Horticulture New Zealand

BACKGROUND & GOALS
APPROACH
RESULTS
LOOKING FORWARD
PRODUCTS USED

Get a demo

83%

App Adoption

331

Total Leads Collected

786

Registrations Processed

685

Attendees Checked In

BACKGROUND & GOALS

Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) is a levy-funded, non-profit organisation that advocates for and represents the interests of New Zealand’s 4,500+ commercial fruit and vegetable growers. HortNZ facilitates grower connections and shares the horticulture story through various events, including the Recognise Seasonal Employer (RSE) Conference, and the Horticulture Conference (both of which are held under the umbrella New Zealand Horticulture Conferences).

Amber Fowler, HortNZ's event manager, highlighted the need for greater visibility, control, and cost-efficiency in their event management processes. The organisation aimed to achieve these goals by transitioning from relying on a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) to adopting a robust, feature-rich event technology solution that could support their event requirements. Amber reflects, "Before Cvent, all event management tasks, including registration processing and the sale of sponsor and exhibitor stands, were managed by a PCO. We had no visibility. We couldn't even track sales trends"

Audience members listen to the speaker at the University of Aberdeen's Research Excellence event.

APPROACH

Drawing from her extensive experience in event management and technology, Amber spearheaded the decision to partner with Cvent for their event tech needs. During the evaluation stage, the lack of timely and effective communication from other providers raised concerns about potential future support. HortNZ finalised Cvent because it offered a comprehensive, user-friendly platform that could streamline registration, payment processing, and onsite check-ins while also providing valuable insights and data for future event planning. "We chose Cvent because it seemed to be the most feature-rich around what we're trying to do and actually offered the most support," she explains.

HortNZ utilised several Cvent solutions, including Cvent’s registration tool with payment gateway integration, onsite check-in with OnArrival, LeadCapture tool for exhibitors, and the Attendee Hub event app. These tools enabled Amber to manage the entire event lifecycle efficiently, from planning and promotion to execution and post-event analysis.

Three men wearing black jackets are chatting with each other at a conference event.

RESULTS

The transition to Cvent solutions significantly improved event management for HortNZ. By eliminating the need for a PCO, the organisation was able to reinvest the budget into event technology as well as other resources that could enhance the attendee experience. Amber highlights, “The cost of Cvent is 50% of the budget we usually set aside to engage a PCO. It was fantastic to be able to reinvest that back into the event to make it even better." This allowed for the introduction of new elements like field trips and professional keynote speakers, which were previously not feasible due to budget constraints.

The OnArrival solution streamlined the check-in process, reducing the time required and enhancing the overall experience. "We had one busy spot during the check-in time, and it was, at max, maybe seven minutes long," mentions Amber, highlighting the efficiency of the new system. "It saved us at least 30 minutes at the bare minimum, which is cool."

The LeadCapture solution provided valuable insights into exhibitor engagement. "Using LeadCapture, the exhibitors collected about 331 leads, which is significant considering we had 790 attendees."

Moreover, the Cvent event app facilitated a paperless approach, aligning with the organisation's sustainability goals and improving accessibility to event information. “My main goal behind getting an app was to remove all of those awful, printed programs because a) it makes sense from a sustainability perspective, and b) as soon as you print them, if you decide to change something – the printed ones are wasted. It’s just so much waste!” Talking about the app’s success, Amber exclaims, "We had a really good app download rate (83%) and saw high engagement with the Q&A feature. Even our not-so-tech-savvy audience members were very impressed with the app!"

The introduction of a virtual component for the first time also received positive feedback, ensuring seamless participation for those unable to attend in person. "One of our speakers, who happened to be the Minister of Horticulture, had a last-minute change to her schedule but she was still able to join virtually, and the experience for both her and the audience was seamless." Amber further adds, "The Cvent team was incredibly proactive and had the great idea of sending an email to attendees who hadn’t checked in, to advise them that they could join online virtually. This was something new for us to try and was met with excellent feedback."

The audience is seated in front of a stage with a large screen at Orbit Protect Awards Dinner.

LOOKING FORWARD

With the success of their initial implementation, HortNZ is excited about the potential for further leveraging Cvent solutions in future events. Amber is particularly keen on exploring additional features and optimising existing processes. "We're really looking forward to seeing what else we can utilise moving into 2025."

The organisation plans to fully transition to a paperless system, further reducing costs and environmental impact. "The goal is to eliminate printed programs altogether, and eventually go completely paperless. Not only does this help with budgeting but it also aligns with our sustainability goals," states Amber.

They also aim to refine their exhibitor packages based on the insights gained from LeadCapture data, ensuring a more tailored and effective approach. "The information we got out of the LeadCapture exercise has been really good in helping us identify which exhibitors are sellers and which ones aren’t, which will be useful while planning for next year," explains Amber.

In summary, Cvent has not only met but exceeded Horticulture New Zealand's expectations, providing a robust platform that supports their event management needs and enhances the overall attendee experience. Exclaims Amber, "Between my experience with the PCO and my experience with Cvent now, in terms of responsiveness and knowledge – the difference is huge, so much better!" As they continue to innovate and improve their events with Cvent's comprehensive solutions, the future looks promising. As Amber aptly puts it, "I would recommend Cvent over and over again!"