and innovative streaming tools, the sector has begun its new journey. 

Choosing a Solid Technology Tool for Events

Look out for the following features while choosing a technology tool for your future online, physical, and hybrid events.

• The technology should be capable of driving user engagement and promoting consistent connection to all the users
• Maintain the communication flow persistent, right from before the event until its completion
• The technology should be capable of making a difference in the sector. The smart integration of location intelligence for monitoring crowds and maintaining social distance during the pandemic was an applaudable effort 
• You should choose a technology that will aid in gathering useful event insights. The RTLS (Real-Time Location Solutions) is a cutting-edge technology that can be used to collect visitor behavioural data during live events
• The technology should offer ample data to measure the success of the event

Smart Tech for Successful Events

With the world slowly recovering from the pandemic, and with relaxation in social distancing norms, the physical events will once again come into the picture. But this does not mean that the virtual events are coming to an end. With the features of both virtual and physical platforms, hybrid event technology will reign supreme. 

The following technology features will dominate the future event scenario. 

• Contactless and paper-less tech for ticketing and visitor check-ins
• Technology to promote social distancing ( incorporated into devices)
• Live streaming, live translation, and AR/VR to promote visitor engagement
• Live visitor monitoring
• Artificial intelligence for virtual/hybrid events
• Gamification to drive audience engagement and sales
• Flawless social media sentiment analysis

The Revolutionary Output from the Latest Technology Tools

# Heat Maps– By integrating RTLS technology through Bluetooth, Wifi, and UWB, it is possible to generate real-time heat maps of the event. This data can be further filtered on the basis of gender and the respective business sectors

# Data Intelligence– With RTLS tech, it is possible to receive solid data on visitor behaviour, which in turn, is useful for recommending the desired products and exhibitors to the visitors

# Keeping Tabs on High Profile Guests– Every event will have a list of important guests. They could be the very important clients of the exhibitors or special invitees of the organiser. Now you can get instant notifications on their arrival, their exact locations with RTLS technology, and keep your reputation high with on-demand services

# Real-time Communication– With instant updates of visitor arrival and AI tools to generate visitor data, the exhibitors have ample info to promote engaging business conversations. One may recreate live events experience with ‘crowd cheering’ integration and through quick feedback to speakers in the session

# The Real Hybrid Experience–  In some cases, online events and expos can continue even after the culmination of their physical counterpart. Whatever be the scenario, with the latest technology innovation, it is possible to maintain effective communication during hybrid events. So even if a visitor has attended a stall virtually, and then, he/ she decides to visit its physical stall, real updates will be given to the exhibitors for seamless communication

The hybrid event sector is going to be one of the most highly sought event platforms in the future. With the right technology, this events platform will become the next big thing. To experience flawless hybrid event practices, visit eventplus.io, the complete end-to-end hybrid event platform.