What to Look for in a Life Sciences Meeting Technology Partner

In the life sciences industry, meetings and events often play a critical role in driving business success. From scientific conferences to investigator meetings, these events require careful planning and execution for maximum impact. With the rise of virtual and hybrid meetings, technology has become an essential part of the equation. Choosing the right technology partner can make all the difference in the success of your event. With so many different options to choose from for your potential partner, you should consider a few factors including:

• Platform flexibility
• Industry expertise
• Value before, during and after the meeting
• Exceptional customer service

Each of these factors is equally important and can make or break your life sciences meeting or event. In this blog we will cover the details of each of these four points and what you should expect from your technology partner when moving forward with the relationship.

Platform flexibility

The technology needs of life sciences meetings can vary widely depending on the type and size of the event. Your technology partner should be able to provide flexible and scalable solutions to meet your specific needs. Whether you need a simple virtual webcast or a last minute switch to hybrid, your partner should be able to provide the right tools for the job. 

When considering technology solutions, it's important to think about both the short and long-term needs of your organization. Look for a partner who can provide solutions that can be easily customized to meet your changing requirements. For example, if you are planning a hybrid event, your partner should be able to provide solutions for both in-person and virtual attendees. If you are planning to expand your meeting program in the future, look for a partner who can support your growth. Having a technology partner that can implement in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings with relatively no disturbance lessens the pressure on you and creates a built-in contingency plan for any last minute or unexpected needs to pivot, setting your meeting up for greater success.

Industry expertise

When choosing a technology partner for your life sciences meeting, it's important to ensure that they have expertise in the industry. Choosing a life sciences-specific technology partner enables the meeting to be specifically tailored to your stakeholder needs without having to explain the intricacies of the industry. Life sciences meetings have unique requirements, including stringent compliance guidelines and the need for secure data management. Your technology partner should have experience working with life sciences companies and be familiar with the specific challenges of the industry. Look for a partner who understands the importance of confidentiality and can provide solutions that meet your overall compliance needs. It’s one thing for the partner to have experience in life sciences meetings, it’s another if your technology partner is specifically geared towards that industry and has the track record and service team to match. 

In addition to expertise in the industry, it's also important to consider the partner's experience with the specific type of meeting you are planning. For example, if you are planning a scientific conference, look for a partner who has experience supporting large-scale events with multiple things taking place at once. If you are planning an advisory board meeting, look for a partner who can provide solutions for interactive presentations and sessions. Alternatively, an investigator meeting may require a partner that understands how imperative it is to not only train your sites, but to ensure that training has landed with all of your attendees.  Choosing a partner with relevant experience can help ensure that your meeting runs smoothly and meets your objectives.

Value before, during, and after the meeting

The technology partner that you choose should be valuable to you at all stages of your meeting. Ideally, your partner will be able to help you plan your meeting with your goals in mind, provide you with actionable insights based on data collected throughout the meeting, and help you analyze and implement these insights over time to improve future events. Choosing a technology partner that has a variety of audience engagement features is a valuable investment, especially as they are able to collect the data for analysis. You should be able to maintain engagement with your attendees during the meeting in various ways including live polling, gamification, note taking, Q&A, etc., all on a single device to ensure that your attendees’ attention stays on the content being presented. After the meeting, your technology partner should be able to take the data that was collected while using these engagement features and provide you with actionable insights that can be used to implement further training, inform future business decisions, and share the impact of your meeting with stakeholders. Having a partner that has these engagement features as well as the ability to analyze and interpret the data that is collected is a valuable asset that can greatly benefit your meeting. 

Exceptional customer service

When planning a life sciences meeting, timing is often critical. Any technology issues that arise during the event can have serious consequences. Therefore, it's important to choose a technology partner that provides exceptional customer service. Look for a partner who offers immediate support before, during and after your meeting and who has a track record of responding quickly to customer inquiries. In addition to technical support, it's also important to consider the partner's ability to provide training and resources to your team. Look for a partner who can provide onboarding and training sessions to ensure that your team is prepared to use the technology effectively. Your partner should also be able to provide resources such as user guides, training sessions for speakers, and FAQs to help your team troubleshoot any issues that may arise, and be able to address them in a timely manner.

Conclusion

Choosing the right technology partner is essential for the success of your life sciences meeting. Look for a partner who provides flexible and scalable technology solutions, has expertise in the industry, provides value before, during, and after your meeting, and offers exceptional customer support. With the right partner by your side, you can ensure that your meeting runs smoothly and achieves your desired outcomes. By carefully evaluating your options and selecting a partner who aligns with your organization's goals and values, you can set your meeting up for success.