Kreativitas tak boleh mati walau kondisi sedang tak bersahabat. Meeting secara hybrid atau meeting virtual menjadi solusi di tengah pembatasan mobilitas akibat pandemi Covid-19.
Teknologi bisa menjadi solusi di masa pandemi. Teknologi mampu menjembatani jarak ruang dan waktu. Apalagi selama pandemi, pertemuan fisik dan mobilitas sangat dibatasi.
Dengan teknologi pula kegiatan MICE yang identik menghadirkan kerumunan tetap bisa berlangsung. Seperti kata pemeo, the show must go on, begitupula industri MICE harus tetap bergerak di tengah segala keterbatasan.
Asyiknya lagi, saat ini perangkat untuk melakukan pertemuan secara virtual sudah banyak tersedia, dan sebenarnya bukan hal baru. Hanya saja, selama pandemi, kita dibuat melek teknologi.
Selain itu, menggelar pertemuan atau kegiatan MICE secara hybrid maupun virtual diyakini lebih banyak menghemat biaya. Setidaknya perusahaan atau penyelenggara tak perlu keluar kocek untuk tiket pesawat, biaya akomodasi, atau uang saku untuk perjalanan dinas.
Kalau begitu apa saja yang mesti dipersiapkan jika ingin mengadakan meeting virtual atau hybrid?
Pertama, pastikan koneksi internet bagus dan stabil. Terkait hal ini, sejumlah hotel atau venue meeting sudah menyediakan dan menawarkan paket dengan penambahan bandwith supaya kegiatan meeting berjalan mulus.
Kedua, pilih platform video konferensi yang sekiranya user friendly dan banyak digunakan peserta kegiatan meeting. Penting juga untuk berlangganan platform video konferensi, supaya tidak dibatasi waktu dan lebih banyak fitur pendukungnya.
Ketiga, susun kegiatan meeting seringkas dan semenarik mungkin untuk menghindari kebosanan para peserta kegiatan. Misalnya di jeda kegiatan, Anda bisa mengadakan kuis atau games sederhana agar suasana lebih rileks. Atau kalau kegiatan sifatnya santai, manfaatkan filter atau background yang tersedia di platform video konferensi.
Meski begitu, sejumlah pihak mengatakan, teknologi yang digunakan sekarang sifatnya hanya membantu, karena banyak kegiatan MICE yang tidak bisa atau kurang pas rasanya jika dilakukan secara virtual. Misalnya pameran atau pertemuan bisnis yang melibatkan transaksi, perjumpaan fisik akan terasa lebih mengena. Kita berharap saja, situasi segera membaik.
English
Making Hybrid Meetings Run Smoothly
The various hurdles we’re facing should not diminish our creativity. Hybrid or virtual meetings have become a solution amidst mobility limitations due to the pandemic.
Technology can be a solution during the pandemic. It can build a connection between space and time, especially during a time when physical meetings and mobility are highly restricted.
With technology, MICE events, which are usually associated with big crowds, can be held safely. Just like what they say, the show must go on. So must the MICE industry despite all of the obstacles.
To add to the fun, there are many more virtual meeting softwares these days. Although these softwares have existed for quite a while, we just have been made aware of them recently thanks to the pandemic.
Additionally, organizing hybring or virtual MICE events save a lot of costs. At least the company or organizer does not have to spend a dime on plane tickets, accommodation, or travel allowances.
So what do you have to prepare if you want to hold virtual or hybrid meetings?
First of all, make sure you have a good, stable internet connection. In relation to that, a number of hotels or meeting venues have provided and offered packages with extra internet bandwidth to ensure the online event runs smoothly.
Second of all, choose a video conferencing platform that is user-friendly and accessible to meeting participants. It is also important to subscribe to a premium plan, so your event will not face any duration or feature limitation.
Third, organize the activities so that the event is as concise and interesting as possible. During the break, for instance, you can do some quizzes or simple games to break the ice. Or if the event is casual, make use of the filters or virtual backgrounds available on the video conferencing platform.
However, many believe that the current technology is merely temporary help because many MICE events are not suitable in an online setting. To illustrate, a number of exhibitions or business events that involve transactions will only be effective offline. In the end, we can only hope for an improvement of our current situation.
