VenueScanner asks ‘Why is event planning falling short of tech’?

“Simple elements of other online industries – such as transparent pricing, live availability, and online payment systems – have yet to be perfected by the events industry,” said VenueScanner’s Rebecca Kelly.

The events industry boasts a number of technological advancements, from mobile ticketing, QR scanners for business cards and sensors to track footfall, so why is event planning falling short?

This is what VenueScanner asked during a panel it hosted on the future of event tech, which highlighted the key issues of dynamic pricing, instant availability and price transparency.

Event suppliers are seeking out budgets before offering quotes and often communicate ‘price on asking’ policies beforehand. As such, this non-transparent pricing is rife across the industry, which is being driven by agencies and suppliers offering reputation-based quotes.

During the panel, James McAulay, CEO and co-founder of Encore, said: “We want to work towards fixed pricing instead of feeling like event suppliers are trying to get as much money from customers as possible.”

Following this, VenueScanner has implemented a digital solution to this lack of transparency. By listing venues with average upfront pricing, the company empowers customers to question venue hire quotes when they receive them.

Current content around how tech is evolving in the events industry is based around improvements in ticketing, VR and mobile payments. However, according to VenueScanner the events industry has a lot to catch up on from a digital perspective before VR solutions become an immediate priority.

Rebecca Kelly, co-founder of VenueScanner, added: “Before we get excited about the potential of AI, VR and drones, we need to go back to basics. Simple elements of other online industries – such as transparent pricing, live availability, and online payment systems – have yet to be perfected by the events industry.

“It seems clear that only once these building blocks are put in place can we really bring the events industry into the 21st century.”

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