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Members of PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties class of 2019 see a bright future for the business events industry, a future to which they plan to contribute. Jared Chambers shares his impressions of and expectations for the industry.
What do you like most about your job?
Every day brings a new adventure and it gives me the freedom to make business decisions. I enjoy applying critical thinking techniques and putting my skills and training to use in high pressure situations. I find great joy in helping others in both my professional and personal lives. As a strategic account manager, I love that I am able to provide my customers with a quality solution or a service that benefits their cause.
Where would you like your career to go?
My goal is to take on a director role, where I can help grow and coach an account management team of my own. I also want to continue getting more involved with associations and client advisory boards and be seen as an emerging leader in the industry.
What’s the best day you’ve had in the meetings industry so far?
One of my proudest moments in the meetings industry was speaking on behalf of Experient and PCMA at the Professional Exchange Conference in 2017. I was able to bring my knowledge and skills to a group of meeting planners in Mexico to discuss effective prospecting and sales techniques. My focus was on Giftology and strategic messaging to capture and engage target audiences.
What will be the biggest change in the industry over the next 20 years?
Virtual and augmented reality have the power to change the way business is conducted. Various conferences and live events have been starting to utilize virtual reality headsets and augmented reality activation booths as a way to immerse their VIPs and customers into an experience. VR/AR events are growing rapidly in the international market and large festivals such as South by Southwest are now incorporating VR/AR events into their programs and making them a focal point for guests.
Attending an event for business professionals can be difficult in today’s world. However, this technology will have the potential for “virtual attendance” which will allow an attendee or VIP to still be part of the event without having to physically be there. I believe exhibitors will be able to convert more show-floor transactions than ever before, because through the use of VR goggles or mobile AR hyperlinks they can place the potential buyer into the location or product that they are attempting to sell.
Finally, I see this as a way to increase sponsorships and donations because buyer behavior studies show that people buy for emotional reasons and VR/AR invoke an emotional response through sight and sound, which already has proven to increase donations when utilized at special events.