How can you create an unforgettable experience at your next virtual event? Not one that is remembered for the tech failing and the show coming apart at the eleventh hour, (yikes!), but one that will keep your guests talking about it for days to come, in a good way, of course.
It’s the million dollar question, with a very simple solution. In today’s virtual world, online events hinge on technology working soundly, so there is absolutely no margin for error. Tech support is the one line item in your budget where you don’t want to cut corners. Invest wisely to keep your tech running smoothly during your event. You’re never going to regret hiring a professional tech team to offer that vital support at your next virtual conference.
Hire Trained Tech Support
For a seamless virtual production, you have to actually hire your own tech team and not depend on basic tech support that is included with the virtual platform. A lot of platforms already come with built-in help. They may offer 24/7 live chat or hotline services, support resources, and documents available at a click.
These might be fine for a small event or if you’re using a rudimentary platform. However, for a larger event, such as a virtual conference, or if you’re using a cutting-edge virtual events platform, we don’t recommend you rely solely on basic features. Instead, invest in getting real people, who are experienced in event IT solutions, to be present at your event.
You’ll need to assemble a team to manage any potential problems in-house. Make sure that your crew is knowledgeable in your platform and up-to-date with the technology and new features being used. Talk to your virtual event producer and see how they can help or if their services include offering tech support from a capable team. Here are a few ways in which you can improve your attendees’ virtual experience with tech support.
Provide Clear Instructions
To ensure attendees have the best experience possible, it’s indispensable that you provide precise and clearly explained instructions on how to navigate the platform and how to use each feature. Your tech team can take charge in creating a visual guide on the event website, one that shows screenshots on what to do.
Short video guides explaining each step are also useful for guests who want to figure it out on their own. Make sure every member of your tech support staff familiarizes themselves with these instructions and can provide reliable event IT solutions before and during the event.
User Onboarding
It’s a good idea to set up a user onboarding session a day or two before the event. During this time, your tech crew can ensure that attendees have their devices working properly. This includes troubleshooting microphones, cameras, and speakers. Your tech staff will also help your guests become accustomed to the platform by showing them how to move in between tables, floors, or buildings.
They can use this time to show participants how to set up their profiles with their names, company, position, and profile picture, so participants can easily identify and be looked up by other event attendees during the event. This is the best time for them to learn how to use the various features of the platform and ask any questions they might have.
Speaker Onboarding
Along with user onboarding, your techs should be in charge of speaker onboarding as well. They have to meet with presenters and go over details about device, microphone, camera, lighting, background, browser, firewall, and any other relevant specification until speakers feel comfortable on-screen. Live-streaming should look real time, without any buffering.
On the day of the event, there should be tech staff that go ‘backstage’ with speakers in order to make sure that everything is working properly and that presenters know which times they come on, so that they are ready beforehand. This technical training, instruction, and support from techs highly knowledgeable in event IT solutions is essential for a high-quality event.
Monitor Sessions
Your tech support staff should be fully briefed on all your expectations and details for the run of show. They should be actively monitoring all sessions, general chat, video streams, and different booths so that problems can be addressed as they arise. Having people who are specifically there to address technical issues will improve the overall user experience. This will prevent you from losing viewers during sessions or presentations.
Reach Out to Guests
Station your techs at a table where they are easily accessible to guests. Label the table “Help Desk” or “Tech Support” and include multiple help desks for a larger event, such as virtual conferences. Ask your tech support staff to label their names as “Tech” or to use a profile picture with the word “Tech” on it. This will help attendees identify them easily or look them up through chat features. Ask your team to reach out to guests directly or via chat to make sure they understand how the platform works and aren’t experiencing any issues.
Help Your Guests Access the Event
Even if you hire an all-star team, it won’t mean much if your guests can’t get into your event. In our experience, it’s good practice to have staff on phone duty to help guests easily access the event. Aside from having techs at the actual event, have a few people on standby ready to troubleshoot any guest who can’t log in. You can include a button on the landing page labeled “Can’t access the event?” that displays the hotline number so your event attendee can call and get help directly.
Perform Dry Runs
Dry runs are critical for the success of your digital event. That is your best opportunity to iron out all the details and adjust any final elements to improve the outcome of your live event. With the agenda on hand, your tech crew will be coordinating with the speakers and emcee so everything is rehearsed just as it would be done on-air. Before your last dry run, your tech support team will have made sure that everything is set up accordingly and that every feature you want to use is up and running properly.
Conclusion
Virtual conferences held on advanced platforms require a lot of planning, preparation, and practice. If you’ve ever attended a high quality online conference with little to no glitches, it’s because an event producer and knowledgeable tech team were behind the scenes ensuring everything flowed smoothly. To get similar results, it’s crucial that you hire a technical support team, adept in event IT solutions, who can lay the groundwork for a flawless production.
Your tech staff will offer much needed support before and during your event, so you can focus on your clients and attendees.
Before the event, they will:
• Provide clear instructions and visual guides on how to use the different elements of the
platform.
• Onboard your users and speakers.
• Perform multiple dry runs until your presenters are comfortable going live.
On the day of the event, they will be in charge of:
• Making sure guests can log in easily.
• Monitor sessions.
• Reaching out to guests who may be experiencing any tech issues.
That means you won’t have to worry about the technical aspect of your online event; you’ll be
one of those hosts known for delivering exceptional events.
If you’re planning a virtual conference and are thinking of hiring an event producer or tech support team, check out the services offered by ACE Virtual Events. We provide reliable Event IT solutions for hosts and virtual event planners. ACE has hosted several successful online events, and we would love to talk about what we can do for you. Get in touch with us for a free consultation today!