predictions for the mobile event app industry in 2015 · mind shift’, as forrester research calls...

Predictions for the Mobile Event App Industry in 2015Plus more than 25 predictions from 8 of the industry’s leading thinkers

7 PREDICTIONS FOR THE MOBILE EVENT APP INDUSTRY IN 2015

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The meetings and events industry is no stranger to the winds of change. Certain forces – air travel costs, site labor rates, the global economy, national security, and ebola outbreaks – are well beyond the control of meeting and event professionals. Others, like new technology, are to some degree optional, yet they generate increasing pressure on event design and budget. Consider new services such as Uber and Airbnb as two forces of disruption in the hospitality sector that can and are changing how our business operates. These services couldn’t have existed five years ago. Now they’re an undeniable part of the hospitality landscape.

The natural human and organizational approach to change is to embrace it incrementally, if not resist it entirely. Too much change in an organization and you run the risk of alienating your core constituents. Too little change, and you get branded with the phrase “legacy” – clearly not a compliment. So how do we walk this disruption tightrope successfully? How do we embrace change without alienating our core customers?

The answer lies within the new technology itself. To a large extent, all it really does is push us to get a better understanding of our customers’ needs. In this era of personalized commerce and information, the more you know about your attendees and guests, the better you can select the tools to help them succeed. And if they succeed, so do you.

Bringing on new technologies requires vision, but it also requires a grounded approach in order to fit the ‘new’ in with the ‘old’. The first step is to re-evaluate what you think you know about your attendees. Go ahead…ask them. And not just your best customers. Dig deep and listen closely to what you may not want to hear. It’s the only way to get a true sense of what you need to do next.

Once armed with this knowledge, you can embark on the search for the right technology solutions. Here too you will need a game plan to navigate the wealth of information available, which can easily overwhelm if you’re not prepared.

FOREWORD

Embrace the change

http://www.quickmobile.com


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Social media is a great place to start, but it’s easy to get lost in the sea of posts, shares and comments. Everybody has a megaphone, so you need to have a good noise-cancelling tool at your disposal.

Are you ready to embark on your pursuit for innovation and disruption? Here are some suggestions to help you prepare for what lies ahead. Join at least one meetings and events online community - leap out of your inbox and into the social space

Engage continually - but remember that listening is often more important than speaking

Create a digital parking lot - that app or tool that will be your storehouse of information you need to review, but can’t do right away (I use Evernote & Pocket)

Develop your trusted resources - and be aware of the noise

Stay up to date on the trends - but don’t blindly follow them

Time management is key - any amount of time can be productive, as long as you stay focused

Introduce 1 or 2 new tech tools a year - don’t overcrowd the water

A slow and steady approach to change will help you push through resistance and win the support of both your team and your attendees and participants. The net result will be a better understanding of what tech tools and other opportunities matter most to you and your audience, and which ones will have a lasting positive impact on your events.

James Spellos, CMPPresident, Meeting Uhttp://www.meeting-u.com


http://www.meeting-u.com


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ContentIntroduction

Prediction 01 Large enterprises will accelerate their redesign around mobile

Prediction 02 The enterprise meetings ecosystem will begin to go mobile

Prediction 03 Mobile apps get even more personal

Prediction 04 Evolving mobile analytics will validate face-to-face meetings of every size

Prediction 05 Mobile makes the year-round community a reality

Prediction 06 Audience response systems get serious

Prediction 07 Emerging technologies like LBS and wearable computers will grow, but slowly

Predictions from around the M&E Industry

Conclusion

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07

11

17

20

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25

29

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By all accounts, 2014 will be considered yet

another growth year for mobile event apps. As

the technology landscape continues to shift,

with new ideas and new vendors entering

the market almost daily, there are no signs

that 2015 will see a slowdown, although it

is a challenge to determine precisely how it

will unfold. Being the optimistic and fearless

thinkers that we are at QuickMobile, we’re

excited to put our name to yet another set of

predictions for mobile event technology in the

coming year.

For 2015, we considered two distinct industry

segments. The first is the traditional events

world, comprising the event planners and

marketers who manage large trade shows

and conferences, and the creative agencies

and consultants that support them. The

other segment comprises the emerging

world of enterprise meetings and events,

the smaller meetings side of the market that

looms massively below the surface. This

latter segment accounts for the vast majority

of corporate gatherings that take place

throughout a given year, without all the pomp

and circumstance of large flagship meetings

and events. This is where mobile is set to

make substantial inroads, yet for very different

reasons than in the former segment.

According to recent research, planners in the

first segment use mobile apps as a powerful

and convenient way to enhance the attendee

experience, reduce paper consumption and

acquire deeper insight into attendee behavior.

Planners in the enterprise segment are also

motivated by these factors, but equally and

perhaps more so by the fact that mobile is

emerging as a vital platform for day-to-day

business operations.

