covid19

An urgent need for knowledge exchange

Despite mass cancellations of events due to Covid-19, the appetite for organizing business events during the pandemic is actually very high and that knowledge exchange is crucial right now. All industries are trying to adapt to the new normal and so the need for conversation is greater than ever.

We are social creatures and virtual or hybrid events will never fully replace face-to-face meetings. The need to shake hands, hug and generally share the same space is invaluable. However, this experience has shown us that virtual can answer some educational needs better, and especially if we combine it with a face-to-face meeting, the results in terms of education can be much better than when just utilizing one of the methods.

Hybrid events becoming standard

In the near to mid-term, hybrid events that offer both in-person and digital participation will be standard, to accommodate those who cannot travel, and those who just aren’t comfortable doing so. Successful hybrid events run parallel with shared moments for engagement but also should be designed as two separate user experiences. There are a variety of digital event formats and platforms from webcasts to 3-D immersive worlds, so deciding which one will fulfil on organization and participant goals is critical.

Benefits of face-to-face will remain

Virtual still cannot replace the benefits of face-to-face. Face-to-face interactions allow trust to be built. Having a coffee or a glass of sake together is about ‘breaking bread’ and getting to know your guests. In the virtual interaction, people are quite often half-engaged and are easily distracted by incoming emails, the dog running by, or children seeking attention.”

Face-to-face meetings make it easier for participants to perceive the subtleties of interaction, such as people’s movements and the inflection of their voices.

In the short-term we are likely to see an increase in individual travel reward programs, and for incentives, travel destinations will likely be closer to home. But eventually, if the vaccine is working well and traveler’s confidence increases, people will go back to mass gatherings and group travel. We all crave face-to-face meetings where our ‘sidebar’ conversations can lead to new and collaborative ideas.

Creating ‘omnichannel’ experiences

The industry needs to start thinking differently when it comes to viewing face-to-face and digital meeting formats, which refers as channels.

We should not be comparing one channel over another, as no one channel is a replacement for another. It is simply another channel of engagement that allows you to extend your reach and grow your audience.

There is nothing negative about digital events, but organizers cannot simply take what they do for a physical meeting and place it online, as most will tune out. Putting your audience needs at the center and how they would like to engage and with what content is where you start in order to build an engaging experience. Most events in the future will be hybrid, or “omnichannel. In the future, if organizations are truly thinking of growing their audience and increasing their relevance, they will have to create content, communities, and experiences that engage their audience in the medium they are most comfortable.

Although there is no question that the industry has been “shattered by Covid-19”, in the long run it may open up opportunities. Covid-19 has actually highlighted the role business events play in broader society to drive economic and social outcomes and thus, there finally is a better recognition of the industry. However, tomorrow is going to look very different than yesterday and event organizers will have to be much more customer focused – meeting their customers at their point of engagement.

Those that think tomorrow will be the same as yesterday will have a much tougher time on the recovery journey.

The road ahead

Clearly, the importance of safety, security and flexibility will be top priorities for business event organisers for the foreseeable future. When clients are planning their next event, they will be particularly looking for cleanliness protocols from hotels, vendors and off-site venues. They will also be looking for a crisis management plan that has taken into consideration a virus outbreak.

While Covid-19 continues to affect our ability to congregate and travel, the meetings and events industry will remain vulnerable. Yet through the vision of its leaders and resilience of its members, Covid-19 is proving a catalyst for change, forcing the adoption of new skills and business models, as well as shifting the industry towards virtual and hybrid events.

During this time of rapid change, the need for knowledge exchange is greater than ever, and eventually, once Covid-19 is brought under control, the desire for businesses to nurture human connections through meetings and events will return – but in what format, we cannot be sure. What we can be sure of however is that the meetings and events industry continue to play an important function, even during these difficult times, and that innovation will be essential to not only its survival, but its success.