Last month, the meetings and events industry gathered in Las Vegas for Cvent CONNECT, Cvent’s annual conference for event and hospitality professionals to explore the latest technology, gather new inspiration and strategies, and network with their peers.
We were excited to have M&IW team members from multiple departments attending and presenting at this industry-favorite conference. Learn more about their insights from and experiences at the 2023 Cvent CONNECT.
Bridget Wagner
Principal Consultant, ISG
“I have attended several Cvent CONNECTs, and the leap in attendees from past years made the energy and excitement levels high. It was palpable! It was a great opportunity for us to meet with customers, vendors, and Cvent in person and in one space. We were able to chat with a customer about a possible solution to a challenge they’re facing and just walk over to Cvent’s product development team to talk through the request.
On the technology side, it’s super important for ISG to be aware of the technology features coming down the pike so we can understand how they will impact our customers’ current and future Events Programs. For example, small meetings tools like Simple Meetings, Simple RFP, Instant Book, and Simple Budget can be used to capture valuable information. Small meetings have always been a major gap in Events Program visibility, reporting, and budgets. We are excited to see how far the small meetings technology has come and all the plans for future product development.”
Jessica Faust
Sr. Manager, Attendee Experience
“I’ve always wanted to attend Cvent CONNECT. My team and I work in Cvent every day, so I was looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about the platform and product roadmaps, meet with our Cvent reps in person, and connect with industry colleagues. I was excited to learn more about a feature we don’t use often, Passkey. I was able to take a training camp, so I gained valuable firsthand experience. I also learned more about Cvent OnArrival and future feature updates.
A key takeaway was just being able to learn best practices when dealing with smaller budgets, staff shortages, etc. The best practices are everything M&IW already does, so it was nice to hear we’re doing the right thing. For example, it’s important to have an open line of communication with your hotel suppliers as many may be understaffed. We’re asking about things like if hotel employees are doing more than one role and what their hours are, the expected response times, how long room sets will take, and of course what we can do to make things easier and help ensure a successful event.”
Cindy Keating
Mobility Team Lead, Production & Technology Services
“This was my first Cvent CONNECT. After over a decade of using Cvent products, attending the conference provided me with the opportunity to engage with and learn from the Cvent community, including fellow users, experts, and the Cvent team. Learning more about Attendee Hub and its latest features and updates was especially helpful to my role at M&IW. Overall, I feel that attending was beneficial to stay up to date with industry developments and potential improvements for workflow.
There were a lot of breakout discussions based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It has been a rapidly evolving topic in recent years and is currently receiving a lot of attention. Like it or not, it is here to stay! AI has demonstrated its potential across various industries, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing, entertainment, and now meetings and events.
On a parting note, innovation never stops! You need to adopt a mindset of continuous learning. Being curious helps you notice details and see things a little differently.”
Interested in working with our team or learning more about their Cvent CONNECT experience? Contact us.
Interested in joining the M&IW team? Check out our open positions.
