The purpose of the Meetings Focus Mobile Devices Study was gaining feedback from subscribers on their current use of mobile devices and communications. Thanks to Corbin Ball of Corbin Ball Associates for his invaluable assistance in creating the survey, and to those who took the time to share their information and insights.
Poll was conducted in June and July of 2011 and results are based upon the responses of 174 participating planners.
Responses to the questionnaire:
1. How are you involved in the meetings industry?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Association meeting planner
|
35%
|
|
Corporate meeting planner
|
33%
|
|
Independent meeting planner
|
17%
|
|
Government meeting planner
|
5%
|
|
Hotelier or other venue supplier
|
3%
|
|
Other industry-related supplier
|
7%
|
2. What is your age range?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Millennial (born 1995 or later)
|
0%
|
|
Gen Y (1977-1994)
|
11%
|
|
Gen X (1963-1976)
|
34%
|
|
Boomer (1946-1962)
|
44%
|
|
Pre-Boomer (before 1946)
|
11%
|
3. What type of phone operating system do you use?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
iPhone
|
27%
|
|
Android
|
18%
|
|
Blackberry
|
27%
|
|
Windows 7
|
1%
|
|
Other smart phone
|
5%
|
|
I don’t own a smart phone
|
22%
|
4. What type of tablet PC do you use?
|
BASE
|
100.0%
|
|
iPad
|
20%
|
|
Android
|
2%
|
|
Blackberry Playbook
|
2%
|
|
Other tablet computer
|
3%
|
|
I don’t own a tablet
|
74%
|
5. How do you use your phone/tablet PC for your job? (Please check all that apply.)
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Basic telecommunication
|
82%
|
|
Checking e-mail
|
79%
|
|
Checking time/alarms
|
71%
|
|
Checking on weather
|
69%
|
|
Checking on travel status
|
59%
|
|
GPS/mapping functions
|
58%
|
|
Checking news
|
56%
|
|
Finding restaurants
|
50%
|
|
Accessing documents
|
44%
|
|
Reference functions
|
33%
|
|
Other
|
11%
|
|
I don't use (3)
Web research
Games
Calendar
Everything
Books
Shopping
Hotel & Conference Apps
Social Media - LinkedIn, Facebook (2)
N/A
Sorry, a data package is to costly
to do list
|
|
6. For those of you using smart phones, what are your favorite meetings- or travel-related apps?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Not using apps for this yet
OpenTable
Google
Weather
Weather.com
Blackberry travel
Facebook
Haven't downloaded any yet, but am interested to see what is available
Twitter
Urbanspoon
Yelp
Delta
Flight Tracker
GateGuru
Google Maps
Hotel apps
Kayak
Maps
Trip It
TripAdvisor
AAA
Airlines
Airport Maps
Alarm
American Airlines
Blogs
Business seminar
Camera
Conventionist
Core Apps
Doodle
Event Planning Tools
Eventbrite
FlightAware
FlightStats
FlightTrace
Foursquare
Frommers
Fuel Finder
GPS Capabilities
Have2Eat
Hipmunk
Hootsuite
I just carry a notepad and cell phone and use those
IM+
Linked-In
Mapquest
Meeting Apps
MPI
PageOnce
QUICKCOMM (launches end of June, 2011)
Room 77
Sleep Machine
Successful Meetings
Super Planner
Tip Calculator
Travel + Leisure
Travel Alert
Travelocity
United Airlines
Weather Channel
Wine Free
XE Currency
|
|
7. On a scale of 1-5 (1=not important at all, 5=very important) how important is your phone or tablet to you for your work?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
1 – Not important at all
|
11%
|
|
2
|
6%
|
|
3 – Somewhat important
|
16%
|
|
4
|
22%
|
|
5 – Very important
|
44%
|
8. What social media applications do you use on your phone/tablet? (Please check all that apply.)
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Twitter
|
31%
|
|
Facebook
|
59%
|
|
LinkedIn
|
47%
|
|
YouTube
|
35%
|
|
Foursquare
|
8%
|
|
Gowalla
|
1%
|
|
Facebook Places
|
7%
|
|
Scvngr
|
2%
|
|
Blogs
|
9%
|
|
I don’t use any social media on my phone/tablet
|
34%
|
9. What event-related apps have you commonly used at events? (Please check all that apply.)
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Assessing conference program information
|
19%
|
|
Messaging to other attendees
|
19%
|
|
Event alerts/announcements
|
19%
|
|
Personal agenda management
|
30%
|
|
Wayfinding/maps of meeting space or exhibition hall
|
11%
|
|
Exhibitor information
|
17%
|
|
Contact information sharing
|
19%
|
|
Networking
|
17%
|
|
Access to conference literature (session handout, exhibitor brochures, etc.)
