Choosing event management software for your event? Here are our top tips.

Software as a service (SAAS)

Probably one of the most important considerations when choosing the right event management software solution is whether to choose traditional software that is either installed on your PC or company’s network, or chose a web-based solution? Choosing an internet solution commonly known as “software as a service (SAAS) ” tends to be the preferred route now for many event organisers. Firstly, there is no complex installation, expensive IT support or maintenance required. With SAAS you simply log in to your account and away you go. Furthermore your precious information is regularly backed up, taking the worry out of what happens if your computer quits on you mid event. Not only this, you are not tied to the office; wherever you have internet access you have control to access and manage your event.

Features and flexibility  

When assessing software it is essential to get a feel for what is on offer. The best way to do this is via an online demo, which most companies nowadays will offer. Some larger software companies offer complex feature rich solutions that can involve a significant investment in training in order to get the best out of them. You may find yourself paying for features which you simply don’t use or need. At the other end of the spectrum are the more basic systems; which whilst often cheap (and in some cases free), offer little flexibility required by the more discerning event manager. 
 
A popular choice among many event managers  are a small number of niche online event management products aimed specifically at event managers who require flexibility but want a product that is competitively priced.
 
Lastly when choosing your solution ensure that if your client has very specific requirements, that are not serviced by the core product, is the software company willing and capable of adding bespoke features to meet your needs?

Checkout the credentials

Look at the list of clients using the product and ask to see testimonials and case studies. How long has the company been trading? What do they invest in R&D and future product updates and are these free? These should all be part of your due diligence when evaluating a provider.

Ease of use

Ease of use is a key factor in selecting any software product. The usability of the product will dictate how much help is required in getting tasks done. Again there is a payoff here in software that includes every feature but the kitchen sink but can take an age to learn and software that is simple to use but light on features. Whichever solution you choose make sure that the software is something you are comfortable using.

What is the real cost

In these competitive times getting great value for money is essential. Client’s are demanding more and with competition for business fierce software costs can add to the burden event managers face in remaining competitive. Good event management software should save you money by streamlining the administrative process . Every event management software solution will have its own method of pricing but what is important is to consider the costs as a whole when making like for like comparisons. For instance in the case of Symphony we offer either a Pay as you go option or a Subscription route. Both offer great value for money and the only extras you pay for are training or bespoke work if it is required.  Some companies require an upfront fee whilst others have hidden costs that come up later down the line.

Conclusion

Choosing the right event management software solution requires proper consideration and research. It is an investment that can make your events run efficiently, increase your competiveness and ultimately your profitability.

A few years ago, after a great deal of peer group pressure, I entered myself into a 10 kilometre run. A couple of so called “friends”, who had previously done a race or two, informed me that both the training and the run would bring me a tremendous sense of achievement and pride, as well as the obvious benefits to my health and fitness.

Having previously maintained a strict avoidance policy towards anything even vaguely resembling a fitness club, and believing “jogging” to be a cruel and malicious word, I was of course completely unconvinced by these arguments. In fact I flatly refused to take part until one of my friends deviously proclaimed “...but it’s for charity”. To refuse now would confirm that as well as being overweight, lazy and scared, I was so mean, self-centred and stupid that I could refuse to go through a little discomfort which, as well as being of enormous benefit for myself, might also be of some benefit to others less fortunate to.

Cruel, cruel world! I had been skilfully outmanoeuvred by my friends, and now I had to try and manoeuvre my unwilling mind and body to start my horrific training schedule.
I had about four months to the big day to try and get in shape, and of course it was hell. The first couple of times I couldn’t run more than about a 100 metres without virtually being sick (I kid you not), and the thought of having to do 100 more of these 100 metres without stopping, was as painful as it was depressing.

Somehow though I persevered, going a little further each time, until a month before the race I was managing to do about 3.5 km. A couple of weeks later I had managed to double this, and three days before the big day I ran 10k for the first time.

On the day itself it was a synch. In fact I breezed through it. And yes, of course my friends had been spot on - I felt absolutely fantastic! I had never been so fit in my life, I had lost loads of weight, and I felt very proud of myself.

The sad thing was though, I let it all slip. I hardly went running at all for the next couple of years and was soon back to my old lazy ways again. I did try to do another 10k earlier this year but I didn’t train much and I had to walk half of the course. I was so disappointed with this weak effort that I have since entered myself into yet another 10k, and this time thankfully I have been training properly.

So what has any of this got to do with Event Management software? Well, whilst I was out running the other night it occurred to me that managing an event is a lot like preparing for a 10k. You have the big day of course but the real work is done in the preparation. And if you don’t put the work in you will fail, just like I did last time.

The thing is there is no easy way to get fit, whereas Symphony does actually make the build up to your event a whole lot easier. In fact it does half of the work for you. It automatically records all of your attendees’ registration details, closes full workshops and accommodation, and will even e-mail you reports without you having to lift a finger.

If only there was something like Symphony that could do half of my 10k training for me!

The upcoming 10k is in Sheffield in September, and Richard, Jess and Darren from the Symphony team are also taking part – so wish us all luck! We’ll let you know how we get on.

