COVID-19, what does this mean for conferencing?

Conferences provide an excellent platform for businesses to communicate important information whether it be product launches, industry specific conventions and the like. The truth is, many of our clients have contacted us with a very important question, “What will happen to conferences once the COVID-19 lockdown has been lifted?” As leaders in the industry, we’d like to inform you that the conference industry is here to stay. We have a variety of innovative conferencing solutions to support the new ‘social distancing’ era, which we’re excited to share with you.

Through the Congress Rental Network, we now have an online remote simultaneous interpretation platform that allows for virtual multilingual conferences. For RSI to work, language interpreters simply livestream an event and interpret it into the desired language. This solution removes the need for on-site equipment and eliminates the costs of interpreters’ travel and accommodation. The delay is so small that it is hardly noticed. All that is required is a secure and stable fixed internet line, noting that Wi-Fi is not reliable enough for this service. The audio from the RSI can also be combined with the livestreaming option mentioned below to provide a seamless interpretation experience.

Social distancing has now become an integral part of our lives and conference layouts can easily be adapted to meet these new requirements. With the new layout, one microphone is placed per trestle table and only one delegate is located at each table. The average trestle table is at least 1.2m long, thus ensuring sound social distancing practices. All microphones and other equipment will be sanitised before, during and after each event, and our stock levels are sufficient enough to be able to meet these new conferencing requirements. We have already used this new layout at various conferences pre-lockdown, and we are happy to announce that it has worked incredibly well.

By coupling the above-mentioned layout with recording and transcription, the conference organiser will be able to reach an audience that is similar in size in to any ‘normal’ conference. Here, key delegates (or a representative from each respective conference party) would attend the conference and record all speeches and other relevant activities. These recordings would then be transcribed and the audio and text would be sent through to those who would have attended the conference under normal circumstances.

Live streaming is another service that can be added to the new conference layout. Here, key delegates would attend the conference and would stream the session onto any website. Other delegates who would normally attend the conference would then log on and watch the conference in live action. Additional services could also be added to this, such as providing delegates with the opportunity to ask the Chairman questions.