Chatbot for events? what organizers need to know!
Last week, a part of the Krowden (formerly NetworkTables) team travelled to Berlin to provide onsite support at the 4th annual Chatbot Summit. Event attendees of Chatbot Summit could schedule their networking sessions. In total 8200 spots were chosen by 1200 attendees at 144+ workshops, roundtables and 1on1 meetings.
As the event brought in chatbot aficionados from all around the world, we decided to interview three of the brightest minds on the potential for chatbots at events.
Dhanraj Vyas – Maruti Techlabs
Who is Dhanraj?
Dhanraj is a Marketing Executive at Maruti Techlabs. His company offers their own chatbot development platform, WotNot, to deploy chatbots in multiple different industries.
What does he think about chatbots for events?
Dhanraj believes there’s a wide range of event-specific use cases that can be automated by a chatbot. From more advanced questions regarding directions and timetables, to simpler FAQs about parking space, all is possible.
Dhanraj’s tips for event managers
- To deploy a chatbot, event managers should have a conversation with a developer designed around maximizing value to their attendees
- Technical development can start when relevant use cases are identified, and a chatbot can be running within seven business days
- Prices vary depending on the chatbot’s complexity
Who is Geertina?
Geertina is an online advisor at Entopic, a company that also organizes events itself. Currently, she’s working at ABN Amro on their chatbot Anna.
What does she think about chatbots for events?
Geertina told us that she found it strange that chatbots aren’t widely deployed at events yet, since she believes they can be very beneficial to organizers.
- Prior to the event, a chatbot can help answer questions about ticket types, accommodations, travel options, etc.
- During the event, chatbots can aid with personal timetables, directions, recommending places to eat, etc.
Geertina’s tips for event managers
According to Geertina, chatbots are not yet widely deployed at events because of their perceived complexity and labor-intensive setup. To mitigate this problem, she had a few tips for event managers.
- Start saving incoming questions about events
- Make a ranked list of questions
- Answer the most asked and simplest questions with a chatbot
- Gradually grow the chatbot’s capabilities
- When it comes to chatbots, “Start small and grow large.”
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Who is Olga?
Being a CEO and founder of DialogShift, Olga helps companies in the hotels and hospitality industry to open the chatbot channel to their customers through multiple different platforms.
What does she think about chatbots for events?
Olga told us that chatbots would be perfectly suited for answering simple questions in a magnificently clear manner. As an example, she noted that she could not attend the pre-networking event during the Summit because she did not know where it was. Had there been a chatbot, she could have easily accessed that information. In a similar vein, she believes other questions regarding venues, timetables and catering can be answered by bots as well.
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FAQ
How did the interviewees believe chatbots could specifically benefit event organizers at the Chatbot Summit?
The interviewees believed that chatbots could benefit event organizers by providing real-time assistance to attendees, streamlining communication, and enhancing the overall attendee experience.
Are there any challenges or limitations that the interviewees mentioned about implementing chatbots at events?
The interviewees mentioned challenges such as ensuring the chatbot is user-friendly, integrating it with existing event technology, and managing potential technical issues during the event.
Did the interviewees provide any examples of successful implementation of chatbots at events in the past?
Yes, the interviewees shared examples of successful implementation of chatbots at events, such as providing personalized event schedules, answering attendee questions, and facilitating networking opportunities.