Introduction


http://www.quickmobile.com/resources/white-paper/2014-review-mobile-event-technology-research


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This is the leading edge of the ‘Mobile

Mind Shift’, as Forrester Research calls

it – where mobile technology is completely

redefining how work is done across the entire

organization, not just for meetings and events.

For the enterprise, mobile is an operational

imperative, not an add-on. For this group,

mobile apps will – because of their success

in larger meetings and events and a host of

other reasons – become standard issue for a

vastly larger scope of meetings that take place

across the organization.

It will be increasingly difficult to tell these

two segments apart by this time next year.

Whether it’s the corporate meeting planner or

organizer, or another key stakeholder in Sales,

HR, IT, Operations or elsewhere, mobile apps

will find their home in the enterprise, rendering

meetings more effective and forging the bonds

of community like no other technology before.

for the enterprise, mobile is an operational imperative,

not an add-on

WITHOUT FURTHER

ADO, HERE

ARE OUR

PREDICTIONS FOR 2015

Source: NBC News and The Associated Presshttp://photoblog.nbcnews.com

©2013 Forrester Research, Inc.


https://solutions.forrester.com/mobile

https://solutions.forrester.com/mobile


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01UNIFICATION OF TRAVEL AND MEETINGS AND THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC MEETINGS MANAGEMENT WILL DRIVE LARGE CORPORATIONS TOWARD A SINGLE, ENTERPRISE-GRADE MOBILE APP PLATFORM



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There are many reasons why large organizations will seek better coordination between their previously independent travel and meetings teams, all of which come down to four fundamental drivers:

1. Organizational restructuring 2. Operational efficiency 3. Spend management 4. Mobile First initiatives

In a 2012 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) survey of corporate travel managers, 43% of respondents said they were taking on increasing responsibility for meetings, in addition to managing their company’s travel requirementsi.

Cost control and operational efficiency are standard objectives regardless of industry, company or department. Events are a prime target since, according to Forrester Research and the Business Marketing Association, they make up the largest portion of an average B2B marketer’s budget at nearly 20%ii.

Mobile-first strategy combined with persistent demand for operational efficiencies will bring about consolidation in mobile procurement and inspire broader adoption

Events make up the largest portion of an average B2B marketer’s budget

i http://adage.com/article/btob/b2b-marketing-budgets-set-rise-6-2014-forrester/291207/ ii GBTA Travel Management Compensation and Benefits Survey, 2012

B2B MARKETING

BUDGET

NEARLY

EVENTS

Events


http://www.adage.com/article/btob/b2b-marketing-budgets-set-rise-6-2014-forrester/291207/


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For large enterprises, the greatest cost-saving benefits accrue from efforts that apply to multiple departments, teams and workgroups. Under pressure from these forces of change, the meetings and travel functions at large and mid-size organizations will become increasingly enmeshed. To be truly effective, the newly integrated operating unit will not only need new processes to achieve spending discipline, they will also need more uniform technology to carry out day-to-day business.

Alongside consolidation of Travel and Meetings is the rise of Strategic Meetings Management Programsiii (SMMP). SMMP was coined by the Global Business Travel Association in 2005 to describe the emerging discipline around spend management for large-scale meetings and events. By directing corporate meeting managers to comply with centralized procurement policies, organizations will be increasingly motivated by financial controls to use assets and resources more cost-effectively.

to be truly effective, the newly integrated operating unit will

need more uniform processes and technology to carry out

day-to-day business

STRATEGIC MEETINGS

MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

SMMP

iii For a simple guide to getting started with SMMP, go to

http://meetingsnet.com/strategic-meetings-management/getting-started-strategic-meetings-management-programs


http://www.meetingsnet.com/strategic-meetings-management/getting-started-strategic-meetings-management-p


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A multi-event platform that lets organizations achieve economies of scale for their mobile apps fits perfectly with the SMMP model, offering the flexibility and scalability required to support a broad mix of meeting types and locations.

Today, mobile apps are used at a wide range of meetings and events, from trade shows and sales kickoffs to incentive trips and annual general meetings. Travel plays a critical role in all of these – hence the inevitable consolidation. Driven by administrative efficiency and fiscal prudence, large enterprises will have even more reason to settle on a single, scalable platform that can handle all its meetings and events. In fact, adopting a single, company-wide mobile app platform will soon be required, and as

a result, 2015 will be the year that the multi-event app platform overtakes single event app deployments.

