A timely reminder: Automate the work that gets in the way of being human.
There's an interesting contradiction emerging in the event industry.
The more sophisticated our technology becomes, the more important the human experience may become.
We call it “touchpoints” and “meaningful interactions.” Really, we’re talking about people connecting with people.
Nobody attends a trade show for the registration software, digital badges, or automated emails. I’m all for self-check-in kiosks, but there was something charming about standing in line, watching people arrive, and catching a glimpse of the badges going by.
People attend to discover products, meet customers, exchange ideas, solve problems, and build relationships.
They want to look someone in the eye. Ask an unexpected question. See a product work. Be inspired. Reconnect with an old colleague. Meet the people doing the work.
AI can help identify the right people to meet, coordinate appointments, research their businesses, and summarize notes afterward. But it can’t replace the experience of meeting them.
That’s the idea behind Meet the Humans: an ongoing look at how technology can improve events while preserving what makes them worth attending.
And that may be the most important lesson for the next generation of event professionals.
The goal shouldn’t be to automate every possible interaction.
It should be to automate the work that gets in the way of meaningful interactions.
Ready to automate what’s getting in the way of being human? Create your free Show Crusher account and bring your trade show tasks, deadlines, and team responsibilities into one Event Workspace.
