Event Planning in a Post-Pandemic World Home Guide Share: EVENT PLANNING IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD BORING IS OUT In an era where “the bigger the better” rules, expectations about event experiences have escalated accordingly. Event planning is a booming industry of spectacle and community — and ordinary just won’t do anymore. That’s where we come in. Our expertise provides the “wow” factor.Since 1977, we have grown exponentially into a global leader in audiovisual and entertainment technology with offices throughout North America, Asia and Europe. Clients have come to count on us for support to transform their event concepts and ideas into unforgettable moments.From a corporate head office to a sold-out Céline Dion concert, no venue is too small or too big. And every dream can become an event reality. EMERGING FROM TWO DIFFICULT YEARS Professionals in the events industry are all asking: How do we survive this pandemic? As with anything so completely unexpected, organizations initially responded differently. Many were slow to react while others didn’t fully recognize the looming… or lasting impact. We were not immune to these shifts ourselves, but the scope of our solution services enabled us to pivot back and forth from in-person events to virtual or hybrid business events.We also supported companies by equipping them with the necessary technology to communicate in the new “work from home” world order. At times, this even meant creating in-house studios. During the upheaval, one of the fundamental issues that arose was the true lack of emotional attachment associated with many digital events. A new challenge was afoot: how to structure an event that connect people and encourages greater participation?Engagement is the key word — and the key to a memorable event. That’s what all industry pros aim for.One immediate solution was to visually create virtual audiences, largely achieved with multi-screen tiles. While this proved effective, businesses were quickly on the hunt for the next big innovation and upgraded tools to engage their audience. This is especially true for company events. If the main purpose is to convey a message, how can Solotech help shine a spotlight on that message?That’s always been our stated goal. HYBRID AND VIRTUAL EVENTS ARE HERE TO STAY It hasn’t been all been bad news. One positive thing that surfaced is that audiences’ familiarity with virtual gatherings. Moving forward, no one will think twice about an event held in Montreal featuring a speaker remotely based in Australia.Now event organizers can have big names “pop in” for an hour or partake in a multi-speaker panel. Imagine being a captive audience member to Bill Gates’ latest musings or having Michelle Obama deliver a virtual keynote address. Events such as these could also be as interactive and immersive as required as Solotech’s state-of-the-art equipment and specialists make every configuration possible.The hybrid model is here to stay, and with it, every opportunity to expand the scope of content and drive audience engagement. POST-EVENT CONTENT OPPORTUNITIES Event professionals are increasingly interested in capturing content and making it available for future re-broadcasts. TED Talks are the perfect example of packaging an event experience and making it available to anyone unable to attend. But industry pros need to proceed with caution and ask some important questions including who own the rights to that content. AT THE END OF THE DAY... Regardless of how spectacular a digital event may be, nothing can replace the impact of one-on-one interaction. There’s nothing like being in the same room together. More companies are recognizing this fact and placing greater emphasize on the participant experience. Solotech’s customized solutions, in all cases, will ensure that audience engagement is the number one priority. FOUR FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING YOUR EVENT UP THE ANTE…TO WOW 1 We live in a fast-paced attention economy and engaging your audience to maintain focus is crucial. How will you communicate your message in a persuasive way — before, during and after the event? How will technology be used to contribute to a unified and compelling message? NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK 2 While an eye-popping light show and top-tier entertainment are bound to impress, the unique value of an in-person event, especially a business-centric function, is the networking opportunities it offers. Thus, how can you best use technology to boost attendance and bring more people into the conversation? GET IT IN WRITING 3 Draw up clear agreements regarding technological content. Questions about the content are bound to arise. Who owns the rights to the audio and video content created for the event? How will that content be used? What permissions are outlined? Ensure that all speakers, presenters and suppliers are on the same page with your company— and have signed the appropriate waivers. GET IT IN WRITING 3 Draw up clear agreements regarding technological content. Questions about the content are bound to arise. Who owns the rights to the audio and video content created for the event? How will that content be used? What permissions are outlined? Ensure that all speakers, presenters and suppliers are on the same page with your company— and have signed the appropriate waivers. GO PRO 4 This cannot be stressed enough. Ask yourself what your vision for the event is. Taking into consideration the limitations of your budget, then work with established AV professionals to guide you within those parameters and optimize location, setting and ambiance to boost audience engagement. GO PRO 4 This cannot be stressed enough. Ask yourself what your vision for the event is. Taking into consideration the limitations of your budget, then work with established AV professionals to guide you within those parameters and optimize location, setting and ambiance to boost audience engagement. KEEP READING! Article Discover 2023’s Trending Workstyles Keep Your Teams Connected – No Matter Where You Work Read More Article Worship Technology Strategies for Spaces Old and New From Grade 1 listed Cathedrals to the modern, custom-built ‘Mega Church’, here’s what to consider when looking to invest in a future-proof scalable system Read More Article Must-have conferencing technology for the hybrid work model The hybrid work model looks like it’s here to stay. If you’re an IT professional, CEO, Procurement Manager, or Estate Manager, you don’t want to miss this boat. Read More Guide 7 steps to increase productivity on videoconference calls Find out how to ensure an optimal connection between professionals by improving hybrid working. Read More View more