The more mission-critical the technology - the underlying theme for most of our predictions - the greater the expectations are regarding performance, compliance, security, scalability, flexibility and vendor capabilities regarding service and support. Justifying an investment in a single, enterprise-wide mobile app platform will require assurances that the chosen platform and its supplier can deliver on everything from the initial sales process to deployment, content creation, and access control, alongside the standard requirements for long-term maintenance, upgrading and support.

a multi-event platform offers the flexibility and scalability requiredto support a broad mix of meeting types and locations



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02THE ENTERPRISE MEETINGS ECOSYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO GO MOBILE



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As a direct result of the outcome of the first prediction, mobile apps will be increasingly common at smaller meetings – down to gatherings of 100 people or less who assemble under a common cause for as little as half a day. As stated in a recent report from IBM, there should be no doubt that mobile brings with it immense transformational potentialiv. Here are several reasons supporting this prediction:

1. Apps are the new normal. Every corporation is expected to adapt to the New World Order of “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD), integrated back-office applications with mobile services and 24/7 access, new content formats, responsive web, social engagement, secure infrastructure, paperless sustainable business practices and a new focus on ROI and real-time access to analytics and business intelligence. There are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated every day, and mobile devices are generating more and more of that data. Mobile is now ubiquitous and the end-user is increasingly sophisticated, often reliant on their smartphone in all environments and situations.

More and more meetings and events of every shape and size will go mobile

mobile technology is becoming increasingly

mission-critical to events and meetings,

driven by three unstoppable forces: end-user adoption,

utility, and operational

transformation

iv The Individual Enterprise: How Mobility Redefines Business. IBM Institute for Business Value, July 2014


http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=XB&infotype=PM&appname=GBSE_GB_TI_USEN&htmlfid=GBE03614USEN&attachment=GBE03614USEN.PDF#loaded

http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=XB&infotype=PM&appname=GBSE_GB_TI_USEN&htmlfid=GBE03614USEN&attachment=GBE03614USEN.PDF#loaded


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2. Mobile is one of the four pillars of SMAC, the new business IT paradigm. SMAC stands for Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud, the four pillars of business innovation today. CapGemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, states that SMAC will “redefine enterprise IT and will remain the driving force of enterprise-level IT for decades to comev.” Smartphones, tablets and apps are key components of the SMAC technology stack.

3. As a direct result of the first two points, it will soon be easier to run a meeting with an app than without one. This, combined with increasing green initiatives, will make mobile apps more valuable for meetings and events.

Source: The Individual Enterprise: How Mobility Redefines Business.

IBM Institute for Business Value, July 2014

Figure 1. Examples of How Mobility is Impacting How Organizations Conduct Business

MOBILITYresearch &

development supply chain

marketing & sales

customermanagement

talentmanagement

financemanagement

borderlessworkforce

mobiletracking

instantexpensing

augmentedreality

location-basedmarketing

context-driveninteractions

iv http://www.capgemini-consulting.com/resource-file-access/resource/pdf/cc_accelerate_your_transformation.pdf


http://www.capgemini-consulting.com/resource-file-access/resource/pdf/cc_accelerate_your_transformat


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4. Cost < Benefit. Finally, the value of the enhancements that a mobile app lends to these types of events will outweigh the cost and effort of acquisition and setup.

All this is to say that mobile technology is becoming increasingly mission-critical to events and meetings, driven by three seemingly unstoppable forces: end-user expectation and adoption, simple utility, and operational transformation. These three forces are proof enough, together offering ample evidence of positive return on investment by which any venture must be judged.

According to the best available estimates, mobile event apps are nowhere near mainstream yet. While usage ranges from 60 to 63% for at least one event among meeting planners and marketers – rising to as much as 92% in the corporate sector – these figures don’t provide any indication of potential market size. They do not take into account the rest of the planner’s event portfolio, and the millions of other meetings that take place every

EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING

SALES CONFERENCE

CORPORATE RETREAT

HOLIDAY PARTY

AWARDS CEREMONY

TRAINING WORKSHOP

EDUCATION SEMINAR

TEAM BUILDING

INCENTIVE TRIP

LEADERSHIP OFF-SITE

BOARD MEETING

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

COMMITTEE MEETING

MEETING TYPES




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the digital and mobile shifts now underway are ushering in a new era of data-driven measurement and intelligence, helping planners demonstrate their value and impactin ways previously not possible

year without a mobile app. This vast market is largely untouched, except by the most innovative and industrious early adopters.

However, our experience with clients using our multi-event platform reveals that this vastly untapped segment of the meetings ecosystem is starting to take note of the benefits of mobile technology. For some organizations it is about extending the use of existing technology; for others, it is about embracing the new 24/7 mobile work style, where employees, partners and clients are spending more and more of their time. Whatever the motivation, more and more organizations are beginning to look at how mobile can be used for smaller meetings, not just the high-profile ones.

Smaller meetings tend to be more spontaneous and more focused, and need fewer large-scale resources to run. They are necessary, permanent fixtures in corporations of every size. A recent report from American Express Meetings and Events reveals that the larger flagship events, marked for obsolescence by many who thought the

digital age would render them irrelevant, will thrive, much less fade away. While reasons for their continued relevance might be different, the fact remains that meetings and events are here to stay. Rather than render them obsolete, the digital and mobile shifts now underway are ushering in a new era of data-driven measurement and intelligence, helping planners prove the value of face-to-face events. The contribution of gatherings of every shape and size can now be measured and reported on in ways not previously possible. That alone could secure the future of mobile apps for events and meetings.

