With the vast amount of software available in the market, it can be challenging to find the right event management tool for your business. Like any good SaaS tool, the quality of your partner lies in how they can empower you through your unique customer journey. While fancy feature lists may be appealing, as shiny new things tend to be, they don’t necessarily lead to success. In a similar vein, look at the “easy to use” label on any event management tool with caution. Is it easy to use because it’s been highly optimized? Or is it because it lacks the necessary feature depth that other tools provide? Onboarding and time investment can be daunting. But don’t miss out on feature-rich tools because you want to skip that step. It could be a big loss in the long run. 

Choosing the right event management tool for your team and organization isn’t easy. There are important considerations to take into account to ensure your own customer success. We’re here to help you find the right tool and partner for your needs. Here is the ultimate checklist of what to think about beyond the features of the tool.

(psst….We also have this downloadable, 2-page pdf that outlines the 9 key considerations, plus 32 must-cover points to discuss with prospective software vendors.)

The sales process can sometimes feel a little awkward, spilling all the beans on your organization’s needs and challenges. However, the reality is that the more information that you share, the higher likelihood of a successful fit and partnership. It can also get frustrating quickly though when, during the training and onboarding process, it feels like you need to start all over again, restating the same information that was previously given. Ideally, the company that provides your chosen event management tool ensures a seamless handoff to your customer success team. As such, be sure to inquire into their onboarding process. Do they tailor the onboarding experience specifically to you and your team’s situation? Or is it a generic, off-the-shelf process?

Onboarding is a crucial step to ensure that organizations are set up for success. Move quickly so that you don’t lose momentum after you’ve made the decision to move forward. One good practice you should be looking for from your event management tool is an existing onboarding checklist. This checklist should outline the steps and rough timing to get you from the first onboarding/training session to fully onboarded. As such, during the sales process, it’s always important to ask for an example or template of their onboarding checklist. Learn how they communicate the included steps and information that will take to ensure your success.

To really maximize what you can get out of your event management tool, the first thing you should do is lay out the goals you want to achieve through using the platform. The preparedness of the event team and their alignment with these goals will be critical to maximizing efficiency and making the most of the platform. Make sure you define key goals, you map out anticipated challenges, and you share targeted wins. Most good partners will respond well to that. 

When things go wrong with the new system, the initial reaction is often to place the responsibility on your partner. However, ensuring your team is ready, engaged, and excited, can go a long way to your success. To allow that to happen, be sure you have a strong, senior sponsor or champion supporting your efforts. This person should hold the team and your partner accountable and should work to best align the teams.

Having a clear training program can make a big difference to comfort and adoption of a new tool. Organizations should ensure there is a clear training program in place that operates at a reasonably steady pace. Here are a few keys to training success:

For medium and larger-sized event management teams that typically have numerous people and roles, it is important to make sure that the training accounts for this and that permissions can be set for different people in different roles.

Issues will inevitably surface. When they do, it’s important to know both your internal key point of contact and the one on your event technology partner’s team. This ensures smooth channels of communication. It is also important to set up processes so that the team can escalate major issues, requests for assistance/support, and how to engage to re-up on training or to provide feedback and make feature requests. A best-in-practice SaaS event management tool has in-app support where users can log tickets for assistance or to report issues. This is non-negotiable and should be considered a given to have access to.

Throughout the sales process and during onboarding, it usually becomes apparent how your event management tool partner views you and your success. The best ones will make it feel like they are part of your team. They’ll go above and beyond, often buildinging strong relationships with key stakeholders and users. A strong collaborative approach ensures transparency, responsiveness and commitment to your success, but remember that collaboration is a two-way street. The more you treat your partner like a partner and not a transactional vendor, the stronger the collaboration will be. This helps your chances of success going through the roof.

From the first kick-off session, be sure that the discussion and focus is around your challenges and your business. Make sure the company specifically tailors training, and everything afterwards, to your use-case. Don’t waste time on speaker management training if you have no plans on using the tool for speaker management. Working with your partner should be a process to identify your journey. What types of events will you host? How big will they be? How many events are on your yearly calendar? Sharing this upfront will help the vendor tailor the solution to best meet your needs. The best tools, while not “customizable”, are “configurable”. When your account is set up, those configurations will make your training and adoption a painless process that is more suited to your needs.

Some event management tool and software vendors are very rigid, inflexible and very opinionated on how their software works and how you should use it. Conversely, Steve Jobs is famous for believing in his product vision and execution as always being ahead of the customer. The truth, and what will work for most organizations, is somewhere in between. Good software partners will be very good listeners, but will also help you see different ways of doing things. Rather than helping you automate an existing but inefficient process, a good partner will instead show you how you can use their tool to do it better.

The key is to always ensure an open mind towards suggestions on aspects of the tool that could use improvement, or new features that could make it better. This should be an ongoing discussion and mechanisms should be in place to allow for both communication of this feedback and a way to respond.

Work with your event technology partner to identify some quick wins. This will help your team feel successful and more aligned with your new software tool. Doing so can allow your team to feel more confident in the tool and more willing to place their trust in it. This also allows the team to get a better understanding of the event management tool in a more real-world situation, rather than just in training. 

