While legacy event planning solutions have been consolidating, new players are emerging that allow for new functionality and allow for more cost-effective licenses. If you are looking for event technology, do your homework. There are many options, and it can be overwhelming. Talk to you TMC (travel management company), MMC (meeting management company), or industry colleagues for advice and assistance.
Ultimately, there is no one size fits all solution. The first thing to do is to identify the gap you are looking to fill and make a list of what’s important to you. Here are some things to consider:
- Visibility to the number of meetings (registering meetings)
- Streamlining the process
- Adherence to compliance needs spend management
- Ease of use
- Risk management
- Duty of care
- Market coverage
- Venue inventory (number and types)
- Registration
- Room block management
- Group air or OBT (online booking tool) integration
- Reporting and business intelligence
- Implementation cost, fixed costs (monthly fee, license, etc.) and support
When vetting new technology, we also urge corporations to ask prospective event planning vendors the following questions:
- Can I get a free trial of the platform?
- Are there fees or add-ons? If so, what is not included in the base price?
- Do I have to sign a multi-year contract?
- What is your policy? Should I want to stop using your product?
- Are there additional fees to end my contract?
- How are you different from the competition?
- What are the weak points in your software compared to the competition?
- How will the customer relationship be managed?
- Will I be able to self-learn the software using tutorials and step by step guides?
- Will I have access to a dedicated customer support manager?
- What methods can I use to contact support?
- Does your company offer user training so I can get the most out of the platform? If so, is there an extra cost?
- Do you provide a structured onboarding plan for new users?
- What is offered for reporting and business intelligence?
- What is the total cost including implementation fees and support?
Now more than ever, corporations are looking for easier, more efficient, and cost-effective meetings management strategies to navigate through this period of uncertainty and into the future. Armed with this information, companies can make an informed decision when deciding which platform to partner with moving forward.
To learn more about the new normal and how to prepare for the changes in travel, meetings, and events worldwide, download the complimentary titled, Prepare for a Changed World, which delivers timely peer to peer advice from leading travel managers, meeting planners, procurement, TMCs, and industry partners.
To learn more about how Groupize helps organizations simplify meeting management, please visit www.groupize.com or call +1-508-232-7719.
