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Mobile, and REALLY Mobile
When you blend the projections for sales of smart mobile devices -- smartphones and tablets -- with the profusion of apps that are now, or will be available for association managers, it is clear where planning teams will be in the next few years: anywhere they want.  eMarketer has projected that by the 2015 110 million Americans will be using smart phones. They just do more of everything than their counterparts. Perhaps most importantly, the apps running on smart phones allow for transactions and thus a steady stream of revenue that will fund ever-more capable devices.
eMarketer's summary of its report, "The Future of Smart Mobile Devices."
 A survey by the Forum Group listed just a few of the tasks and resources in the event spectrum that have recently emerged in the mobile event planning market:
- Display real time schedules and maps (www.motivas.com)
- Browse through speakers bio's (www.visiontree.com)
- Download digital coupons/brochures/notes (www.eventkaddy.com)
- View online agenda's (www.quickmobile.com)
- Integrate with social media platforms (www.zerista.com)
- Exchange contact details (i.e.: iPhone app - 'bump')
- Navigate yourself through an exhibition hall (www.core-apps.com)
- Liaise directly with hotel concierge via your phone (www.runtriz.com)
- Poll the audience or send questions to the speaker (www.polleverywhere.com)
Now add the iPad and other media tablets into the mix. The Wall St. Journal, at its All Things Digital (www.digitalDaily.com) web site, increased projections for iPad sales alone for 2011, to 32 million units. As the tablets begin to proliferate, they will provide event planners even better visuals than are now available on smart phones, and present event attendees with crisper visuals and videos as part of promotional programs. Having a mobile strategy is critical for associations and other organizations.
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AMS Update: Newer Software = Higher Satisfaction
Three out of four associations with budgets of at least $1M are using a commercial AMS product. Most are hosting these products, but that is changing as more associations opt for hosted products or subscribe to online Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product offerings. Only one-third expect to host their next upgrade or new product purchase in-house.
The move to new software is paying off for these associations. On key measures of satisfaction, those who have installed an upgrade or new product in the past several years are significantly more satisfied. These newer products provide better integration with website management systems and online services such as social networking, and offer broader options for e-commerce. 
The proliferation and greater acceptance of online applications is mirrored in a growing acceptance of online AMS products. The pattern is bimodal with a cluster of association contacts firmly convinced that an online SaaS AMS solution could meet their needs and another cluster who feel just as strongly that it would not. The pattern varies by size. This is a change from just a few years ago when when very few respondents believed a SaaS solution would work for their association. The number of associations using online AMS products is likely to continue to increase, including greater adoption by mid-size and some larger associations. For more information on study findings, download the Lehman Reports AMS Study Report 2010. The 6th annual study of association use of AMS products is now underway. |
