New technology is playing an important role in meeting and event planning in 2020. Advances in technology allow event organizers to improve onsite operations, increase efficiency, and provide a better overall experience for attendees.
Transportation Management Services (TMS) is the industry leader in transportation for meetings, conventions, and special events. At NEXT 2020, MPI-CAC’s annual education and technology conference held on February 12, Mike Moulton, TMS’ EVP of Business Development, moderated a panel discussion on the topic, Where’s my ride? How technology is shaping event transportation in 2020.
The session focused on how new technology is encouraging a data-driven approach to event transportation. Panelists discussed the impact of developments such as Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology, GPS, and real-time ridership reporting on attendee experience, operational efficiency, client communication, and financial savings.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the session:
Get to know your audience.
For each event, organizers need to understand who will be using the technology and under what circumstances. What is the demographic of the attendees, and where are they coming from? Will they be tech savvy enough to use some of the existing applications out there like Uber and Lyft? Will the technology need to function in multiple languages? How will attendees be interacting with it?
Understand how the technology works from start to end.
Organizers must have a comprehensive understanding of the technology and what its requirements are. Will it need data or Wi-Fi to work? Will the event have sufficient Wi-Fi to support it? Do you need to send out information prior to arrival about data plans, Wi-Fi usage, etc.?
Educate, promote, and troubleshoot.
Technology is only useful if it reaches its intended audience. Organizers have to introduce the technology to attendees, providing educational resources and helping address questions and problems as needed. What kind of support or explanation will attendees require? Will it be necessary to have onsite employees to help troubleshoot?
Learn more about how TMS’ cost-effective technology solutions drive efficiency and enhance the passenger experience.
