To say we are attached to our mobile devices is an understatement… we eat, sleep, and breathe our phones. In fact, according to Crowd Compass, 91% of us always have our phones within 3ft and sadly 84% can’t last a single day without our mobile sidekicks.

There’s no disputing the value mobile technology has in the meeting and events space. In the past two years alone, the adoption of event apps has doubled, benefiting both the attendees and the event organizers. Thanks to Frost and Sullivan, we know that event apps are responsible for a 20% increase in attendance, a 33% increase in attendee engagement, and a 27% increase in productivity. While all this progress is fantastic, is our increased dependence on our mobile devices distracting us from being fully engaged at meetings and events?

Heads up, phones down!
Despite the surge in mobile event technology and it’s underlying value, we’re still purists at heart and believe events should be focused on human interaction and “HEADS UP” engagement. After all… life is what happens when you’re busy looking at your smartphone! Attendees glued to the screen, while attentive, shuffle along rather than participating and engaging with their surroundings and one another! Leverage this new technology and get those heads up.

Driving “HEADS UP” engagement through RFID/NFC technology
You may not realize it, but we use RFID/NFC technology in everyday life without giving it a second thought. Common services like security access cards, Google Wallet, and E-ZPass, are all powered by RFID/NFC technology! These prime examples show how easy the technology is to use and how simply it can be incorporated into our daily routine. So how can this technology help you drive “HEADS UP” engagement at your event?

The Wonderful World of Disney… and Data
Enter our friends Disney and a $1Billion investment they’ve made in making the entire Disney experience as smart, engaging, and potentially profitable as possible. They’ve recently launched a “MagicBands” system, where guests and families have the option of receiving an RFID enabled wristband, specifically customized to each individual to track rides, transactions, location, and access control across the park This real time tracking of behavior around the park can heighten the guest experience and also provides (Space) Mountains of interesting data for Disney to sort through on how to keep those Mouseketeers coming back.

What about your meetings and events?
The good news is that you don’t have to run a theme park to use RFID/NFC in a similar way. With NFC platforms like HOVER, you can apply those same tactics to your meetings and events to measure guest engagement and activity. RFID/NFC can be used to check guests in and out, retrieve leads from expos/booths, set-up voting and survey stations, enable social activations and amplifications, and create an impression rich environment at EYE LEVEL! Your attendees will thank you. Not only will your attendees appreciate the ease of use, but they will benefit in terms of experience and satisfaction.

So start incorporating this new technology at your meetings and events. With their heads out of their phone, your guests will be less prone to bumping into walls or walking into the wrong restroom. It’s a win, win!