In 2015, the full scale and scope of corporate meetings and events will be revealed, although the mobile potential will take longer to fully materialize. As this prediction and the one that precedes it become a reality, organizations will require a truly enterprise-grade platform in order to handle the volume, variety and overall workload that will unquestionably materialize.


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-express-meetings-events-predicts-global-expansion-of-meetings-activity-in-2015-2014-10-13%27

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CASE STUDYSince separating from

ConocoPhillips in 2012, Phillips 66 has embraced technology to

project a more modern corporate image. Introducing a mobile

event app by QuickMobile at its revitalized 2013 national

convention was a key part of its strategy. A 98% approval rating

suggests it paid off.

View Case Study

http://www.quickmobile.com/resources/success-story/phillips-66


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03MOBILE APPS GET EVEN MORE PERSONAL



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A year ago, we predicted that mobile apps would get personal, referring to how they would ‘recognize’ attendees when they log in, allow them to personalize profiles and schedules, help them find like-minded people to connect with, point them to sessions and exhibitors in which they might be interested and much more. Much of this is accomplished by app design and engineering as well as through integrations with third-party technologies, location-based services and other add-ons that help create the personalized experience.

For 2015, the definition of personalization extends to include recognition of different types of app users. Attendees traditionally get the lion’s share of attention when it comes to app design, but other personas including speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, suppliers, and of course, planners, would all benefit from distinct app content and functionality tailored to their unique needs and objectives.

What started in 2013 and 2014 will accelerate in 2015

speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, suppliers,

and of course, planners, benefit

from distinct app content and

functionality tailored to their unique needs and

objectives



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EXAMPLES OF STAKEHOLDER PERSONALIZATION

• A speaker should be able to see who signed up to attend her session, and should be able to communicate with attendees directly through the app. The speaker should also be able to manage her profile and add an updated presentation document to her session listing.• Exhibitors should be able to see which attendees have visited their profile page in the app, and who has added them to their personal exhibitor list. They should also, with the organizer’s and attendees’ permission, be able to communicate with opt-in attendees directly through the app.• An event supplier, for example an audio-visual company, could use the app to initiate equipment orders from exhibitors, and receive support requests. They could also use the app to communicate with event staff and coordinate equipment setup and delivery schedules. They would not need access to attendees or any content intended for them.

• An event sponsor could use the app to access real-time analytics for their in-app banner and profile page. They could also, if permitted, use it to send timely messages to specific targeted attendees about upcoming contests and sessions. Think of all the ways an app can be monetized, and then imagine the app as the access point for managing the various campaigns.

As for attendees, app functionality aimed at elevating their experience and satisfying their unique needs will continue to expand. Today, there is very little an attendee can do to change the way the app performs, what it displays, and what it measures. Tomorrow, personalization will extend to every aspect of the app, allowing attendees to optimize their on-site experience. On the back end, organizers will deepen their understanding of attendee preferences and habits, using the app’s data and analytics to adapt and tailor the event to better suit the attendees’ needs.


http://www.quickmobile.com/resources/best-practices/10-ways-to-monetize-your-event-app


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04A NEW AGE OF MOBILE ANALYTICS WILL HELP QUANTIFY THE VALUE OF FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS AND EVENTS



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While the concept of analytics and business intelligence may be well practiced in other parts of the enterprise, in the meetings and events space these ideas are less mature. The truth is the mobile event app industry has only just scratched the surface, starting off with the ability to demonstrate the value of the app, and less so the value of the event. There is a wealth of precious data that can help quantify the rich interactions between event stakeholders – organizers, attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors – but the ability to analyze and evaluate it has only just begun.

In 2015 a new age of analytical sophistication will begin to emerge as business analysts and social scientists begin to apply their knowledge to the realm of meetings and events. This will be driven by the enterprise, where time is money and the need to understand how employees use their time is insatiable. They will recognize how mobile technology provides the most comprehensive view into an employee’s interaction with content, other employees, and other internal systems across virtually every aspect of the business: productivity, innovation, strategy, product development velocity, service, internal culture and more.

Event owners will begin to measure the tangible impact on productivity and innovation

As one familiar example of where this data can be used, consider the large breakout session. A speaker gives a presentation, a few people ask questions. Over time, more and more people tune out. Before the mobile app, the speaker had very few tools beyond charisma and a booming voice to disrupt this natural process. Today, the app can retain the audience’s attention through participation in live polls, discussion groups, comments and ratings. These tools provide significant new communication and engagement features for speakers and meeting organizers, creating a new dimension of influence and control, and generating valuable metrics that extend right down to the individual attendee.



