The Sound of Success for Event Planners at Cvent CONNECT

Cvent CONNECT 2024 is an annual conference and industry event taking place June 10–13 in San Antonio, Texas. Not only will it feature the latest in event tech innovations, but it’s also a place for attendees to expand their networks, grow their careers and leave fully inspired to transform their own events.

So, how does one of the nation’s largest conferences for production pros, event planners and marketing and hospitality professionals keep attendees engaged and connected when expectations are high? It should come as no surprise that epic stage production, world-class presenters and innovative audio technologies play a big role in helping to create memorable experiences.

Implecho has partnered with Cvent CONNECT since 2018 and provides audio headset communication systems for tech tours, speaker sessions and silent theater presentations. Implecho is a Gold Sponsor and was recently named a 2024 Premier Alliance Partner. 

RELATED RESOURCE: The Ultimate Event Planning Guide

Collaborative Planning & Onsite Deployment

One way Implecho earned the trust of Cvent CONNECT is by working alongside their team to tackle challenges and ideate creative solutions. Implecho advises Cvent on the selection of equipment based on their final theater and tour schedule, and evaluates logistics and attendee experiences for improvements from one year to the next.

For example, the Cvent staff came to Implecho with a desire to provide a more inclusive and accessible event for those with hearing impairments. The Implecho team recommended that self-serve assistive listening devices and neck loops be placed at the Tech Tour desk and in each of the theaters. Now, whenever someone needs assistive listening, it’s easily available and easy to use. 

Implecho truly becomes part of the Cvent team by providing comprehensive onsite support. “We don’t just ship boxes of audio equipment to the convention center and leave it up to someone else to figure it out,” said Sam Friederick of Implecho. “We deploy a team of onsite audio experts to work with A/V teams and ensure everything goes smoothly, even assisting guests and speakers with their audio devices.”

Having onsite representatives is also crucial for helping event planners navigate last-minute changes. As with any large-scale event, plans are rarely set in stone. Tour schedules change or a speaker’s flight might get delayed — an onsite audio expert can go with the flow and adjust accordingly.

Just some of the onsite services provided include:

• Working directly with event staff to address audio needs
• Unpacking and programming headsets 
• Assisting speakers with microphones to help them feel at ease
• Distributing headsets and assisting attendees
• Ensuring batteries are fully charged
• Working with the A/V provider to ensure connectivity
• Sanitizing headsets in between sessions
• Packing up and shipping equipment back when the event concludes

“I think what sets this partnership apart from others is the creative collaboration. It’s not transactional,” said Paulina Giusti, Cvent’s Director, Meetings & Events, Marketing. “Implecho is consultative with our event design teams which makes all of the difference.” 

Silent Theaters Highlight Technology Innovation

Cvent CONNECT’s educational sessions take place in multiple theaters centrally located in the Innovation Pavilion, Cvent’s product showcase expo. The theater programming is jam-packed with a variety of speakers who rotate every half-hour throughout the event. Each theater hosts between 30–50 attendees who sign up for sessions on the Cvent CONNECT app or simply drop in.

The old-school way of hosting speakers requires attendees to spend a lot of time walking through long corridors to isolated rooms. With silent sessions, guests have the option to take in multiple presenters in one area with specially programmed audio headsets. They can even ask questions or decide to listen in on a different session only a few feet away. Silent sessions allow organizers and attendees to maximize their time at an event and maximize value.

READ MORE: How do Silent Sessions Work?

The Feature Flash and Roadmap Talk sessions allow attendees to consume digestible information on Cvent products and feature enhancements that ultimately improve attendees’ own events. Because of the bustling open-air atmosphere in the pavilion, however, it can be difficult for presenters to be heard and for attendees to stay engaged. Audio headsets are programmed with dedicated channels for each presenter. And because of the quick turnaround between speakers, production teams need to ensure the audio equipment is up for the challenge. 

Cvent invests heavily in their annual CONNECT event to help educate attendees, and Implecho’s audio communication solutions get the message across. Reliability is critical when doing dozens of presentations over the span of a few days. There’s only one chance to hear a speaker and it has to work.

“Our event has always led with cutting-edge technology,” said Giusti. “Implecho’s audio headset equipment and their top-notch customer support help us craft how to best use the devices to enhance our attendee experiences.”

Event planners wear many hats. Taking the worry of audio equipment off their plates can help them focus on serving guests and meeting their needs. Connect with the collaborative and creative team at Implecho for your one-way and two-way audio communication needs. Contact us today, and download our helpful event planning guide with additional tips.