Chatbots v/s Event Apps, What You Can Use To Improve Audience Engagement

What is a Chatbot ?

A chatbot is a piece of software that is either pre-programmed or powered by Artificial Intelligence to hold conversations with human users. These interactions are often text based automated messages , but through conversational interfaces they can occur vocally as well.

You might be coming across pop up windows and clouds on different sites and apps that is what a chat bot actually is! And Chabot technology integrated with events and used as tech at whatever stage of event process is what is known as an event chatbot.

Now let’s talk about Event apps?

In today’s world of digitalisation and technological advancement , we all know what applications or as we call them, ‘apps’ are! Event apps are similar software solutions but they are exclusive kind of apps that support the event planner or the user in the different operations of their event be it pre-planning, production, promotion, operation and also post promotion.

Exactly, they are the back-end ore at times in –the front end for successful event building and completion. Generally event apps are used for promotion, community creation, to check event assumptions, turn-ups and also measure success of the event, giving out necessary event details.

Benefits of Chatbots

Delegates only need a phone and should know how to text message

There is no requirement of downloading

Communication via text is efficient, quick and easy, with highly open rates.

Questions posed receive immediate responses. If a question is unclear to a chatbot then a human can intervene to help in answering .

Chatbots offer 24/7 seamless support to users through automated texts.

Benefits of Event Apps

Event apps offer more advanced features and functionality from personalised schedules and session details to presentations, floor-plans, maps, exhibitor info and  etc.

They help boost attendee participation and engagement with push notifications, live polls, speaker profiles, note-taking, surveys and social media

All event  information is accessible in one spot, that is the app be the user an event attendee or the manager himself.

The provide lead retrieval tools, content and real-time analytics for other event stages.

App updating enables support with emerging tech like facial recognition, gesture recognition  and even  gamification.

Both have cons as well!

Cons of Chatbots in events

A chatbot needs to be asked questions that are phrased correctly.

The chatbot may not have the answer to the question raised if it’s not in the database of questions and responses – so there will inevitably be the need for human intervention.

Anything beyond a simple chat requires the user to move between text messaging and external programs or sites. For example, if your attendee wants to browse a speaker’s profile, the chatbot may be able to provide the link, but in order to access the information; the user must click to a different site. Depending on what the attendee is looking for.

Chatbots (presently) cannot offer the same advanced features as event apps.

Cons of Event Apps

Downloading of the event app is required. Some delegates are reluctant or unable to do this. Sometimes they don’t want to, as it uses their data allowance and storage, lethargy or because their employer will not allow them to (due to data security concerns).

They are no match for the personal touch that comes from engaging with a chatbot.

Information is available on the app but the delegate may have to search for it and put in more time browsing through the app for an answer.

It does not provide a direct and specific answer or response to the user’s question. The user will just get an understanding.

Conclusion

Both event apps and chatbots will help you achieve audience engagement in their own ways, So, be sure of what you are aiming for with the engagement, if you want to give a personalised focus touch giving a sense of importance to the user, you might as well go ahead with introducing chatbots as your event tech, or if it is just about immersion and creating your event and rendering it as an experience on a wider spectrum you can develop an app specially catering to your event.

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