All Zoomed Out? Hit Refresh With This New Virtual and Hybrid Event Technology

We get it—Zoom fatigue is real. After all, who isn't tired of the high-tech hiccups from spotty Wi-Fi to a muted keynote speaker? As event professionals find themselves in an unfamiliar way of life in which technology seems to be a survival tool, nationwide meeting and event space Convene has stepped up in the nick of time with its new Virtual Meetings technology. (Think on-demand human support, hospitality-driven virtual offerings, customizable event websites, and more). 

"We want to support our meeting planner clients during this time by creating a premium, hospitality-based digital meeting and event experience," says CEO and co-founder Ryan Simonetti. "Convene was founded to address many of the pain points that planners experience, and now is no different. We set out to create an environment that brings as many of the aspects of in-person meetings to life, because of the desire to connect and collaborate remains.""Convene’s Virtual Meetings technology allows for meeting and event planners to seamlessly and safely run a virtual meeting, without having to sacrifice the warm and engaging experience associated with in-person meetings," says CEO and co-founder Ryan Simonetti. The company's organized site layout and features are designed to make it easy for attendees to stay engaged and connect.Photo: Courtesy of Convene

New to the company’s list of virtual offerings is moderated breakout rooms, one-way video broadcast presentation, and an improved presenter view, accommodating as many as 1,000 attendees. The broadcast command center houses the company's tech team and virtual meeting producers (VMPs), providing clients with event support to minimize the stress of troubleshooting. (Commercial grade internet connection and hardware help included!) In addition, users can collaborate with VMPs to build an on-brand virtual experience with an interlinked event website. 

With virtual attention spans shorter than ever, one of the most notable features may be Convene's global admin portal. This add-on allows planners to evaluate analytics in real-time, monitoring how attendees are engaging with the event. The secure portal doubles as an access point for the event organizer, granting editing privileges for any last-minute changes. Similarly, the agenda component—a personalized attendee map with easy session enrollment—can indicate to the planner the popularity of meetings. 

"During the crisis, we were given the choice to put our heads in the sand or to innovate, and we chose the latter," Simonetti notes. "We created a new product that pushed Convene outside of its physical boundaries. We created Virtual Meetings, which is powered by our proprietary technology, so that we could continue to provide premium hospitality for meetings and events."

Virtual Meetings allows for the creation of personalized agendas for attendees, simplifying the process of enrolling in and joining sessions.Photo: Courtesy of Convene