Business professionals are always connected, whether at home, at work, or on the go. And there’s a good chance that each has experienced the frustration of spotty cell phone reception, slow loading times, and sluggish download speeds outside the office.
Fast, reliable high-speed internet service reduces connectivity issues at your venue. When combined with a custom wireless network setup, your event hosts can deliver an optimal experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Discover nine ways business internet and WiFi improve exhibitor and guest experiences.
1. A Welcoming First Impression of the Event and Venue
Instant connectivity delivers an excellent first impression. It reassures guests that they’ll be able to communicate with their office or family once they get inside. Updated infrastructure, including flexible access points and the latest 802.11ax WiFi standard, let venues extend WiFi to parking lots and lobbies.
Arriving visitors can connect to your wireless internet before walking through your doors. This is especially helpful for events or venues with dedicated mobile apps, as attendees can immediately use the app to navigate your facility and trade show. Event attendees can check in or download event materials with ease.
2. Seamless Connectivity Before and During the Show
Connecting in the lobby is one thing, but once you move to the trade show flow or hit peak hours, service may lag or be non-existent. This can cause real issues for exhibitors while setting up and during the show. A reliable internet service provider (ISP) who works with your venue behind the scenes to ensure optimal bandwidth is essential.
With the right technology partner, you can identify potential issues before exhibitors or attendees become aware of them. Your venue’s ISP should provide local, on-site support and managed services, such as real-time remote monitoring and technical assistance for large-scale events. They’ll need to be at-the-ready, to work with you to eliminate disruption during high-traffic hours and assist exhibitors or speakers with technology issues.
3. Real-Time Traffic Data From the Exhibit Floor
Companies invest a lot of money into exhibiting at your venue and leaders want to see a return on investment (ROI). But, it’s challenging to collect real-time data and stay connected to online tools with slow internet speeds on the exhibit floor.
In comparison, vendors can get immediate access to their booth traffic statistics with consistent internet and wireless services. Likewise, WiFi lets exhibitors quickly upload data to CRMs and sales tools and immediately start an outreach campaign.
4. Improved Cleanliness and Sanitation
Event planners continue to express concern over safety and sanitation at venues. Certain locations, such as the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), earn a yearly Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation by ISSA. Additionally, venue leaders use their wireless network to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
A reliable connection can support hundreds or thousands of IoT devices and beacons. Your hardware transfers data about your assets in real-time, allowing you to automate maintenance tasks and identify areas needing sanitizing. IoT software alerts your staff to potential issues in restrooms or public spaces, so your team can prioritize their efforts.
5. Security Enhancements
Real-time data about crowd size alongside historical records helps venue leaders predict and monitor capacity levels. Moreover, security checkpoints using AI-based tools can move more people into the trade show without risking a security incident. A reliable, fast internet connection and WiFi make this possible.
For example, Cox Business Hospitality Network (HN) maintains two 10 GIG redundant, diverse networks for LVCC, improving reliability and ensuring fast speeds with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band wireless technologies. When combined with more than 2,100 access points, LVCC can maintain security protocols and decrease disruptions or traffic bottlenecks.
6. Accurate Venue Data
Upgrading your business internet and WiFi lets your venue track and collect data from more areas. In return, you can share the information with exhibitors and potential vendors to demonstrate the success of previous shows and your approach to security and sanitization.
Current exhibitors can combine your venue data with their booth data to better understand potential leads and traffic patterns. In addition, vendors looking for a new convention center will appreciate your data-collection capabilities and insights that help them determine possible ROI.
7. Increased Trade Show Engagement
The system at LVCC can support more than 350,000 devices per event while also powering an incredible video wall spanning 10,000 square feet and digital signage throughout, for events like CES, and others. Cox Business Hospitality Network Internet services let event hosts interact with a virtual audience while increasing interest among on-site attendees.
The frictionless connectivity encourages exhibitors and attendees to upload a video or go live on social media during the event — all of which increases your venue’s exposure and value. The 2020 CES show held at the LVCC saw more than 6,000 tweets per hour during the event.
8. Enhanced Experiences With Location-Based Tools
Digital signage and wayfinding applications help attendees find their way or get assistance. This means less time wandering through halls and more time interacting on the show floor. Plus, your always-online signage can personalize messages to WiFi-connected attendees and convey the latest promotions.
While trade show visitors want to learn about their industry and exhibits, they also appreciate user-friendly navigational help or recommendations for what to do after the event ends. Reliable WiFi keeps your attendees focused and entertained.
9. World-Class Technologies for Meeting and Public Spaces
As event hosts turn to hybrid events, attracting a large on-site and online audience, venues require enough bandwidth and flexibility to address future needs. Fully equipped breakout or meeting rooms and reliable connections in high-density environments are crucial. Working with a managed service provider (MSP) can deliver high-performing, scalable networks.
The right MSP designs a custom solution for your venue with an eye towards the future. With local, on-premise support, you can upgrade your infrastructure or add access points without increasing your IT staffing levels.
Exceed Expectations With Your Business Internet and WiFi
Your internet and WiFi affect attendee and exhibitor experiences, including engagement and satisfaction levels. As a result, venues with highly-connected spaces offer more value and a potentially higher ROI than others. If your network is outdated or can’t handle the increased number of devices in use, consider working with a trusted internet service provider like Cox Business Hospitality Network and Cox Business, who can develop a custom solution for your venue.