You’ve signed up to Symphony, configured your event, set up an online booking form, started collecting your first delegate registrations and put the kettle on for a cuppa, but uh-oh, here’s captain paranoia.  Where is all that data stored?  Is it secure?  Are your precious delegate details going to fall into the wrong hands with you getting the blame?

The answer is of course no!  Symphony is built with security in mind.  All data is stored inside a secure data centre with industry standard firewall protection and the Symphony application itself uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to ensure that all communication to your web browser is encrypted.

All well and good, you can put the kettle on..., but what about those nefarious hackers?  Don’t they know all about breaking firewalls and encryption ciphers?  That’s where penetration testing comes in.  Penetration testing is where the nice hackers (the ones who have the force but use it for good, think Obi-wan Kenobi) can be employed to test your system for vulnerabilities.

Penetration testers perform a barrage of tests against your servers, probing for vulnerabilities.  Any that they find are duly reported and action taken to rectify the matter.  Symphony systems have been penetration tested many times and have always come out with a good report.  This attention to security has allowed us to host events for information sensitive clients like the government’s Information Assurance 2009 event.

So you can relax, your data is in good hands.  Yes, you can put the kettle on now.

When Richard came bounding through the office door one lunch time this week clutching his new iPhone 4, the talk in the office soon turned to which apps he was going to download first. It really does seem like there is an app for everything nowadays, from the ever so annoying Vuvuzela app to the ever so handy Shop Discount Percentage Calculator (great when hunting down bargains in the sales!).

And it’s not just apps that are making our lives that little bit easier; having constant access to the internet via your phone has its bonuses too, and, I’m sure you would agree, this is especially true for those who work in the events industry.

Did you know that you can access our Symphony software on any internet browsing device including your phone? You can download your event reports, check delegate signup numbers, make changes to your online booking form or website, and even send email campaigns. How amazing is that!

I am sure that like most people, there have been times when you have been on the train, in a meeting, or at an event venue and thought “I wish I could get my hands on that report!” or “I wonder how the event signup numbers are going”. The fantastic thing about having access to Symphony on your phone, is that all this information can be available at the touch of a button without having to lug your lap top around with you (which we all know can be a bit of a pain!).

So it’s official! You really can control your online event registration and delegate management from the palm of your hand. Get involved! Give me a call on 0114 2794994

Oh, and in case you were wondering...

...we are thinking of doing some cool specific phone apps too - so watch this space!

Allow me to introduce myself - my name is Richard and I have worked as part of the Symphony Technical team for a year, delivering registration forms and websites to our clients in addition to developing the latest version of the Symphony application.

Since Symphony began, all registration forms and websites have been custom built by web developers from a client's requirements brief. However, event managers can now create registration forms and websites themselves within the latest version of the Symphony application. Event managers can also update existing websites and registration forms and publish any changes to their live site at the click of a button. This new functionality keeps website and registration form development costs to a minimum and provides a great deal of flexibility for amends.

The new website and registration form builder may sound quite daunting, but it is very simple to use! Content for websites is easily applied using our simple interface to add formatted text, hyperlinks, images, documents and much, much more. If you cannot quite get the result you are looking for, we can offer assistance and custom code for complex content layouts. We can also add any custom functionality to websites, to give your website a more dynamic and eye-catching appearance.

The Symphony form and website builder also includes templates, which have customisable colours and images (e.g. header logos) to apply the same style to each page on your website. We offer a service to build custom reusable templates to create a professional look and feel for your events. Once built, these custom templates are available under your company's templates section in the Symphony application, which is especially useful for frequently occurring or roadshow events that have similar branding and layout. These custom templates also function in the same way as standard templates, by allowing their colours and images to be edited.

Within the Symphony application itself, we can add any custom functionality you require to assist the effective management of your events. By offering these services and more, we aim to supply all of our clients with the most effective, affordable and appropriate solution for all their event management needs.

If you have any questions about the services you can expect from Symphony or would like to request a demo, get in touch with Jessica Penny on 0114 279 4994 or via jpenny@symphonyem.co.uk.

The way that event managers organise events has changed a lot in recent years. The days of a mountain of paperwork on the desk are long gone...well for most anyway.

Back in 2003 Quba director Darren Bristow had an idea; why not create a piece of software that organises the common tasks those event managers do every day, saving them time to concentrate on more important things. Five months later the very first version of Symphony rolled off the production line. It may not have been the first piece of event management software, but it was certainly the most innovative; with its simple to use web interface, cool features and unique pay as you go pricing, it really did shake up the event management software industry.

7 years on and hundreds of thousands of registrations later we’re now launching version 4. The all new Symphony has been designed from the ground up. Built with the input of event managers for event managers, the new product simplifies the process of running events. Furthermore you have control to market your events with our built in website build and email marketing tools, not to mention a host of other great new features.

In recent months I have had the privilege of taking over the running of Symphony, what for me is one of the most exciting challenges in recent years. I would like to thank the Symphony team, a dedicated team of professionals, for their commitment and hard work and our clients for their support over the years.

If you would like to find out more about what Symphony can offer you then why not give me a call on 0114 279 4990, I would love to hear from you.