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05MOBILE MAKES THE YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY A REALITY



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An event is a gathering of like-minded people, for a specific moment in time. A mobile app greatly enhances the networking and collaboration opportunities of any gathering, helping all stakeholders accomplish their intended objectives, but it can also sustain and nourish the connections long after an event wraps up. This is how communities are created, existing naturally beyond the brief moment in time of an event.

As planners gain experience with mobile apps – many of whom are now using an app for the second or third time at their events – they’ll begin to take advantage of all the ways the app can sustain the connection to and between their attendees before, during and after the main event. From document sharing, polls and surveys to push notifications and message boards, there are countless ways for communities to keep in touch via the app. Even if event participants decide to take the connections they’ve made at an event ‘offline’ and keep in touch outside of the app, they will still use the app as a source of relevant, contextually meaningful content.

Events of every size will thrive beyond their conventional 2 or 3 days of influence

Many QuickMobile clients use their multi-event ‘container’ app to share content with their attendees all year long. From photo albums to blogs, news and other information, the app is a community catalyst, bringing people together and keeping them in the loop 24/7, wherever they may be.

The end result will be a mobile community that uses the event for its obvious face-to-face experiential value, but continues to share, connect and collaborate via the app wherever and whenever it needs to. This will be facilitated by the increasingly pervasive mobile lifestyle, happening at work, home and play.



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CASE STUDYWhile their 2014 World Education

Congress may have ended, MPI continues to engage with

its members all year long via their QuickMobile multi-event app. Users

can access and share recorded session videos, articles and other

content to inspire year-round learning and networking. MPI uses push

notifications to inform members when new content is available. There is even a link to the 2015 registration website to keep next year’s event top of mind.



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06AUDIENCE RESPONSE SYSTEMS GET SERIOUS



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2014 saw a flood of new audience response systems (ARS) hitting the market, ranging from stand-alone mobile polling solutions to innovative live audience tools. Several app-integrated solutions were also launched to enable better audience engagement during keynote addresses and breakout sessions.

Audience engagement has been a mantra of mobile event apps since their arrival on the scene in 2008. But it wasn’t really until mobile devices hit a critical mass of market adoption that event apps really caught on and mobile ARS started to find its legs. As smartphones and later tablets revolutionized communications, both supply and demand have increased for solutions that better involve live audiences in sessions and workshops.

Reflecting back on our second prediction – the expansion of the mobile event market into smaller meetings and events – we believe ARS will play a central role in helping both attendees and organizers achieve their objectives at events of all sizes. For example, app-based discussions will stimulate

ARS and mobile event apps are a natural fit

whatever the event type, nothing speaks louder than the true,

intentional voice of the audience



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conversation, and polls will help keep people’s attention and measure knowledge retention.

Whatever the event type, nothing speaks louder than the true, intentional voice of the audience. Your app’s analytics will help, but what you find there are inferred intentions. A straight-up answer to a survey or poll leaves nothing to the imagination. What’s more, mobile ARS levels the playing field for all attendees, giving a voice even to the introverts who would never step up to a microphone to ask a question and to those participating from remote locations who would otherwise be held silent.

When fully integrated into a mobile app, ARS achieves greater scale and simplicity. Point solutions work well for events without an app, but being able to create a unified experience for attendees and track usage within the context of the app’s general analytics is too compelling of an argument to overlook. We see mobile ARS enjoying widespread adoption in 2015. In fact, it’s one of the most promising ways of enhancing audience engagement at events of all shapes and sizes.



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CASE STUDYIn May 2014, the Incentive

Research Foundation’s Annual Incentive Invitational used live

polling and discussions during roundtable sessions

to let the audience guide the conversation in real-time.

The result: broader and more passionate engagement. Their

audience response system, powered by Lumi Insight, was

built directly into the IRF’s mobile app powered by QuickMobile.



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07EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES LIKE LBS AND WEARABLE COMPUTERS WILL GAIN TRACTION, BUT SLOWLY



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In April 2013, Google released a beta version

of its ground-breaking Google Glass wearable

device, primarily targeting Google operating

system developers and testers. The currents

that emanated from the launch were felt far

and wide, not least of all in the meetings and

events space. On September 5, 2014, it

became widely available to consumers.

Similarly, there was a lot of hype about

iBeacon when it first came out in late 2013.

In reality, iBeacon was really just Apple’s spin

on location-based services that had been

around since 2010. There have been a number

of high-profile events that have embraced

iBeacon, but it has yet to make noticeable

inroads for the vast majority.

While some of our clients have been

experimenting with these ‘new’ technologies,

most event and meeting planners have been

reluctant, either through a lack of knowledge

of how to use them, doubts of their value,

concerns about privacy, or a number of

other reasons.