To achieve this, first identify some key successes that you will be able to communicate up in your organization to show early wins with the decision the organization has made. Then, begin to use the event software as quickly as possible – first on test events, then on 1-2 real events. If possible, also schedule some refresher training to get clarification on things that the team needs additional help with after some initial usage.

Choosing an event management tool partner can be a challenging and time consuming process. But if you avoid it, the results can be devastating. Once you figure out your own organization’s goals and needs, a good partner will help guide you to the solutions and processes that are a fit for you. Through this checklist, you can be sure if an event management tool will work for your organization and allow for growth and efficiency that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. 

If you want to know more about event management tools or are looking to switch to a new one so you don’t unintentionally fall behind with your events, talk to our team about how Attendease can help fill in the checkboxes for your organizational event needs.

Download the full checklist that outlines the 9 key considerations, plus 32 must-cover points to discuss with prospective software vendors.

Before the arrival of modern event-planning software, planning fabulous events took a lot of manual work. Instead, it was a daunting task, with numerous moving parts and massive potential for overwhelm. The development of today’s event software has allowed organizations and teams alike to unlock their creative potential, maximize resources, and deliver exceptional events with ease.

If it has been several years since you last explored the market for event planning tools, or you and your team are feeling overwhelmed with your existing event planning workflow, it’s likely time for an upgrade. You’ll be amazed at what the innovative software available today can do for your events!

Today, we will guide you through the essential steps to evaluate today’s event planning tools. By the end of this blog, you’ll be empowered with the knowledge and confidence you need to find the right event planning tools and take your events to the next level. 

Let’s get started!

Outdated and inefficient event planning processes can lead to mistakes, delays, and missed opportunities. Today’s event planning tools provide streamlined workflows, automated tasks, and clear communication channels with attendees, helping you quickly execute events and wow your attendees.

When evaluating event planning tools, start with the platform’s ticketing and registration capabilities. Both features should be flexible and easy to use—not just for your organization to set up but for your attendees to use, too!

With the increasing trend of hybrid and online meetings, it is crucial to ensure that the platform was built with both in mind (in addition to in-person events, of course). The platform should also offer event marketing features, including website creation and management, email marketing, and marketing automation, to promote the event and maximize attendance.

Here are other vital features to prioritize in your search:

When selecting an event planning tool, it’s essential to consider the platform developer’s characteristics and support structure. After all, integrating a new solution is always more accessible when the developer has your back!

First, research who the company caters to and how long they have been in business. This can give you a sense of their experience and expertise in the event software industry.

Make sure also to examine the customer service and support processes they offer. Event planning is time-sensitive, meaning the better the support, the more efficiently you can use the tool. Whether through email, a ticketing system, over the phone, or all of the above, research through which channels you can access support and how quickly you can receive answers to your queries. Consider going with a company whose support is also available on the weekends in addition to weekdays. You never know when you’ll need their support!

Finally, knowing who you will be working with during onboarding and who you will be in touch with for daily questions is key. Ensure that the company offers you a Customer Success Manager or similar account manager who will act as the point of contact throughout your relationship. Having a consistent representative will save you tons of stress and needless repetition in the long term.

When shopping for a new event planning tool, it’s crucial to understand each platform’s onboarding process to determine the time, resources, and potential budget required to get started.

First, you’ll need to know the process and how long it will take. Is it self-guided, or are there dedicated resources to assist you? Integrating a new tool can be difficult when you are left to your own devices or don’t have transparency into the length of the process. Companies with the best event planning tools support their offerings with scheduled kick-off and training sessions to help ensure you’ll be successful and love using their tool.

It’s also vital to consider who the onboarding process is facilitated by, as some companies outsource their onboarding to third parties. Not dealing with the company directly may lead to a lack of consistency in the onboarding experience or gaps where the onboarding does not address your day-to-day needs.

Finally, it’s vital to inquire about any hidden training or onboarding fees that are not explicitly mentioned in the pricing structure. Some companies may charge extra fees for onboarding, which could affect your budget.

Event planning tools are an essential resource for businesses and organizations looking to streamline their event management processes. However, no tool is “one size fits all.” Many options are available, each with its own pricing model and features, and it’s up to you to find the best fit for your organization.

Free event planning tools offer basic features like online registration, mobile support, and promotional tools, often catering to events with no admission fees.

Those looking for more advanced capabilities will want to look at subscription-based or pay-per-registration models. These tools typically include online registration, payment processing, mobile tools, event pages, email communication, social media integration, and analytics. 

In many cases, prices can vary greatly depending on the provider, features, number of users, number of events, and the number of attendees. If cost certainty is vital to you and your organization, fear not! There are tools (like Attendease) on the market that offer all the same features with flat fee pricing structures.

A critical step in evaluating event software is to gather feedback from those who are already using the tool. Valuable user reviews can be found on company websites, G2, and Capterra. These reviews can provide insights into the tool’s functionality, ease of use, and customer support.

