I’d cover one big issue that tends to come up whenever we support organisations and organisers to adopt event technology: should they go for the new kid on the block or opt for the big established bully on the block?

The event technology 500 pound Gorilla

Of course it’s not as simple as saying that the choice when looking at event technology is always a big player against a small player. In fact most organisations probably start with looking at only the big players. You know who I mean. For mobile apps and for event management platforms there are a few very big players (or the 500 pound Gorilla’s as my mate Keith at PlannerWire calls then). When companies do this it is understandable as they can be pretty sure of a solid product that is tried and tested and well supported. However when organisations only look at the Gorilla options that is an opportunity lost.

When to start with a tech startup

I believe organisations should consider event tech startups for every bit of technology they plan to use. I also think that they should look at the big Gorilla’s and see if they have a part of the startup ethos. In my experience this tends to set even the big guys apart from the other Gorillas. I love nipping on to etouches to see sections in “Beta” testing; I think that’s a good sign.  

We’ve been involved in using and supporting event tech startups for a few years now and I can honestly say that there are a whole host of startups that have blown me away but I know that startups aren’t for everyone. But for those organisers who like new things and get a buzz from seeing how sharp the cutting edge actually is, startups tend to be where it is at! And it’s easy to list the benefits:

– Organisations who are early adopters of the right technology can have a significant advantage over the competition

– Using the latest technology can add a fantastic amount of value to the attendee experience 

– Startup tech can really add that bit of a creative advantage as it is unlikely that the competition will be using it

There is so much to gain from the early adoption of new technology

You should consider using some startup technology is you fancy taking advantage of the above but crucially only take this approach if your organisation and you event manager:

1. have what you could call a more “open approach to risk” (I would argue that with startups comes, relatively speaking, more risk)

2. like the idea of supporting a small company (and I think it is great if you go for a local or at least national based startup)

3. is kind of tech savvy (but you don’t need to be “geeky”)

4. are pretty price conscious (a slight generalisation but startups tend to be cheaper than established players)

If you don’t associate with any of the above we would probably recommend you head along to the big brands you recognise or you have used in the past. Hopefully by listing a few of the benefits of startups and outlining the “profile” of the company that can handle startups we may point you in the right direction. 

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