Operating Onsite
Changing human
behaviours
Kevin Watson, managing director
at Amadeus, on some of the macro
trends affecting the decision-making
of attendees and exhibitors
T
“Technology can
do the heavy
lifting but
lacks the social
intelligence,
a large
percentage of
the population
still want to
transact in more
traditional ways”
50 — September
he way that consumers interact, transact and
behave when attending exhibitions continues
to evolve. In an ‘always-on’ world, impacted by
technological innovation, sustainability, ethics,
economic uncertainty and a growing desire for
speed and value for money, exhibitors and those
who organise them, are challenged to respond and
react to an increasingly complex world.
There are, of course, some key drivers that are
affecting how consumers are influenced during
exhibitions and events today. Convenience is a big
factor; everything is more immediate, and most
people expect a more frictionless transaction
and experience. The popularity and demand for
cashless, app-based transacting shows no signs of
slowing. Yet this changing behaviour also presents
a lucrative opportunity for businesses to increase
their revenues via the speed of transaction, and by
removing the physical ‘spending barrier’ or limit
of using cash.
From an environmental perspective, event
organisers and exhibitors are under increased
pressure to demonstrate their ethical presence
and policies. It’s no longer enough to simply
provide great products and services, social impact
is at the forefront of our minds today and more
and more people are choosing to buy products
and services based on those principles. However,
we should embrace this growing culture because
it also gives businesses a new platform to engage
with their customers on a more personal level.
Customers want to understand, with clarity, how
businesses are going the extra mile and giving
back to society for social good. Businesses need
to resonate with their customers, be prepared
to answer those questions and to provide the
evidence and conviction behind it. Ethical policies
really do matter and they speak volumes about
the character and principles of your business. You
have to have this on your radar if you really expect
to connect with people at future events.
The uncertainty surrounding Brexit has also
had an impact on those in the exhibitions space,
both from an exhibitor and attendee perspective.
This lull affects how many events people will
commit to attending and, with continued pressure
to squeeze budgets, how much they spend when
there are there. The impact time of Brexit needs
to be shortened because this ongoing drag on the
economy means people are continually swimming
against the tide when it comes to making plans
and decisions about events.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
is another key driver for changing how consumers
are influenced at events. From an exhibition
catering perspective, the general feeling is that
using such technology can be helpful if it means
you can make a more informed decision to
improve your customer’s experience. But we need
to be mindful that human intervention is vital and
always needed to interpret the information or data
in the most productive and relevant way.
Technology can do the heavy lifting but lacks
the social intelligence and although people
continue to crave innovation through the use of
technology, a large percentage of the population
still want to transact in more traditional ways at
events. Physical connection is part of what makes
us human; we want to be sold to because it is part
of the whole exhibition experience.
Of course, managing this is really driven by
understanding who your audience is and what
they are looking for, while recognising that
nothing is static, and everything changes.