For the vast majority of events and meetings, iBeacons and wearable technology will move far more slowly than the hype that will surround them

With the release of iOS 8 and the iPhone 6, Apple also announced a new cashless payment system called Apple Pay. Apple Pay will make retail transactions simpler and more secure, a most welcome upgrade to current mobile payment and electronic transaction systems. We’re optimistic about the opportunities that Apple Pay brings to the events space, including simpler registration and payment for walk-up attendees, spontaneous purchases and upgrades during an event, and even an easier way for exhibitors to sell goods and services on site. This won’t have much of an impact in 2015 as Apple Pay is far from ubiquitous and currently only available in the US, but it’s coming, and it is yet another example of the inevitable change ushered in by the rise of mobile.


https://www.google.ca/glass/start/

http://www.mpiweb.org/docs/default-source/Magazine/TMP_1113.pdf

http://www.beekn.net/2014/03/ibeacon-events-lessons-swsx-guest-column/

https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/


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Google Glass is currently prohibitively

expensive, and iBeacon and similar Bluetooth

technologies come with significant limitations

including complex setup, inconsistent

device compatibility and questionable user

experience across devices. Attendees often

don’t keep Bluetooth on, and have voiced

concerns about privacy and spam. In an

industry that still struggles with reliable venue

Wi-Fi and wireless networking, it’s not a

surprise to see these emerging technologies

enjoy a slow ride to adoption.

This does not mean they aren’t worth a close

look. It will ultimately depend on the nature

of the event, the attendee use-case, budget,

available technical resources and meeting

objectives. With the right mix in place, new

technologies like iBeacon and wearable

computers can elevate the event experience

for attendees and deliver real value. For now,

‘approach with caution’ is sound advice.

Setting clear expectations and understanding

all the intricacies of an effective deployment

are vital to success.

Looking beyond 2015, location-based

services will become commonplace as

the industry and its suppliers evaluate the

true value proposition and learn how to

work within the known technical limitations.

Intelligent and personalized apps will be

better able to apply the right context filters to

these technologies, helping to deliver relevant

messaging and content in ways the user

appreciates and values.

Source: The Estimote Team Blog

http://blog.estimote.com

2012-2014 © by Estimote, Inc.


http://blog.estimote.com


32

PREDICTIONS FROM AROUND THE M&E INDUSTRY



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For 2015, we extended an invitation to several industry pundits to share their thoughts on how technology will impact meetings and events next year.

Editor’s note: The following predictions are the sole expressions of their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of QuickMobile

Join the discussion about 2015 mobile event technology

on Twitter at #QMpredicts

Some mesh with ours, some are directly opposed, and still others venture off into entirely unique territory. Such is the nature of trying to predict the future.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?



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1. Event technology decisions will get more strategic. Today, improved processes, internal efficiency, and data controls drive many event tech decisions. More organizations are going to embrace putting the attendee experience as a higher priority: Making it easier for them to engage, learn, buy and amplify the live event experience. Integration and process improvement will still be important, but will be trumped by the ultimate customer…the attendee. 2. Best in class wins over all-in-one. Technology vendors that claim to do many or all things events rarely become best in class at any. Event organizers desiring agility and brand differentiation will seek out the best built for purpose technologies that align with the positioning they desire with their target market. They’ll figure out how to connect the dots on the backend.

3. Technology providers will get more consultative. The niche players who will have staying power will get much better at helping their clients 1) develop business cases, 2) create progressive paths for implementation and adoption, and 3) connect the dots through integration. 4. iBeacons will be no more than shiny objects. Sure they’re cool, but organizers will begin to realize that the benefits of utilization for high level B2B events won’t cut it at the business case level. B2C events results may vary. Don’t believe this one, study the historical path of RFID.

Dave LutzManaging Director, Velvet Chainsaw Consultingvelvetchainsaw.com


http://www.velvetchainsaw.com/


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1. For content delivery, experience tracking, location-based services are where it’s at, not iBeacon. Imagine walking into a session and really enjoying a relevant second-screen experience, or using it for networking and detecting other like-minded individuals.

2. Personalization using data and behavioral analysis. The goal is to have less user-initiated app interaction, instead having the app tell them where to go and what to do. Apps have to push personalized relevant content, not ask people to look for it. It must understand both expressed and implied interest, and react accordingly.

3. Usability is king. Apps are becoming increasingly complex. Planners need to laser-focus on true user value. Some features don’t belong on an app. User Experience will be king. It has to be intuitive right from the download, with no tutorial or extra guidance.

Jason Paganessi, CAEVP Business Innovation, PCMApcma.org

Ruud Janssen, CMM, DESCo-founder, The Event Model Generationeventmodelgeneration.com

1. Event apps will begin to integrate with unified communications technologies such as HipChat and other communication apps in order to bring the event app out of “isolation”.

2. The need for seamless browser/mobile integration of all event content will grow. Event owners will seek to avoid replication of content in multiple places.

