BACKGROUND

The Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) is the peak professional association for CEOs and other senior staff working in the Australasian nonprofit sector. AuSAE provides a range of tools, knowledge and support designed to assist associations to improve their performance, raise their profiles, and create strong networks within the association community (both globally and within Australasia).

AuSAE runs about 30 face-to-face and about 75 virtual events annually in New Zealand, with their top three events being associationX, the AuSAE Linc conference, and AuSAE Connections.

associationX is a one-day, in-person trade show run by AuSAE in New Zealand every year. Over 40 business solution providers attend the trade show, which offers a vast array of innovative products & services and educational insights under one roof. The event features enriching education sessions around innovation and success stories in association management.

GOALS

Brett Jeffrey, a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and the General Manager of AuSAE’s New Zealand Office, is solely responsible for organising and managing all of AuSAE New Zealand’s events. “I organise them. I run them. I attend them. I do everything when it comes to events. I make every single decision. The buck stops with me. Which is why I’m always looking for ways to make my job more efficient.” This proactive approach is what led Brett to choose Cvent technology to streamline the management of associationX, their annual trade show.

A group of women at the conference, with one woman standing and the rest sitting.

Brett’s goals for associationX were to enhance attendee engagement and satisfaction, streamline event management processes, and showcase innovative event technology to member associations.

He decided to switch from their old event app, which was too restrictive, to a more feature-rich and comprehensive solution. “Previously, we were just using an event app for associationX. However, I wanted to switch to Cvent because I needed the entire event management package, not just an app,” explains Brett, adding, “We also decided to go ahead with Cvent because we needed more associations to use it as well. We wanted them to witness the impact of using an advanced event tech system on the event experience.”

APPROACH

AuSAE utilised Cvent’s mobile app, Attendee Hub, to provide attendees with easy access to the event information. They also leveraged the OnArrival solution to streamline the check-in process.

“Earlier, the whole check-in process was tediously manual. It took so long to check everyone in. Having Cvent shaved off nearly an hour from that process.”

Adds Brett, “A lot of our attendees just wanted a quick and easy check-in experience. They didn’t want to go through the whole ‘find your app, scan this and then get your badge printed’ process. A lot of them are CEOs! They just wanted to grab their badge and walk away. I could enable that for them. I could just check them in through my phone, which I thought was really, really handy.”

Brett also appreciated the flexibility offered by a feature-rich event app. “What I liked about the Attendee Hub app was that it gave us as an organiser as well as the delegates more power to be in control of what they wanted. We could custom-mould the app according to our event, and the delegates, in turn, could choose what parts of the app they want to explore. In comparison, the other app had limited features, so we were forced to use it in a particular way.”

Additionally, Cvent’s robust exhibitor management solution facilitated seamless coordination, enhancing the overall experience for both exhibitors and delegates.

RESULTS

The impact of implementing Cvent technology was substantial. The OnArrival solution dramatically reduced check-in times, making the process more efficient. AuSAE was able to save about an hour on check-ins, and also needed fewer staff at the check-in desk.

By using an event app, and consequently, eliminating printed brochures and materials at their event, AuSAE not only saved costs but also made the event more environmentally friendly. “I think one of the best aspects of making things digital is that it enables real-time updates while facilitating a paperless experience. The app allowed us to make changes on the fly, which is invaluable. I would never go back to printing things on paper again. I plan to only use an app at all my events.”

One of AuSAE’s members really loved the app's gamification feature, which comprised fun challenges, custom rewards, and real-time leaderboard updates. "She enjoyed it immensely and saw a vast array of possibilities with the feature. So much so, that she's decided to collaborate with me on the gamification for our next event, exploring its full potential together."

Brett also speaks highly of the customer support. “We received amazing training from the Client Services team while we were onboarding the solution. The Cvent Client Services team is simply incredible! You couldn't ask for anything more.”

LOOKING FORWARD

With the successful implementation of Cvent’s solutions, AuSAE plans to continue leveraging these as well as new Cvent solutions for future events. Says Brett, “I’m excited about using the Speaker Management and LeadCapture at next year’s associationX. It's a unique solution and it is exactly what we need at the event.”

This partnership has not only transformed associationX but has also set a new standard for event management within AuSAE and its member associations. “We are the association of associations, and we need to have the best event technology because then we can show our delegates how it can make their life easier too. We can influence them to adopt the same.”

In the end, Brett encapsulates his experience with Cvent by saying, “Cvent has everything needed to make life easier for an event manager. It’s the complete package!”