Jyothy lakshmy C.
Mumbai,April 10
Exhibitions, conferences and corporate events are the best medium to showcase products and technologies and build network with the business community, especially when sales targets aren’t being achieved in times of economic slowdown. Well, the pandemic has made it worse as it has momentarily dented every possibilities of holding large-scale events – travel restrictions, social distancing and health concerns being primary challenges. The vaccine has been rolled out and the government through hospitals and medical colleges are vaccinating people above 45 years of age. However, for a country with a population of 130 crores or so, vaccination cannot happen quickly, it will take its own time.
As we are in the midst of all this businesses are keeping up their network alive by conducting events on the digital platform, even large exhibition organizers, both Indian and international ones are doing so, although the earnings are largely miniscule when compared to it being done face-to-face. With powerful online tools for engagement companies are reaching out to a wider audience and exchanging knowledge on the digital platform. Live chat tools and webinars are helping customers understand the technologies and products that companies are offering them. It also gives them a fair understanding of the products before they plan their visits to the exhibition venue.
Event industry insiders opine that business-to-business (B2B) events can be held safely as the visitors that throng these events are “organized business gatherings” and not the “usual mass gatherings” that you would perhaps see at a concert. With larger spacing in halls, temperature checking, sanitization, quarantining suspect cases, etc. safe events can be held. However, considering the safety aspects many are backing out and as the pandemic recedes, things will be back to normal and events can be held with the same élan as in the pre-Covid days, it is a matter of time.
Until then during unpredictable times such as the one we are facing currently, it is extremely important to brace up to the changes and adapt to the digital avenues which can be an effective alternative to the events that are cancelled, postponed or rescheduled. Businesses such as exhibitions, events, hotels, or airlines are the first ones to be hit by pandemics and the last ones to recover and no wonder that these sectors will take some time to recover fully. However, it will all be up and running, if not in 2021, then in 2022 for sure and till then we have to contend with the digital format as earning some money is better than getting nothing.
