IT Support for Event Management Businesses
At press, our world is slowly but surely returning to normal. The event management industry is climbing out of the ashes that 2020-21 has left behind and getting back to business. Conferences, trade shows, and a variety of audio-visual (AV) spectacles will soon return to dazzle attendees. But you’re not exactly picking up where you had left off prior to the shutdown. A lot has changed, yet you need to come back stronger than ever to beat the competition to the wave of clients approaching your shores. IT support will be instrumental – here’s why.
Why Event Management Companies Must Secure Outside IT Support for Greater Success this Year (and beyond)
You Must Make the Most of Limited Human Resources
Coming out of the industry shutdown you may find yourself with leaner human resources. Your technical production team and even pool of subcontractors has shrunken, with many moving on to other occupations or competitors who could afford to keep them on contract or payroll. The good news (for you) is that a number of roles are actually redundant when you consider that technology can replace many of the more mundane responsibilities. For instance, IT support systems can introduce automations for audio-visual production that you may never have considered. By leveraging technology you can efficiently fill that gaps in human resources that 2020-21 left behind.
Collaborating OffSite
Even before the industry shake-up getting staff, contractors, venue personnel, and clients to collaborate without having to meet onsite at a given establishment was a challenge. There is no reason for stakeholders to be in the same room any longer, even though you’re finally “allowed” to. To make communications more efficient for all involved, despite conflicting schedules, IT support will outfit your company with cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) that allows for enhanced collaboration on event projects. Stakeholders can connect on projects from remote locations and through all hours of the day using tools such as MS Teams, a part of the MS Office 365 business suite, among other solutions.
Can Help You Identify Preferred Venues for IT Integrations
Full-service tech support firms will manage all IT aspects of brick and mortar moves. But beyond relocations they can be deeply involved in the evaluation of potential locations, infrastructure planning, contractor/vendor management, and technical assistance for all involved. As an event management company you need to have a list of venues that you can trust to handle the technical needs of the various events that they will play host to. An IT expert will know exactly what to look for when it comes to necessary infrastructure, and can help connect you to better establishments for your clients’ event needs. Or in other cases, IT support can introduce new technology (IoT, etc.) into preferred venues so that they can be updated to meet client demands.
Can Help With Event Budgeting
Given that events today require a large number of IT integrations for successful AV production you need to make sure that you’re leveraging the best software and hardware, and have the best people in place to manage it all. You also need it to be scalable to account for future growth. Failure to do so will result in unnecessary spending which can keep in you in the red even though the industry itself is bouncing back. Not only will IT support introduce new efficiencies in technology, a consultant can also help you establish budgets for all IT aspects of ongoing and one-off events alike.
Because “Virtual” is Still a Thing
While we’re all sick of hearing how events have “gone virtual” many have come to realize that some events can indeed be done effectively online, and may even lead to better engagement. Event management companies that did not pivot and instead took a “wait and see” stance through 2020-21 will have to come to terms with this fact. A certain portion of events-based business will remain virtual. If you have not yet introduced this technology (beyond Zoom) it’s time to build it into your offering. IT support will be instrumental in this critical form of digital transformation for your industry. An IT firm will outfit you with more effective software (than Zoom, etc.) and hardware to allow you to deliver the best possible, and more cybersecure, virtual event experience for clients and their attendees.
The event management industry is about to come back stronger than ever, but is your company ready to adapt and keep up with the impending wave of new demand? Will you be able to beat the competition that leveraged the downtime to digitally transform? If you’re located in the Greater Vancouver BC area contact SAV Technology to make it all happen.