3. Planners will begin to tap into easy to use, visual event design tools (like the Event Model Canvas) as a new approach to orchestrating the needs of various event stakeholders. These tools will improve the way planners elicit the desired behavior of these stakeholders, and will also allow vendors to integrate real data points into service design to measure event ROI.


http://www.pcma.org

http://www.eventmodelgeneration.com

http://www.eventmodelgeneration.com/download


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1. The era of the stand-alone app is coming to a close. Attendees are expecting to see full integration with web databases and registration systems. This seamless flow of information across devices (what I see on the web is what I see in the app) is beneficial to both the attendee, who only needs one login for all platforms, and the organizer, who no longer needs to manage the manual updating of data across multiple platforms. IMEX has built these processes (using a sophisticated API) in to the new app. Appointments made on the web are immediately available in the app, and vice versa. Same for education, speakers, exhibitor lists etc.

2. Analytics will emerge as the hidden powerhouses of apps. These are the foundations of understanding users app experience. As metrics and analytics evolve, they will drive future development to create niched app features to satisfy more nuanced requirements.

3. Big data gets real. It’s not about Big Data, it’s about deriving real business insights from data. I am seeing events figuring out how to track mobile usage of apps or simply location of the users to make changes in real time. NFC and iBeacons are a part of this, but one that is still being explored.

4. Apps will get easier to monetize. The business models exist but most events still struggle in this area. I am seeing this becoming much simpler to sell to sponsors as business models shift.

5. Backlash from bad apps or lack of guidance. I still see many events implementing apps badly or not adequately informing participants of the features. This means apps are underutilized. I see the younger generations rebelling against using apps if they are not well integrated. The functionality must be explained adequately at events and users need to understand the value-add of using a well-implemented app.

Carina BauerCEO, IMEX Groupimexexhibitions.com


http://www.imexexhibitions.com/


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One day, Wi-Fi will be reliable! I promise you. One day it will. People will walk into a hotel or conference center and without any hassle they will connect several devices to a wireless network. It will work at high-speed and low stress. They will never be kicked out; they will never have limited access, limited bandwidth or too many devices. One day we will comfortably use crowdsourcing systems and all sorts of Internet dependent technologies, and we won’t even bother to check. One day.

Until that day, we need to be ready to investigate, check, check again and bring our own network and technical support in, whether we organize an association conference or a corporate IT user meeting. Because we cant wait for the Wi-Fi to work. We have to increase the value of meetings and conferences now!

1. Microlocation, primarily enabled by beacons, will continue to impact the way navigation, content delivery and networking are orchestrated in meetings and on the trade show floor.

2. Peer-to-peer software solutions (such as those used by Airbnb, Lyft and Uber) will emerge to address pain points and vulnerabilities within the meetings industry. The lack of uninterrupted wireless Internet service in some venues comes to mind.

3. Specialized apps and platform developers will continue to flood into the meetings industry enabled by cloud technology and open-source software.

Maarten Vanneste, CMMPresident, The Meeting Design Institutemeetingsupport.org

Michelle Bruno, MPCWriterBruno Group Signature Eventseventtechbrief.com


http://www.meetingsupport.org

http://www.eventtechbrief.com


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1. BLE (Bluetooth low energy) and iBeacon will provide a wealth of new options for planners and participants. This technology holds great promise for events with nearly all of the major event app developers working on ways to incorporate. However, planners and event app developers must take care to use iBeacons very judiciously -- to provide significant value to event participants. If attendees feel that this technology is an invasion of privacy with no payback for them or a “pop up spam” device, they will simply turn off the Bluetooth reception or uninstall the app.

2. Analytics will emerge as one of the most important benefits of mobile event apps. The onsite meeting used to be the “black hole” of event data management. Today, mobile event apps offer an unprecedented amount of analytic data – a goldmine of useful, real-time information to improve the event experience! Every touch is trackable!

Corbin Ball, CSP, CMP, DES, MSSpeaker, Writer, ConsultantPresident, Corbin Ball Associatescorbinball.com

These analytic capabilities will also extend to and interoperate with online registration and membership management systems to provide greater personalization to participants and greater insight into their behavior (see next trend). As mobile event apps become fully adopted in the business process, these analytic capabilities will likely be considered one of the most useful elements of the many benefits they provide.

3. Big data will become a key component of event marketing and design. Big data seeks to combine data from widely disparate sources in an aggregate form to spot trends and make business decisions and to improve customer interaction experiences (sell more)! Big Data is “the next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity” according to McKinsey Global Institute.


http://www.corbinball.com

http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/big_data_the_next_frontier_for_innovation


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It is becoming possible to combine many streams of data generated during event registration, web clicks, exhibitor interactions, mobile app activity, gamification, social media activity, surveys and more to gain insight to improve events and to facilitate personalization for event participants.

