How to Integrate Technology Into a Strategic Meetings Management Program
Simplification: Build a Cohesive Technology Strategy
An effective SMM technology strategy should always make processes simpler rather than introducing any unnecessary complexity. Instead of selecting any individual tools in isolation, organizations should always fully consider how different technologies fit together and support the overall objectives of the meetings program.
Start off by identifying the business outcomes and insights the program needs to be delivering. Working backwards from the reporting and analytics required can help determine exactly which data needs to be captured and where it should come from, along with which technologies are needed to support the process.
Workflows should then be reviewed in order to remove any unnecessary steps and avoid collecting data that does not actually contribute to a clear business requirement. The objective should be a connected technology ecosystem that supports consistent processes without creating additional administrative work.
User adoption is just important. Always consider that different people who will interact with the technology, including meeting planners, attendees and internal stakeholders, and design processes around how they will realistically use the systems. Even a technically strong solution will provide limited value if users struggle to adopt it consistently.
Digitization: Connect Data and Measure Performance
Digitization provides organizations with an opportunity to capture a much more complete picture of meeting and event activity. Registration platforms, event technology and other digital touchpoints can generate valuable information about attendee behavior and program performance when the underlying systems and data are properly connected.
Organizations should first look to determine which measures are most relevant to their objectives. Depending on the purpose of the meeting or event, these could include attendance, attendee satisfaction, engagement or contribution to the sales pipeline.
Technology can then be used to capture relevant digital touchpoints across online and on-site experiences. Connecting all of this information with wider sales and marketing systems can provide greater visibility into the role meetings and events play within the organization.
Integration is particularly important here. When information sits across disconnected systems, reporting becomes more difficult and teams may spend significant time manually combining or reconciling data. A more connected ecosystem can simplify reporting and provide stakeholders with more consistent insights into program performance.
Governance: Create Consistency and Control
As a Strategic Meetings Management technology ecosystem grows, clear governance becomes more and more important. Organizations need to have defined ownership of both the wider technology strategy and the individual systems and processes that support it.
Responsibility for technology oversight should be clearly assigned, whether this sits with internal stakeholders, an agency partner or a combination of both. This helps establish accountability for system performance, data quality and future technology decisions.
Data governance should also form part of the strategy. Organizations need consistent approaches to data collection, aggregation, management and normalization so that information from across the meetings program can be analyzed reliably. Data privacy requirements, including applicable privacy regulations, should be considered throughout the technology ecosystem.
Finally, establish an approval process for technology modifications, integrations and enhancements. Introducing changes without considering their impact on existing workflows and data can create inconsistencies across the program. A structured governance process helps technology evolve while maintaining continuity.
How to Approach SMM Technology Integration
Integrating technology into a Strategic Meetings Management program does not necessarily mean you have to completely replace every existing system. A useful starting point is to start by assessing the current technology ecosystem and identify where systems, workflows or data are disconnected.
From there, organizations can then define the business requirements that technology needs to support, identify gaps and prioritize integrations or improvements according to their likely impact. Particular attention should be allocated toward areas where teams are duplicating work, manually transferring information between systems or struggling to produce consistent reporting.
Technology decisions should also consider exactly how the meetings program may evolve in the near future. Building an ecosystem that can integrate with wider organizational systems and adapt to changing requirements can reduce the need for repeated technology changes as the SMM program develops.
Build Technology Around Your Strategic Meetings Management Strategy
Technology is most effective when it supports the objectives of the wider Strategic Meetings Management program rather than operating as a collection of standalone tools.
By keeping the focus on simplification, digitization and governance, organizations can build a much more connected meetings technology ecosystem that supports consistent processes, improves data visibility and provides better insight into meeting and event performance.