|
14%
|
|
Tweeting or blog posting
|
17%
|
|
Surveys
|
12%
|
|
Audience polling
|
9%
|
|
I have not downloaded/accessed event-related applications
|
50%
|
|
Other
|
3%
|
|
not available
none
all of above
Have not used this as yet for our meetings
Don't have a smart phone
|
|
10. Have you provided/developed an event-related app for an event?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Yes
|
11%
|
|
No
|
89%
|
11. If you have provided an event-related app for your event, what features did you find useful? (Please check all that apply.)
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Messaging to other attendees
|
38%
|
|
Event alerts/announcements
|
47%
|
|
Personal agenda management
|
50%
|
|
Wayfinding /maps of meeting space or exhibition hall
|
28%
|
|
Exhibitor information
|
38%
|
|
Contact information sharing
|
28%
|
|
Networking
|
38%
|
|
Access to conference literature (session handout, exhibitor brochures, etc.)
|
34%
|
|
Integration with social media such as Twitter or Facebook
|
25%
|
|
Surveys
|
22%
|
|
Audience polling
|
16%
|
|
Other
|
19%
|
|
None
All of the above
NA
|
|
12. If you have provided an event-related app for your event, what specific feature did you find the most helpful?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Messaging to other attendees
|
4%
|
|
Event alerts/announcements
|
11%
|
|
Personal agenda management
|
21%
|
|
Wayfinding/maps of meeting space or exhibition hall
|
4%
|
|
Exhibitor information
|
0%
|
|
Contact information sharing
|
4%
|
|
Networking
|
4%
|
|
Access to conference literature (session handout, exhibitor brochures, etc.)
|
7%
|
|
Integration with social media such as Twitter or Facebook
|
11%
|
|
Surveys
|
4%
|
|
Audience polling
|
7%
|
|
Other
|
25%
|
|
All of the above
NA
All
|
|
13. If you have not provided an event-related app for your event, why not? (Please check only one.)
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Too costly/no budget
|
24%
|
|
Uncertain of the ROI
|
17%
|
|
Too early – our attendees are not ready
|
35%
|
|
Not certain of the options
|
39%
|
|
Too much on my plate already
|
28%
|
|
Other
|
17%
|
|
Association is just considering this.
company is not ready
company not interested; we don't have any social media programs
Current clients still need persuading
Do not host large attendees
have suggested, awaiting approval
I do not have a smart phone
I don't have a smart phone
I mostly source meetings
incentive, doesn't seem necessary
n/a
No management buy-in
no need
No need at this time, we will create one in the near future.
no smartphone
not a facebook and tweet kinda group
not applicable to my guests
not available
Not necessary yet
not needed
not needed for small meetings
We are starting to develop an app for our next show
We plan to this year
|
|
14. If you could only have one medium upon which to depend for your meetings industry information needs, which would it be?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Smart phone/tablet
|
39%
|
|
Printed publication
|
14%
|
|
PC
|
46%
|
|
Other
|
2%
|
|
Combo is necessary. Like people, technology has its moments too where it has failed me.
I would LIKE it to be smart phone/tablet. To this point it has been printed publications
need options
|
|
15. If you could have one mobile tool at your disposal to make your meeting planning efforts easier and more effective, what elements would it include and what would it do for you?
| BASE |
100.0%
|
|
Registration information (check-in, status, new registrant)
E-mail and web access
Ability to deliver event alerts/announcements/promotions
Real time updates
Tracking of continuing education credit
Access to exhibit hall/meeting space information (room size, maps, price, contacts, menus, etc.)
Storage of all meeting logistic documents
Floor plan generator application
Locating restaurants near meeting venue
Instant access to all CVB contact info
Travel status, updates, flight reservations
Budget tracking
|
|