The Exhibition Industry’s Missing Link: Moving Data with Ease

October 14, 2021

Brian Scott

Brian Scott, president and founder of ClearTone Consulting, provides executive technology consulting services based on 35 years of technology expertise and 20 years of CIO/CISO experience within the exhibitions and events industry. Brian provides expert technology consultation in the areas of technology strategy, software development, systems integration, data warehousing and analytics, cyber security, data center operations, cloud computing, and end user support. He works with his customers to overcome technology challenges, leverage tech to drive growth and revenue, secure valuable digital assets, and execute projects to meet the organizational objectives.

If you and I have a business conversation lasting much more than five minutes, there’s a good chance the subject of data is going to come up. I’m sorry, I just can’t help myself! I simply love the fact that data makes the world go ’round. For an IT professional, it’s been the steroid that has really juiced the entire technology industry. Now, if you look at what’s going on in the consumer/commercial SaaS world, it’s flabbergasting how data is enabling innovation and growth. In actuality, though, it’s not simply the existence of data by itself that drives value. There are two vital aspects of data that must exist for any value to come of it, and these two aspects can be challenges.

The first of those two tougher challenges is having the resources with the time and skills to manipulate and extract the value. Anyone who’s tried to build BI teams or capabilities within their organization knows that this is quite the challenge. Don’t even think about trying to hire an actual “data scientist” unless your checkbook is as plump as a Thanksgiving turkey in November, and you’ve got the mature data infrastructure in place to keep such a person satisfied and engaged. But this blog is specifically about the second challenge: being able to access, move and integrate the datasets themselves. It is this second challenge in which I find the entire exhibitions and meetings industry ecosystem sorely lagging its larger commercial and consumer counterparts.

An Ever-Engaging Ecosystem

The data exchange ecosystem that has quickly matured over the last several years is truly phenomenal. But first things first. What is a data exchange ecosystem? Fair question. It’s simply the widespread availability of enabling technologies that allow the exchange of data between platforms with very little friction. Huh? This means that regardless of what SaaS platforms your organization may be using, such as Google Sheets, Salesforce, Slack, Airtable, Mailchimp, AWS, Microsoft Azure and on and on and on, a relatively inexpensive, non-technical resource is able to easily access and transfer datasets between one point and another to create business value. In the SaaS world, these data transfers are often done with tools like Zapier, Integromat or Automate.io.

Zapier is the leader in this space and is not only a fast-growing, successful business in their own right, but their function enables innovation, productivity and collaboration in all areas of business. They’re a SaaS company that juices innovation and created a new marketplace all by itself. They accomplish this by taking the slow, costly and difficult job of moving data between systems and simplifying it behind an easy-to-use interface so that almost anyone can execute it. (I say almost, because there are folks out there that should just let others move the data. You know who you are.)

On its own, Zapier would not have been able to achieve this, much less exist at all, if the SaaS companies of the world did not foresee the immense value of entering the marketplace with a completed set of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) so that anyone could easily connect to their system and pull data out or push data in. This was in their original go-to-market blueprint, and they knew removing barriers to access of data would ultimately make their tool that much more valuable and sticky with the market. And by George, they were right!

Zap That Data!

It’s now so easy to move data that these SaaS companies are experiencing a higher level of adoption than they would without these APIs available. For example, an organization sets up a Google sheet to track specific projects. Oh, that information is needed within a ticket tracking system? No problem, just use a Zap and you’ve got it. When customers interact with that ticket system, you’d like to update their record in Salesforce? No problem, use a Zap. You’d then like to pull that specific customer data out of Salesforce into Airtable to merge with another system’s user data for analysis? No problem, set up a Zap. Not only are businesses becoming more productive and automated, but new companies are emerging faster because the barrier to entry continues to lower. It’s a feedback loop that feeds all aspects of the ecosystem. It’s the data exchange growth engine!

So, here’s my million-dollar question: Where are the event tech platforms regarding this paradigm? Unfortunately, except for a small set of standouts, the truth is they are late to the game and have not adopted this data exchange ecosystem-first mindset. No event tech product should hit the market without a mature API as part of version 1.0. They should have a user-friendly Identity Management system employed, so it’s easy for users to set up accounts, authorize with the API and get their data out or push their data in. If every single event tech provider adopted this mindset, think how different our industry would be. How many times have you been engaged in a discussion where folks are lamenting the pains of data integration with the vendors? Yeah, get more fingers to count that on.

Change of Mind

I propose that adopting this mindset would be life-altering to the events and exhibitions industry. Quite honestly, it’s not just life-altering, it’s required for survival. How long do you think our industry can survive building products and systems by the year 2000’s rules? It’s simple. There is money to be made in the events industry, and where there is money to be made, an open market will continue to evolve with many brands dying off at the hand of new outsiders that are more forward-thinking. It’s inherent in the system and like it or not, we’re not immune.

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Partner Voices

Women at the Helm: Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!” These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas. Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities. Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC. What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space. What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here. Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen. This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.