7 steps to increase productivity on videoconference calls Home Guide Share: HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED BY IMPROVING HYBRID WORKING We are all aware of the challenges that arise when colleagues are not in the same room together. With the hybrid workplace model in place for the foreseeable future, AV and IT departments want to provide their colleagues with a high-quality virtual meeting experience that lets them hear and see each other and share content as if they were in the same room.Off-the-shelf consumer solutions will cover the basics, but staff pitching a client for new business or collaborating with remote colleagues deserve a better experience. There is an opportunity to convince teams to come back to the office to embrace the hybrid work environment. Make sure to provide high-quality unified communications and video collaboration systems that can be managed and monitored remotely and offer security features that safeguard your firm’s confidential information. Learn more about how Solotech can help improve hybrid working for your organization. 7 STEPS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY ON VIDEO CONFERENCE CALLS A range of uncontrollable external forces, from inadequate technology and inconsiderate room design, often make meetings frustrating and alienating, especially for those working from a home office. And while no one can stop the neighbour’s dog from barking, considering these points will help make hybrid remote work better for everyone. Follow these 7 steps to help your colleagues stay productive on video conference calls : THE ROOM 1 Consider the room size and how many meeting participants will fit comfortably in the space. A meeting room near a noisy section of the office is not the best location. Choose spaces that do not have open ceilings or are located away from heavily trafficked areas. 2 ROOM ACOUSTICS A good-sounding room is the first piece of the puzzle. Open ceilings, exposed brick and glass walls make the room aesthetically pleasing, but these hard surfaces create reverberant spaces that degrade the quality of the interactions between colleagues meeting virtually. There are subtle alterations to the room that can be made to reduce reverb and enhance the intelligibility of the talker’s voice being sent to the far end. Proper guidance on acoustic products will help you with these problems while keeping the aesthetic of the room. 3 CONSIDER REMOTE PARTICIPANTS Will several people in the room need to be heard by people joining remotely? If so, consider supplying microphones for each participant or technology that will adequality pick up all the in-room participants so that remote workers will feel engaged in the discussion. In addition, cameras that use artificial intelligence can improve the viewing experience for remote callers. IN-ROOM PARTICIPANTS 4 The meeting participants will all need a good line of sight to the screen, especially if documents are being shared. Proper room configuration and choosing a screen that is large enough to suit the space with resolution will enable meeting participants to see and listen to each other and collaborate on shared documents. Speaker selection and placement also need to be considered to ensure everyone in the room can hear the remote callers properly. You can achieve less table clutter by installing ceiling-mounted microphones. STAY FLEXIBLE 5 Once it is determined what you want to do with the room, AV technologies that best serve the application can be chosen. Flexibility and leaving options for future upgrades are key to keeping ahead of the curve. REMOTE MONITORING 6 Once the technology is installed, software like Service+ helps you be proactive and fix a problem before the CEO’s important presentation is delayed by technical difficulties. SOLUTIONS THAT FIT THE BUDGET 7 From the executive board room to huddle spaces, the cost of an installation for each room is determined by the potential use case of that space. There are technologies available that can fit conservative budgets. Solotech offers room design and acoustic consultation, installation, and support services for the hybrid work environment on a global scale. We are also certified by Zoom and Cisco and a Microsoft Partner. Learn more KEEP READING! Article Discover 2023’s Trending Workstyles Keep Your Teams Connected – No Matter Where You Work Read More Article Worship Technology Strategies for Spaces Old and New From Grade 1 listed Cathedrals to the modern, custom-built ‘Mega Church’, here’s what to consider when looking to invest in a future-proof scalable system Read More Article Must-have conferencing technology for the hybrid work model The hybrid work model looks like it’s here to stay. If you’re an IT professional, CEO, Procurement Manager, or Estate Manager, you don’t want to miss this boat. Read More Guide Event Planning in a Post-Pandemic World Event planning is a booming industry of spectacle and community — and ordinary just won’t do anymore. Find out how our expertise provides the “wow” factor. Read More View more