4. Aerial (drone) video will provide new perspective for event photography (if regulatory hurdles are passed). Convention video has been around for decades, but it has typically been limited to tripod-mounted and handheld cameras providing static shots. This is about to change. Remote controlled, multi-rotor helicopters (sometimes referred to as drones), fitted with professional HD video cameras with stabilizing mounts are providing an entirely new prospective for event and meetings-related video.

5. Bonus trend (a repeat from previous years’ predictions): Despite the increased use of virtual meetings technology, face-to-face meetings and tradeshows will remain viable. As long as attendees are informed, entertained and fed, event hosts can keep them engaged for days. The opportunities for networking, brainstorming, and relationship building are usually far greater at face-to-face events than online. For an exhibitor, it is often the best way to meet so many qualified buyers in such a short time. For buyers, it is a great chance to meet vendors of interest – all together in one location, categorized and mapped for your choosing. Meetings provide a vastly richer, more targeted, and more focused learning experience than nearly any virtual meeting. To put it succinctly, there is no such thing as a “virtual beer!”



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1. Showrooming will Become THE Trend in Event Marketing in 2015. We’re in the midst of grand change in the event marketing world as Millennials become more important to marketers. These experience-driven consumers are demanding more unfettered and authentic hands-on experiences with products. In 2015, event marketers will begin to embrace the fact that “Showrooming” will become the norm for event marketing. The focus will turn from what we might think of as selling or educating towards creating inspiring and interesting showrooms to make their products shine, rather than leaving this in the hands of retailers. The use of technology, environment and immersive experiences will be key to differentiating these supreme showroom experiences from other retail or on-line environments where consumers experience products today. If by the end of 2015 you aren’t hearing the term “showrooming” in your LinkedIn Feed, I would be very, very surprised.

Joe EnglishEvent Designer and Futuristeventfuturist.com

2. Mobile Apps will Find Their Value in Events. Mobile Apps have been making tremendous strides in the event space and are quickly becoming a “must have” for events. But the onus is still on event organizers to help find valuable uses for apps as a part of their event experience. Mobile Apps can easily re-package content, such as agendas or social media feeds, but are they doing anything to add value over other traditional means at that point? In 2015, I believe we will start to hear event organizers seriously asking this question and driving mobile apps to add new value to their events. This value will likely come in connecting people with others of similar interest, facilitating idea interchange in new ways, or adding totally new interaction points with the content or event itself.


http://www.eventfuturist.com


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3. Augmented Reality will Quietly Fade Away From the Events Space. A few years back, I couldn’t talk about the future of event technology without being bombarded with questions about how Augmented Reality would fit into it. Augmented Reality has some interesting uses, such as 3D visualization of packaged products or in large keynote sessions in which projection is a key part of the experience. But I’ve always felt that Augmented Reality wouldn’t catch a foothold in the events space as more than a gimmick and thus far this has been true. When we consider that marketers will be making more of an effort to provide authentic interaction with their products, then that leads us to think that there will be more hands-on with product and less of a need for Augmented Reality to show us what a product would look like “if only” you had it in person. I think Augmented Reality is quietly settling away from the events world for now, but it may be back when we find a really interesting use for it in the live events environment.

WHAT DO YOU THINK LIES

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CONCLUSION



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Recent industry research has revealed that while mobile apps are increasingly popular with meeting professionals, there is still a large gap between how they are being used and what they are capable of delivering. With each passing year, these capabilities expand further, offering greater impact and return on investment, and encouraging more event professionals to get on board. Large-scale, flagship events and meetings continue to drive demand. However the rising popularity of multi-event platforms – among other factors – is encouraging more use of mobile event apps at smaller meetings as well.

2015 will be the year in which these emerging trends crystallize. Increasing app usage, greater end-user sophistication coupled with improved user experience, and strong initiatives to go mobile throughout the enterprise will support the continued expansion of mobile solutions for events and

meetings of all kinds. There is room for a difference of opinion on just how important some of the newer technologies like iBeacon and wearable computers will be, but one thing is for certain: technology and the mobile mind shift are powerful forces of change across the enterprise, and the meetings and events space is no exception.

We at QuickMobile believe that the winds of change will continue to blow, creating unique opportunities for differentiation, enhanced user experience, deeper behavioral insights and a new frontier in measuring the return on investment for meeting and event professionals. It will be a challenge to find the time, focus and budget to adopt the new mobile world order, but for those who do, the rewards will be well worth the effort.

technology and the mobile mind shift are powerful forces of change across the enterprise, and the meetings and events category is no exception




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Praveen GuptaCOO & CFO

QuickMobile’s Visionaries

Patrick PayneCo-Founder and CEO

Robert ChenVP, Engineering

Robin JonesCMO

Craig BrennanChairman of the Board



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QuickMobile powers more meetings and events around the world than any other mobile app vendor.

Let us help you make the most of your mobile strategy in 2015.

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http://www.quickmobile.com/contact/request-demo


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predictions for the mobile event app industry in 2015 · mind shift’, as forrester research calls...

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