How does the technological evolution affects the MICE industry and event management
In this post we will reflect a little about how the web and technology evolution has impacted the MICE industry and event management in the last years, where we are now, towards where we are heading and what are the key points to keep in mind.
All of us have been part of a very accelerated evolution of technology and its direct implication in our professional and personal lifes. Internet has been evolving since its beginning with an amazing speed. We have started in the 1.0 webs when the analog communication was one way only and the consumer was limited to only check information online. Then we have spent the last years in the 2.0 web where the two ways interaction has been a boom, as the internet became social. This era has marked a before and after frontier in the way we communicate, the way we shop, the way we decide, the way the access information and much more.
However, as the Pandora Box has been opened, we can only expect growing further in this direction and the 3.0 web is already here, as nowadays almost everybody has a smartphone, starting from early ages and going on until the third generation. Everyday more, we include and implement new gadgets and tools in our working habits, delegating as many tasks as possible to technology and tools.
The MICE industry is no exception in this, even more, it is probably one of the sectors that most advantages gained from the technological development and digitalization of the world. The consumer habits have been evolving and adapting to the new trends and tools and this has stimulated the creativity in how MICE professionals engage with their clients and suppliers. A new profile of customer has been born: the collaborative one and now it’s the time adapt to the new way of connecting with him.
But what does a 3.0 potential client look like?
- He connects with the world through his smartphone
- He is constantly connected online
- He quit using paper a while ago and he is deep into sustainability
- He is an active member of online communities and specific groups where professional information is shared
- He travels light but always packs his laptop and smartphone
- He requires WIFI as a primary need and he is happy to find tech-savy venues that offer facilities charging and connecting different gadgets
- He does his homework before choosing a supplier: he checks the online comments and other client’s experiences
- Many of them are Millenials or Generation Z
From an event management point of view, let’s see what we must consider when dealing with this new profile of client:
- The online communities and customer reviews are the new thermometer for companies and need to be managed correctly. Even if most reviews are made by individual travelers and leisure clients, the MICE client uses these reviews when considering a new supplier.
- The 3.0 client can easily become an ambassador of our products due to their online presence and activity. When speaking about clients, we include both B2B collaborators as well as the final client or attendants who get to enjoy the service and the experience.
- The storytelling needs to be said before, during and after the event as client’s experiences create brand awareness and consolidate our professional relationships and product recognition within a niche market, such as MICE
- We need to invest in digitalization and cross the border of adapting technology as a natural attribute or our everyday work, dare to replace traditional ways of doing by easier and more effective alternatives.
- Semantics and video content are becoming extremely important, together with voice searches so we need to pay increased attention to our website, online communication strategy and proposals making.
- Whats App has turned into a working tool, in an unofficial way, so that voluntarily or not, all MICE professionals end up using Whats App in their daily work during event management as it is the easiest and fastest way for a client or team members to communicate to each other. This trend is increasing, even if for now Whats App has not been recognized officially as a working tool, but there is so much field that can be explored in this area.
For all the reasons above, E-ventology has decided to embrace these new trends and apply them to the MICE sector, taking destination management and local knowledge, which was mainly offline until now, to this new way of managing the information for event planners. The aim is to evolve from the habit of engaging with the potential client through direct interaction to the habit of understanding and being able to penetrate the information to a deeper level than previous. Besides connecting people, now is the time to connect knowledge and this is extremely necessary in such a complex business as the MICE world.
