Digital age, social media change the business landscape ...

Posted on January 27, 2013, Sunday

Gracie Geikie, UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd managing director

The fast growth in the tech?nology sector is changing the face of industries, even more so in the event manage?ment sector as a major platform for communications in business activities such as marketing, advertising and networking.

UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd managing director Gracie Geikie in an interview with BizHive Weekly said that the digital age had radically im?proved ? rather than changed the way events were organised these days.

?It has radically improved events because the speed of get?ting information is faster and the speed of doing things is faster.

?Nonetheless, old age values of courtesy and good ground training are still needed. Dig?ital technology advancement has helped us to improve or will help to improve us.

Giving a ?clear example?, she pointed out that people sitting at home could now just go online and buy literally anything, mak?ing the shopping experience very convenient.

Thus, the same thing could ap?ply in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), where someone in the US looking at conferences online could register, book and arrange flights and accommodations with mere clicks of the mouse.

A transaction could be done within an hour, compared with 15 years ago when booking involved the client and the organiser or tour operator writing and fax?ing back and forth along with the transfer of funds involving a telegraphic transfer.

?It easily took a month. So look at the difference now: one hour and one month. That?s how fast it is so I think it has radically improved.

Silas Michael Martin, TRUevents managing director and chief eventor

?It has not changed. We have to change. We need to equip our?selves to cater for that. The digital age has forced us to become better and if you do not want to change, you will fall behind.

?We can now improve faster because of the digital age im?provement. It?s just a matter of whether we want it or not,? she highlighted.

Part of the entire process

Gracie opined that with so much information available in this digital age, ?too much infor?mation sometimes kills?; infor?mation overkill would confuse the market so one must make use of digital technology in a very strategic manner.

?Some people think they don?t need to do advertising or market?ing because there is free online stuff like Twitter and Facebook. It doesn?t work that way just because Facebook is available and free.

?It?s not just about putting it on Facebook and then you?re done with your marketing.

?I?m not saying these are not valid. You can save a lot of money with advertising if you know how to use your online tools ef?fectively. Marketing is a totally different and integrated process and Facebook is just but one very minute part of this process,? she emphasised.

Interactive avenues

Silas Michael Martin, the man?aging director and chief eventor of local events management company Borneo TRUevents Sdn Bhd (TRUevents) believed that new technology and trends such as social media has evolved the sector to an extent.

?Social media is interesting. It became a norm a few years ago, it has become somewhat compul?sory in the events industry,? he outlined to BizHive Weekly in a recent interview.

?Having presence online is crucial. For example, we have our website and out Facebook account.

?The website is more for of?ficial purposes ? putting us out there, letting people know we are here but our Facebook page serves more of an interactive purpose.

?Through Facebook, we were able to engage more people to at least be aware of the events we are running and also of the fact that we are an events manage?ment house.

?From a regional and global perspective, they get to know that we are here in Kuching. And I think the Internet has helped us to grow a whole lot easier.?

With the introduction of new technologies into its mix, TRUevents is also stepping up its game by innovating the way it run its events and thus providing more offerings in the mix.

INNOVATING SYSTEMS: Photo shows Sungha Jung performing onstage at ?Sungha Jung Live in Borneo? in Kuching last year. TRUevents has invested in new technologies such as an online ticketing system as well as barcode readers to innovate its events.

For example, via its recently-held event ?Sungha Jung Live in Borneo?, the group created a new platform in the manner of an online ticketing system which allowed customers to purchase tickets and make pay?ment online.

This differed from convention?al events whereby one needs to purchase tickets physically.

?You pay online ? with credit cards or online debit system ? and you will then receive the pass by email,? highlighted TRUevents general manager, Terence Lim.

?We don?t print tickets. The participants print them and bring it and we use barcode scan?ners to accept. These are the sort of new things that we?ve tried.?

Silas further added that these were part of the investments into research and development on its part to innovate itself and stay ahead of the competitive curve.

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Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/01/27/digital-age-social-media-change-the-business-landscape/

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