2021 Event Technology Trends for Safety and Engagement

The events and meetings industry has evolved and adapted, molding itself to fit into the new normal. Once in-person meetings were the norm, but COVID-19 restrictions brought about virtual events and conferences. But now, as event professionals and those that hold frequent Corporate Meetings look to the future, one thing is sure: hybrid is here to stay. The Hybrid model meets people halfway. That is, it allows individuals who want in-person interaction and those who prefer virtual to meet simultaneously. But this means that event companies need to budget for the necessary tools and technologies needed to ensure the safety of their attendees. But which technologies and tools should they be budgeting for? What 2021 technology trends should people in the meetings and events industry be keeping an eye out for? Below are a few that can promote attendee safety and improve engagement.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID)

No one likes to have to wait at the end of a long and stagnant queue. It's tiring, very discouraging to attendees, and not to mention very unsafe. Even as the pandemic takes a new course, people are still expected to practice safety measures and avoid the spread of the virus. With radio-frequency identification (RFID), you won't have to stand in a long queue anymore. This type of technology allows one to make cashless payments and quickly have their events badge scanned at the entry. It inadvertently limits physical contact and speeds up an otherwise laborious process.

Facial Recognition

In today's COVID-19 times, the less contact, the better. And with Facial recognition technology, events can run smoothly and quickly. According to Kaspersky, this type of technology allows someone to confirm the identity of an individual accurately. This biometric form of security allows for little to no interaction during the check-in process.

Keeping Venues Hybrid Ready

Hybrid events allow planners to scale down on the number of attendees that can show up to an event. The smaller the number of people meeting, the safer and the less likely the virus is to spread. In other words, it mitigates the spread of the virus but also allows for people to maintain social distancing practices. Hybrid-ready venues should be equipped with proper signage to help direct people. This can help minimize crowding in a single area and even designate seats appropriately. Additionally, the event planner will need to find an app or software that can allow a seamless experience between those attending virtually and personally. Whatever technological solution you use, ensure that it bridges the gap between the two for a more engaging event.

Crowdsourcing Platforms

Crowdsourcing technologies aim to take the knowledge and experience of a diverse number of experts in one place. They make it easy to gather the expert opinions, ideas, and concerns of their attendees, increasing the engagement level of the event. Additionally, crowdsourcing technology can help plan presentations per their audiences' needs. In turn, other than keeping the attendees engaged and happy, they are also safe. Crowdsourcing technologies take out the need for physical interaction but still achieve something close to an in-person meeting.

Cross-platform Capabilities

Cross-platform capabilities allow the attendees to meet all their needs during the event on one platform. From moving from one location to the other to interacting for networking purposes, this platform can make the attendee's transitions easier.

AR & VR Experiences

Imagine being able to have a virtual meet and greet that feels like a real physical one? You guessed it: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) do just that. Such technology can work in a myriad of different events, from fundraising events to corporate meetings. Its incredible ability to add in-person and real-time quality has seen a massive shift as companies move to incorporate it. AR and AV experiences have the advantage of giving any Event Company or business an edge over the competition.

Chatbots

Planning an event is harder. Making sure it runs smoothly and seamlessly is even more challenging. Attendees will have questions to ask, need directions and probably want specific concerns dealt with. The thought alone is daunting as it can quickly impact the quality of the event altogether. A chatbot equipped with Artificial intelligence can help fill the gap where you can't. From answering questions and offering the necessary directions within an event building, there's a lot a chatbot can do for your attendees. You can use Google's Dialogflow to get a chatbot for your events, among many others.

Proximity Alerts

We can't always know when we're not maintaining a six-foot distance from another person. Unless the floor is marked and seats designated, social distancing is very difficult. And when one is caught up in networking during an event, the idea of maintaining social distance can be lost. But companies such as TraceSafe Technologies and Proxxi have developed wristbands that have proximity alert capabilities. That is, they let the wearer know when they're standing too close to somebody else during an event. They can also perform contact tracing; in case the wearer gets exposed to an infected individual. In conclusion, all the above 2021 technological trends are designed to help keep people safe during an event. However, they also work to boost the engagement levels in an event and ensure that it runs smoothly with little to no mishaps. Perhaps you're thinking of hosting an event but have no idea how to implement the tools mentioned above or technologies. The EMC Meetings and Events staff are armed with unrivaled technology insight and knowledge on planning engaging events. Without help, we can ensure a seamless, interesting, and high-quality event that will blow your attendees away. Contact us, and we can start planning your event today.