TECHNOFILE
practical information about accommodation and
leisure options. Participants can also use the app
as a digital library for reference after the event,
depending on the features you build-in. And you
don’t even need to be a computer programmer to
build your app. Other event apps include attendify.
com, whova.com and pathable.com.
Is big technology reserved for large
conferences and trade shows? Tim
Stackpool says no. He has uncovered
ways to elevate smaller workshops
and seminars with software.
THE EXPERT
Tech expert Tim is the
technology writer for
Executive PA Media. He
can be heard on talk
radio in Australia and
is a tech presenter who
speaks at conferences
and trade shows about
technology’s impact on
work and lifestyle.
Conference organisers appear to be constantly
tapping info into tablets, scanning delegates’
entry passes, counting people walking in the door
and forever solving issues with lost registrations
or late RSVPs. As such, a huge industry has been
built around creating software systems to make
the job of managing delegates and guest speakers
less onerous and far more productive.
But similar systems are available for smaller
events that can be deployed by the EA charged
with organising a larger than usual sales seminar
or supplier showcase.
Event apps
These should be the first item on your shopping
list, although limited versions are available at no
cost. Your options are generally determined by
the number of delegates. In fact, if an off-the-
shelf app doesn’t meet the needs of your unique
event, you can actually create your own app using
services such as fliplet.com.
These allow you to create a customised one-
stop delegate app where attendees can discover
all the information they need about your event,
from the conference’s agenda to online registration
and check-in, networking and messaging features,
26 Chief of Staff | Issue 3 2019
Just the ticket
Online event ticketing services have multiplied
over the past decade, so there’s no lack of choice
or competition when it comes to finding an
appropriate (or free) option. While convenient,
it’s worth noting the various privacy statements
between each one, so that the consequences on
invitees doesn’t come as a surprise.
Ticketers such as eventbrite.com make
managing RSVPs for one-off or small events a
breeze, requiring minimal set-up and knowledge
of ticketing. Floktu.com, eventbookings.com and
ticketebo.com also provide similar services, and
some come with mobile apps making on-location
management less of a headache.
Humanitix.com.au covers all the same bases
but with a social conscience perspective. For paid
events, Humanitix redirects ‘booking fees’ into
providing meals for the homeless, refuges for
women escaping domestic violence, furthering
Indigenous education and more. They’ve created
an ethical alternative for event organisers where
your event can ‘change the world’ by simply
using Humanitix for your ticketing and RSVPs. S
Big tech for
smaller workshops
or seminars
Where is everybody?
Trade shows with an adjacent conference often
see the ‘surge-flow’ effect where the show floor
suddenly becomes abuzz as attendees take a
wander between keynote sessions. Attendee
tracking allows you to follow, in real time, the
position and lingering of delegates as they move
between trade booths and conference sessions.
Major organisers such as cvent.com integrate such
technology into access control.
Other suppliers like aventri.com install
customisable pods equipped with an NFC reader
—the same style as public transport cards—to
track and control access. An attendee simply taps
their badge to the reader in order to be granted
or denied access. One staff member can monitor
several pods, cutting down on the number of
staff required to man handheld scanners. While
not a conference tech company, solarwinds.com
employs a different technique.
Originally developed to monitor the efficiency
of wi-fi networks, their technology can now be
adapted to track wi-fi emitting devices (such
as smartphones) and map their movement
throughout a venue. While not being able to
identify the actual users, it remains an effective
tool to properly see access restrictions and where
delays may be occurring within an event.