Most exhibitions and conferences use some form of software solution for online or on-site registration and the management of registration data. While these solutions offer identical functions and capabilities, event organisers should make the choice carefully because they can incur hidden costs in implementation, training and integration if they pick the wrong one and need to jump to another solution, according to Jo-Anne Kelleway, CEO of Info Salons Group, a provider of event technology solutions for the exhibition and events industry in Asia and the Middle East.
It has offices in Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney and is involved in more than 500 events a year worldwide.
Kelleway says while most Web designers can offer an online registration page, the power is in the database. 'The organisers need to make sure all the provider's systems and the registration data are secure. They should understand the capabilities of the import and export of data and whether the provider has a disaster recovery plan.'
The organisers should also find out whether the provider has experience handling the type of event, she says. For event registration, the use of mobile applications has been a fast-growing area. 'Smartphones are changing every aspect of our lives.
'Mobile apps allow organisers to extend the reach of their existing communication campaigns,' she says.
Info Salons has launched a mobile app called iEvent, providing delegates, attendees and exhibitors with the ability to navigate event details before, during and after an event. The app works on Apple iPhone, Blackberry, Android or other smartphone platforms.