Enhancing Events with Chatbots

Chatbots make event planning more efficient and approachable than ever.

As chatbots become more and more prominent, they begin to stretch their reach into new, exciting categories. Reliable problem solvers that they are, chatbots are specially suited to event planning and execution for a few reasons:

Accessibility

From conferences to music festivals, most people in the modern age have been prompted to download an app upon arriving at an event. Yet, attendees often balk at this prompt for a few reasons:

1. They don’t like being forced to download and store apps.
2. Knowing the app will only be used for a short period of time reduces their willingness.

Opposite from apps, chatbots can be built for (and are best suited for) existing digital channels such as Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Twitter. Messenger, in particular, has over 1.2 billion global users. With a Messenger chatbot, not only do users not have to download an additional app, it’s highly likely that they already have the channel (Messenger) downloaded on their phone. That means that all users need to get access to the important info in your chatbot is two clicks to start the conversation.

Simple to use

Downloading a new app forces users to learn two different things:

1. What information/utilities the app contains.
2. How to navigate the app and extract value from it.

It’s extremely difficult to create an app that makes it simple for the user to accomplish both of the above points quickly. The longer it takes them to do this, the less likely they are to remain interested in using the app.

On the other hand, users already know how to navigate through established channels such as Messenger and Twitter. Their daily interactions ensure that they can start a conversation with a chatbot and extract the info they require immediately. The less time they spend learning how to use the app, the more they spend using it to their benefit.

Customizable

Even within external channels like Messenger, chatbots are highly customizable from top to bottom. A nearly endless suite of features means that chatbot users can do everything from sharing music to purchasing clothing to scheduling events from an app they likely already have on their phone. As an event host, you can build in all of the features you need to make your event a success — no matter who or what your event is for.

Beyond customizability of features, it’s important to note that chatbots are also highly customizable in terms of their tone. Full control over how the user interacts with your chatbot allows you to create a conversation that perfectly matches your brand. Serious companies can create a flow that’s fully professional, where entertainment-centric brands can create something more light-hearted and playful.

Large Scale

Mass events with hundreds or thousands of visitors can benefit significantly from the chatbot-enabled advantages listed above. Here are just a few of the many large scale applications:

Festivals

In the past 10 years music festivals have evolved from the fringes of the industry to cultural behemoths forming a critical foundation in music performance. Despite their popularity, they still have significant areas of weakness that negatively affect the user experience.

Having trouble remembering when and where someone is playing? Chatbots can schedule reminders that let you know when a show is about to start, ensuring you don’t miss what you came for.

Want to see conflicts in schedules? Chatbots can show where overlaps exist, making difficult decisions easier to make with clarity.

Important updates to send? Rain delays, cancellations, and additions can be instantly beamed to the pocket of attendees, giving them the information they need, exactly when they need it.

Conferences

Between event times, locations, and subjects, conferences create a massive amount of information that must be consumed in a short period of time. Keeping track of all of it is a task tailor-made for chatbots.

A few of the many uses include:

1. Setting event reminders, and recommending additional events based on those you select.
2. Providing directions to different locations, whether it be a conference room within a hotel or a theatre stage.
3. Connecting you with people you’ve met or would like to meet.

Need more proof? Just look at major global conferences such as South By SouthWest are leading the market, having already created and implemented highly functional chatbots.

Sporting Events

Going to watch your favorite team should always be a fun experience. However, a number of events can end up derailing your entertainment quickly. Finding where to park and enter a game can mean showing up late. Long lines at concession stands mean you miss what you came to see. And you lack the stats and digital second-screen experience you enjoy when watching from home.

This is where chatbots come in. Need to find out which entrance is closest to your seat? A chatbot can do that. Want to order food to be delivered to your seat? A chatbot can relay this information to concession stands, ensuring you enjoy more of the game. Want to keep up with statistics as they happen? Also possible with a chatbot built into existing digital channels.

To see this in action, take a look at the Golden State Warriors chatbot. Launched during the team’s 2017 playoff run, it provides a highly valuable experience to everyone watching the game from either the stands or their couch.

Small Scale

Holding an event that doesn’t have quite as many attendees as above? Chatbots can still solve many of your problems. Take a look at these applications in smaller, more niche events:

Weddings

• Instantly send and receive RSVPs. No more messaging someone just to find out their current address. No more waiting weeks for a paper invitation to be mailed and returned.
• Make an easy to access registry. A chatbot can even go beyond suggesting items to be purchased as gifts. It can narrow down based on price, and can even let you purchase items without leaving the conversation.

Reunions

• Gathering a group of old friends? Chatbots can give everyone the details all in one location, and answer any questions they may have.
• Make connecting with new and old friends even simpler by launching your chatbot on highly trafficked social platforms like Messenger.

Takeaways

Whether you’re hosting 2 or 2,000 people, running a successful event is remarkably challenging. Problems can quickly arise before, during, and after the event itself. Thankfully, chatbot-carrying platforms such as Messenger mean that the solution to many of those problems is already sitting waiting, downloaded on your guests’ mobile devices. Chatbots possess the tools that you need to make your event more successful than ever. Most importantly, it makes doing so easy, inexpensive and efficient. This is most true with free, intuitive, and powerful chatbot building platforms like SnatchBot.Me. The opportunity for growth is there, and this type of platform can help you make it happen.