The event industry, much like all areas of business, is experiencing a digital transformation. From interactive experiences to seamless event management, tech is reshaping how we plan and execute successful events. But with a myriad of event tech platforms available to aid in your event planning, choosing the right one can be overwhelming.
Enter Garnter’s Magic Quadrant for Event Technology Platforms – your roadmap to navigating this ever-evolving landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned event professional or a novice planner, leveraging this tech to elevate your next event may be the best decision you make to ensure a memorable experience for your attendees.
Quick Links
- A Brief History of Event Technology
- Understanding Gartner Magic Quadrant for Event Technology Platforms
- What Gartner Magic Quadrant Tells Us About the Events Industry
- Plan A Successful Event with Bishop-McCann
A Brief History of Event Technology
Thanks to continuous innovation, every industry is faced with adapting to the ever-changing landscape and demands of a high-tech world, and the events industry is no exception. Today’s event tech is vital for successful events, but we didn’t always have the luxury that comes with these platforms.
Before we gained access to today’s tools, events relied heavily on manual features. There were paper-based systems for communication and registration, which, as you can imagine, made it challenging to dig into the metrics behind events. Additionally, the events themselves were limited significantly in what could be accomplished. Eventually, digital spreadsheets and databases helped to support the efficient management of guest lists, budgets, and schedules. And, with email and websites, organizers could better communicate with attendees.
The advent of the internet allowed many functions that were once physical to be switched to digital mediums, like event registration. And, after the introduction of smartphones, which is often marked by the release of the first iPhone in 2007, mobile event apps emerged (remember Apple’s “There’s an App For That” commercial from 2009?).
More recent innovations have allowed organizers to provide attendees with personalized schedules, interactive maps, and real-time updates, making events more accessible than ever.
In addition, once social media exploded on the scene, attendees could share their experiences, and event organizers could engage with their audience before, during, and after the event. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In more recent years, we’ve seen an increase in smart event badges, which revolutionized event check-in and tracking, providing organizers with valuable data insights.
But, event tech has also changed with societal demands. When faced with a global pandemic that limited in-person events, the industry pivoted to virtual event technology. These sophisticated platforms allowed events to continue under unique circumstances while still offering valuable features, like networking and on-demand content.
That brings us to today. Now, events rely heavily on technology for positive attendee experiences, useful analytics, accessibility, and personalized planning, all of which have been influenced by changing societal needs.
Understanding Gartner Magic Quadrant for Event Technology Platforms
All of the change that’s seeped into the events industry has caught the eye of some big players, including Gartner. This year, Gartner published their first Gartner Magic Quadrant for Event Technology Platforms, which highlights various event technologies in order to help businesses choose the right programs based on their needs. This research also outlines various use cases of event technology and provides a comprehensive overview of common capabilities in various technologies.
For instance, Gartner highlights a few necessities, including attendee management and reporting capabilities. When it comes to attendees, event organizers want to ensure a smooth experience, and technology has proven to be the key to accomplishing that goal.
The platforms included in the quadrant can help attendees check-in, find event information through chatbots, and receive content before, during, and after the event. With all of these functions, event organizers can let technology handle guest concerns while they focus on streamlined operations.
Plus, event software often comes equipped with robust reporting capabilities, allowing event organizers to evaluate all areas of the event life cycle and make adjustments to avoid challenges for future events.
In addition to these features, the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Event Technology Platforms also outlines standard capabilities found in these tools. This includes functions for agenda management, mobile apps, customer service, role-based experiences, and marketing solutions. In comparison to the must-have capabilities, these standard capabilities are also commonly found across event tech solutions, but they aren’t available across the board.
Further, Gartner identifies a third category of capabilities, the optional features. This consists of management, managed services, content creation through AI, budgeting features, and sponsor management. Again, these aren’t available in every event tech program, but they still provide value in certain use cases, such as AI-driven content for teams who don’t have the bandwidth to create their own content.
How the Quadrants are Divided
With all of this in mind, Gartner created their Magic Quadrant, which identifies four quadrants to help event planners choose the right technology for their needs.
The First Quadrant
The first quadrant consists of leaders, which Gartner defines as those who “demonstrate broad support for all essential event technology capabilities and consistently meet customer needs across the three core use cases (in-person user conferences/tradeshows, virtual user conferences/trade shows, and in-person roundtables/field marketing events).”
In other words, these tools encompass an array of functions that can satisfy different kinds of events, all in one platform.
The Second Quadrant
The next quadrant is the challengers, which are the event technology platforms that deliver essential functionalities but might not provide a wide variety of capabilities that make others a one-stop shop for planners. However, these tools have specific functions that can solve unique challenges, even though they may need to be supplemented with other tools.
The Third Quadrant
Following challengers, you’ll find the visionaries. These event technology platforms might not have everything that the leaders have, but their capabilities are innovative and might even impact how event technology will adapt moving forward.
Essentially, these platforms have features that show potential for what’s to come in the future.
The Fourth Quadrant
Finally, the Magic Quadrant identifies the niche players, those platforms that provide valuable solutions for specific groups. These might cater to businesses of a certain size or within a certain industry.
However, while they provide value for those organizations, their capabilities cannot be stretched across every business looking for event tech solutions. As such, these tools are used for specific use cases and aren’t to be implemented by everyone.
What the Gartner Magic Quadrant Tells Us About the Events Industry
Now that Gartner has recognized the events industry in one of their Magic Quadrants, what does this say about how the industry is changing? First and foremost, this emphasizes how critical event technology is for successful and engaging experiences. The events industry has expanded significantly over the past few years, and the increase in virtual and hybrid events has created a new demand for sophisticated technology.
Additionally, this tells us that the demand for sophisticated event tech is also increasing. Gartner’s research guides businesses to the right tools for their needs. So, the fact that Gartner has released this Magic Quadrant specifically tailored to key players in event technology tells us that there is a high demand for these tools across a wide range of use cases.
Plan a Successful Event with Bishop-McCann
The bottom line is that event organizers need technology to accomplish their goals, and Gartner’s research indicates that there is a wide range of event tech solutions available to meet all kinds of needs. From personalized marketing capabilities to incentive travel program itineraries, event tech lies at the heart of a successful event.
Bishop-McCann knows this to be true, so we help plan unique experiences that are streamlined with essential event tech solutions. Our team of event technology industry professionals has extensive experience across all four of the Magic Quadrants, so we can help you get the most out of your technology investments to deliver amazing results for your attendees and your bottom line. To get started with finding the right technology or planning a memorable experience, reach out to our team today!
