Changing Times
As we turn a corner heading towards Special D Events, Inc.’s 20 year anniversary I can’t help but feel nostalgic about all the changes we have seen in this industry and in our culture over the past two decades. Just thinking about the generations of change with regard to technology is mind boggling.
Earlier this week I had the most ridiculous Skype call known to man with my 60 some year old parents. The first five minutes was crippled with confusion and full of “can YOU see ME?” and “do we have a video camera to hook up?” and “does this cost money?” Once we finally were able to actually see each other we had another obstacle to tackle…sound. After 5 more minutes and the onset of a headache we decided to pursue our video call by putting the landline phone on speaker next to the computer. We had a lovely chat. That’s not true. My kids had a lovely time sticking their tongues up to the webcam while my parents grinned in adoration of their youth and grandma even managed to get her tongue to appear on the screen.
Fast forward two hours later when I come across my 7-year-old son’s Christmas list (which has been in production since early Spring) and I see “ipad” and “ipod” on there! This is it people. The times aren’t a changing…they have changed, both personally and professionally.
In the corporate world, planners are expected to be able to react on the spot in every way possible, especially technologically when at an event. On site staff need to have the ability to deliver every service that can be offered from that of an office, even if you are in the middle of a field full of grazing cows. As for pre event, planners must have comprehensive knowledge of registration and CAD software, web page building capabilities, electronic invitations and real time status reports of registered attendees. When planners think about capturing and maintaining the attention of younger generations at events, interactivity is a must. Millennials aren’t satisfied unless they are texting or communicating in eleven different ways simultaneously. Luckily, I have Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and good old fashioned email to keep me up to date on all the latest technology trends!
~Lindsay Krause