When I talk to a new client after they experienced their first event with Capture, the first subject typically revolves around the technicians they met during the event.
There’s no doubt; Capture Technicians are an eclectic, fun bunch. Their backgrounds are vast, varying from a carpenter to military veterans, data scientists, graphic designers, photographers all the way to a Harvard Scientist. “Every single one has a story to tell…” to quote Jack White and The White Stripes, but distinctions aside, they are bound together by a passion for travel, community, and the pursuit of providing impactful event technology.
Often, they’re the first to arrive on site well before the magic happens in the exhibit hall. First ones in every morning, testing each piece of hardware each day of the event, after being the last to leave the day prior. On show days, they are buttoned up with pressed shirts representing professionalism to the event and a tech-savvy arm to the event team. Sure, they know how to configure a printer, but they also have a wealth of industry experience and an urge to jump in wherever needed.
When 2020 hit, the event industry was not spared. We all saw personnel turnover throughout the industry. New faces, processes, prices, and, unfortunately, service level. Through it all, Capture stayed intact, pushing innovation during the lull & keeping our technicians employed by supporting virtual programs. When in-person events started to emerge, event planners had a collective reluctance to hire technical support due to poor experiences or reduced budgets. Hiring & training of new personnel was lacking. In the mindset of the planners, I saw a split. Some knew they needed more support due to the loss of team members and others resented hiring support due to the cost or lack of confidence. From my perspective, the Capture Techs never missed a beat, and it paid off to our client’s benefit. Since the return, we’ve sent out record-setting teams of 10, 12, and more recently 16 technicians to various deployments.
In December I was at a conference in San Diego. The deployment took up the entire convention center and took a record 16 technicians to deploy & manage. By day 2 of the conference, the team not only managed their specific area of the technology deployment, they owned it. The client and attendees needed direction simply due to the size of the meeting. Our team jumped in, directing traffic, answering questions, training new staff members, and doing whatever else was necessary for the success of the event. Their efforts did not go unnoticed. I was humbled by the positive feedback from this first-time client.
It’s not always an easy decision to mature an event and invest in technology with technical support included. On-demand technology and real-time data means you need on-demand assistance. Having an onsite support technician at your event ensures that any technical issues that may arise can be resolved quickly, minimizing any risks to the event. When you want personalized agendas printed in less than 5 seconds, that means you likely need personalized support. A well-versed technician can provide personalized training to the event staff, which can improve their efficiency and attendee satisfaction.
Upon reflection, I can see why people always talk about their ‘Onsite Tech’. They leaned in when others wouldn’t. They treated the event as if it were their own. They helped translate months’ worth of planning, preparation, and stress/anxiety into a memorable experience.
Robert Huckstep
Robert is an event professional with over 8 years of experience in onsite technology deployments, pre-show implementation & project management. He now serves partners and clients in a consultative sales & account management role, helping them improve their events year over year through the use of event technology and data.