Additionally, seeking community feedback and speaking to current customers can help you understand strengths and weaknesses from a user’s perspective. Asking specific questions in LinkedIn and Facebook groups, looking at Quora for company insights, and reviewing the company’s Glassdoor reviews can all provide valuable information.

When searching for the best event planning tool, it’s essential to carefully consider the contract that you’ll be signing with the vendor. This contract should contain a clear list of services being provided.

Be sure you’re aware of all possible fees, including onboarding, one-time implementation fees, monthly fees, and customer support fees. Being sure what is—and isn’t—in the contract will help you plan your budget and ensure the tool is right for you.

Any time you shop for a new event planning tool, there are a few things for you to consider:

Attendease is here to help! Revolutionize your workflow with our foundational tools that empower teams and de-stress even the most challenging events.

Discover the Attendease:

Want to learn more about what Attendease can offer your organization? Book a demo today!

Finding the right strategic event management software can be an overwhelming and challenging task. But with an ever-present demand for innovative event experiences, the consequences of choosing the wrong platform can make events more complicated and demotivate your team (womp-womp).

Conducting a needs assessment is a vital first step in selecting the right event management software platform for your organization. Without a thorough needs assessment, you risk investing in software that doesn’t align with your goals, leading to inefficiencies, increased costs, and unsuccessful events. 

For this reason, in this blog, we’ll discuss how to conduct a needs assessment and why it is pivotal to making the right decisions for your organization.

When searching for a strategic event management software platform, it’s important to ensure that everyone’s needs in your organization are addressed and accounted for. This ranges from team members who will be using the tool daily to those helping with implementation and integrations, plus other key stakeholders, teams, supervisors, and C-suite executives.

A needs assessment shows you’ve done your research. It’s rare for a single tool to solve every problem for everyone. However, if you can thoroughly explain why you chose a particular software, how it’s an upgrade from your existing tools, and identify solutions for any issues it may not address, it will help your organization understand your decision-making process. In summary, presenting a needs assessment helps everyone feel part of the process and makes it significantly easier to get buy-in.

Organizational decisions take time, and presenting a needs assessment to get the ball rolling can, too. Many variables can affect the length of the process, depending on how many different stakeholders are in your organization, the size of your organization, how many people will be using the tool, and how long it takes to coordinate all the relevant meetings. At any rate, the process doesn’t have to drag on!

To keep things short and efficient, hold meetings within a specific week and set deadlines for all feedback. In cases where people cannot meet, make it so they can provide written answers to the questions—but only if they cannot meet. Face-to-face almost always gets results quicker. Additionally, it often opens up important discussion points you hadn’t originally accounted for.

Even if you believe someone may not be able to attend, invite them. For this reason, you avoid the possibility of eleventh-hour feedback and everyone who needs to be involved in the assessment is given an opportunity to contribute right away.

Conducting a needs assessment requires involvement from various teams to ensure all bases are covered. It’s important to involve marketing, events, software development, accounting, operations, HR, and any other teams that may end up using the tool.

In addition, it’s crucial to speak with both end-users and their managers, along with any key stakeholders who have been involved in software contract signings historically. It’s also recommended to ask all parties involved if they could think of anyone else who might use the tool or be impacted by it, in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the tool’s potential reach.

Preparing a needs assessment requires asking the right questions to identify your organization’s needs. For this reason, we’ve put together some of our favorite questions below:

As we touched on earlier, in-person meetings are the best way to gather answers. These meetings allow you to ask clarifying questions and get additional context you may not be able to get over email. If in-person meetings aren’t possible, surveys or emails can be used but should be saved as a last resort. In all cases, set a firm deadline and adhere to it.

Staying organized is key when gathering information for your needs assessment. Everything should go into a Word document or PowerPoint, organized into a simple one page per person document with a summary of their questions and answers.

Once you’ve completed that, create a summary that includes collective top priorities, nice-to-haves, roadblocks, questions, and concerns. Present your findings to the group of respondents along with any additional stakeholders involved in the decision-making process. Just as with the needs assessment itself, you’ll gain more valuable insights in person—so, if possible, this presentation should be in the form of a meeting rather than a document!

Putting together a thorough needs assessment isn’t without its challenges.

Firstly, it can be challenging to meet with everyone you want to meet with. To overcome this, inform those who can’t provide feedback by the deadline that you do value their input. However, if they don’t meet the deadline, assume they trust you to make the right decision without their input. Continue to prioritize in-person meetings as they will save you stress in the long-term, even if they can be taxing in the moment.  

Finally, remember that it’s difficult to get people to think about all the details in the initial planning stages. It is essential to get people to think through details early to avoid stressful eleventh-hour suggestions. You can achieve this by telling them to pretend you’re about to sign a contract, asking them if they can think of anything else to contribute that you haven’t thought of, and asking open-ended questions.

We understand finding the right strategic event management software solution for every situation can be tough. For this reason, we created EventUp Planner, the event planner’s Swiss army knife.

EventUp Planner un-complicates even the most complicated events with seamless and easy-to-use:

Book a demo today and see how EventUp Planner can ‘wow’ your organization and help you deliver better events than ever before!