“Can you hear me now?” the catch phrase capturing the annoying lack of cell phone coverage is, in current times, replaced with “Can you see me now?” (Followed by “What about now? I can see you…wait where did you go…?”) of the virtual meeting era. No one wants to start a meeting on a technically challenged note – yet it happens much more often than anyone would like.
Meeting delays on the receiving end deprive the virtual attendee of hearing the warm welcome and feeling the kick off energy of a live streaming conference. Those delays can also push an agenda off-course if there are technical difficulties on the presenter’s end during the live session.
If having a clumsy start and broken confidence wasn’t bad enough, consider the cost of delays that can add up to a big disaster. The average length of an event meeting is about four hours and takes about $10,000 to execute. This simple math translates to $41.66 per minute of lost productivity and engagement due to technical delays that could be minimized if not avoided by following a few simple steps:
- Considering becoming certified as a Digital Event Strategist, known as DES. This online course will predict problems and teach you how to troubleshoot before your event begins. Companies such as The Digital Experience Institute offer five-week programs tailored to your work schedule.
- Pre-record your opening remarks, even taking a moment of real honesty mixed with humor to say you made this video “hoping no one would ever see it, as it was only to be played in the case of technical emergency”. Send it in advance of your meeting kick-off to the registered leader at the remote destinations and text/email/call them as you are able to say “Roll video – while we figure this out”
- Test-run your event. We cannot stress this enough. Whenever possible, have the leader on the virtual end test and log in to ensure all troubleshooting can be done ahead of time. Schedule this test as an important aspect of the full meeting itself. If you must, go ahead and offer an incentive, a discounted price, a prize, a shout out, whatever you have to do to get them to participate in this critical step. It will be worth it in the beginning, middle and end of your awesome event!
Following these steps will enable you to relax a bit more prior to, and during your virtual event. If you have any questions, or would like a partner to handle all the housekeeping so you can just enjoy the show, feel free to reach out at hello@ax3studios.com to schedule a virtual coffee with us.
About Aryn Chapman:
Named one of the Top 50 Smart Women in Meetings , Aryn Chapman is an accomplished event designer and producer. Her career began in theatre and film production where she honed her eye for detail and grace under pressure. Since then, Aryn has made a name for herself with her imaginative concepts, innovative themes and her ability to create unforgettable events.
Aryn has worked with a variety of international clients, producing meetings and conferences from concept to clean-up.