|
When the Magic is Gone…How to Break Up with
Your Meetings Technology Partner!
It’s been a great run.
You’ve been with your registration and meeting
management technology partner for quite a few years.
At first, it was exciting and productive. For the
first time, you were able to collect registrations online,
manage their details, run reports and even do things like
print name badges and export to Excel!
You were giddy with the riches your technology
partner offered. Even when they started asking you to sign
multi-year contracts to get preferred per-person registration
fees, you didn’t mind. You were going to be with them forever!
Even when your meeting planner business grew, and
your costs continue to grow with no end in sight, you sighed
and simply tried to the make the best out of it.
However, one day you woke up and realized that the
magic was gone. You noticed that their web pages and
registration sites didn’t look so hot any more (when viewed on
smart phones and tablets). You start feeling a bit taken
for like they just assumed you will keep signing those
long term contracts and not complaining about it.
When the whole world had embraced cloud technology,
smart devices, apps and lots of cool ways to increase
productivity and provide exciting new technology, you simply
were stuck with the same old browser-based interface and
cumbersome work flows.
You started fantasizing about what it would be like
to be with someone different. But how to go about breaking up
with your meetings technology partner?
Cloud technology is driving costs down in a
dramatic fashion. If you aren’t seeing your technology fees
drop, maybe it is time to check out something new!
No break up is easy, and no transition will be
seamless and perfect. With a little planning and structure,
you will be able to successfully transition to a newer
technology platform, and in the end, you will come out
stronger, happier and far more productive.
In the world of meetings technology, whoever said
“Til Death do you Part” never encountered today’s rapid
changes in technology. It’s quite OK to break up with your
current technology partner if the magic has truly gone away.
| 
