Corporate meetings and events success is increasingly reliant on planning and management technology tools used to plan and facilitate the events. From guest registration to meal selection to capturing data about attendees’ foot traffic, technology allows planners to design events that engage and resonate with meeting-goers. Following the release of its What’s Trending 2019 report, BCD Meetings & Events compiled a list of six meeting technology trends to try in 2019. Check out this summary of their findings.
Meeting technology trends for 2019
Technology
What’s the big deal?
Pro tip
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Radio frequency waves wirelessly transfer data through a tag that can be embedded in name badges, wristbands, plastic cards, etc., and collect data on your attendee’s journey throughout an event.
Add food and beverage tokens into an RFID name badge or wristband for your guests.
Virtual reality (VR)
Audio and video features within a VR headset allow participants to engage with 360-degree images, immersing them into places and experiences without leaving your event space.
Organize a virtual scavenger hunt, centered around clues at vendor booths.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Machines are programmed to work and react like humans.
Integrate AI into a mobile application to help attendees choose the sessions or activities they’ll participate in during a tradeshow or networking event.
Chatbots
Programming allows humans and machines to interact using typed messages or voice commands. A chatbot can answer questions in natural language and respond like a real person.
Integrate a chatbot into your mobile app or web page to answer attendee questions and make local recommendations.
Augmented reality (AR)
Computer-generated imagery and information appears within the user’s vision, enhancing the “real-world.”
Try an interactive augmented reality game to showcase product features.
Mobile apps
From itineraries and agendas to event announcements and special offers, the highly useful information provided by mobile apps has made them ubiquitous at organized meetings.
Create pre-event excitement by sending countdown messages and event teasers to attendees via your event’s mobile app.
Technology: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
What’s the big deal?: Radio frequency waves wirelessly transfer data through a tag that can be embedded in name badges, wristbands, plastic cards, etc., and collect data on your attendee’s journey throughout an event.
Pro tip: Add food and beverage tokens into an RFID name badge or wristband for your guests.
Technology: Virtual reality (VR)
What’s the big deal?: Audio and video features within a VR headset allow participants to engage with 360-degree images, immersing them into places and experiences without leaving your event space.
Pro tip:Organize a virtual scavenger hunt, centered around clues at vendor booths.
Technology: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
What’s the big deal?: Machines are programmed to work and react like humans.
Pro tip: Integrate AI into a mobile application to help attendees choose the sessions or activities they’ll participate in during a tradeshow or networking event.
Technology: Chatbots
What’s the big deal?: Programming allows humans and machines to interact using typed messages or voice commands. A chatbot can answer questions in natural language and respond like a real person.
Pro tip: Integrate a chatbot into your mobile app or web page to answer attendee questions and make local recommendations.
Technology: Augmented reality (AR)
What’s the big deal?: Computer-generated imagery and information appears within the user’s vision, enhancing the “real-world.”
Pro tip: Try an interactive augmented reality game to showcase product features.
Technology: Mobile apps
What’s the big deal?: From itineraries and agendas to event announcements and special offers, the highly useful information provided by mobile apps has made them ubiquitous at organized meetings.
Pro tip: Create pre-event excitement by sending countdown messages and event teasers to attendees via your event’s mobile app.
Read the full blog, and follow @bcdme on Twitter. Ask how BCD Travel and BCD M&E can help you modernize corporate travel and events.
