This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
Name: Romanita Ross
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
Job Title: Executive Business Administrator
Years of Experience: 30+
How were you able to adapt during COVID-19 when the meeting and events industry got disrupted?
The pandemic has had an overwhelming impact on how people live and has accelerated changes in how Planners plan meetings. How we plan meetings has been altered, mainly by our willingness to adapt to new digital tools and services. I was accustomed to planning face-to-face meetings where everyone would be present and network accordingly. However, I learned how to seamlessly transition from in-person to virtual events by thinking outside of the box. Also, I learned how to create engaging experiences that resonate with all participants virtually.
As a planner, what was the number one thing you learned over the past year?
The number one thing that I learned as a planner is the reality of virtual meetings. I found that virtual meetings could be just as effective as a in-person meeting. Also, I now realize that the experience could be just as engaging if not more appealing and informative.
Is there anything you are changing in your planning process moving forward as a result of the pandemic?
I believe hybrid meetings will be the standard type of meeting. Meetings where some people would gather in-person and others join virtually. Whether such meetings are large or small, attendee experiences are often imbalanced. Using the right technology will help focus on supporting collaboration, discussion, and decision-making, which would make the hybrid and virtual meetings more effective and engaging for all participants. In turn, this will create new demand for meeting consultants with hybrid and virtual meeting expertise.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
