VizuaMatix takes Infotel to the next level with a custom-built event app

Sri Lanka’s event industry is at an exciting stage, with conferences, launches and exhibitions connecting participants with knowledge, new products and each other, more frequently and effectively than ever before. However, while Lanka’s event industry is seeing growth and becoming more inviting to regional and even global hosts and exhibitors, its supporting technology has not kept pace. Technology has revolutionised other fields and has the potential to do the same for events, allowing organisers to keep stakeholders informed and connected in real-time, maximising the value of their investment and that of participants.

VizuaMatix, a Sri Lankan enterprise solutions company that has a record of solving pressing client problems in a creative, sustainable and cost-effective way introduced the Sri Lanka’s very first next-generation communications appto fill this technological gap in the field of event management. This app was developed for and debuted at Infotel exhibition 2018. The application aims tosmoothen the communication between all event stakeholders and make Infotel 2018 a tech-enhanced, interactive, easily accessible and user friendly event, matching the top level global events.

Commenting on the eventTheekshana Kumara CEO of VizuaMatixadded “We chose to build an app for infotel, as this is the biggest ICT event in Sri Lanka, known for its consistent innovation, andInfotel closely relates to our business. With 20 foreign suppliers coming to the event, it is becoming a regional exhibition and we need to lift the standard and make it an international event that can compete seriously with other players.”

He further added “We have participated inInfotel 2017 along with international events such as GITEX and AfricaCom. This let us compare the national and international standards, and how we can elevate the Sri Lankan standards. We got firsthand experience at GITEX and AfricaCom of how they used technology to allow suppliers and visitors to communicate effectively. We realized that, to take Infotel to the next level, wemust use technology.Our team was enthusiastic and passionate about the idea and the product ended up giving even more features than what we saw at GITEX & AfricaCom”.

The fully-native mobile app supporting Android and iOS has a wide range of features that will give exhibitors a chance to reach more visitors, from an exhibitor QR code that when scanned, emails the exhibitor’s information and promotional material to an interested party, to an interactive map and ‘My Visits’ feature that lets participants plan their visit so as to make the most of their limited time.

To keep visitors informed, the app contains a countdown timer and detailed event agenda and push notifications ensure that they don’t miss promotions as they come up. Recognising the importance of social media. VizuaMatix has also incorporated pre-event social media promotion into the app, as well as the possibility of product promotion using videos. All of these are right at visitors’ fingertips in the all-in-one app, to save time and effort spent finding things on different sites. The event video gallery with live video streaming means that visitors can stay engaged with the event even with other commitments. The Chat Engine lets them keep in touch with exhibitors instantly to ask questions from wherever they may be.

Another unique feature is the QR code that is issued for each visitor on registration, allowing them to network with ease. Exhibitors need not waste time manually writing down or typing in contact details, instead, when the QR code on visitor badge is scanned, it updates their database instantly. The app also allows visitors to exchange contact details with each other eliminating the need for stacks of business cards.

The features offered with the app, not only enable seamless communication, but will make Infotel a more eco-friendly event this year, by reducing the wastage of paper that comes of printing stacks of brochures and other communications material. Moving communications online and to participants’ devices also makes them more easily accessible.

This app is meant to allow each and every exhibitor and visitor to get the maximum out of the event in the short time span they have. Infotel is expecting 5000 visitors this year – a number that is not easy to manage in just a few days.All these features were designed to emphasise the connections which sometimes get lost in the rush of a big exhibition. The exhibitors need to get value out of the event instead of just showcasing themselves. All the stake holders experiencemany missed opportunities at such an event. The app makes sure that they can build some leads without missing or ignoring anyone. The final result is an event that is equipped for the digital economy, seamlessly connecting stakeholders with next-gen tech that creates value for everyone.

Infotel has offered an excellent springboard, allowing VizuaMatix to offer a unique product for the first time in Sri Lanka, and then expand into the rest of the region, taking Sri Lankan technology international.