Conference News May 2021 | Page 38

38 Column

Who is the data landlord ?

Mash Media MD Julian Agostini ponders over data ownership now event technology is in the mainstream
ave you booked a restaurant yet or a table at the pub ? It ’ s almost as if that whole part of our social lives has been forgotten : will we all remember how to do it ?
It may also be difficult for the venues to manage or meet our expectations . Have they been reduced through desperation or are we dreaming of an extravaganza for the big return ?
One of our last experiences as a family , before the latest big lockdown , was at a ‘ bring your own ’, which my daughter had found online . Not an experience I ’ m used to , in truth , as I don ’ t think that would go down too well at various industry lunches hosted by Mash Media ; although it would be interesting to see what people bring .
Anyway , we had corralled two tables of six for the event , had a decent meal and a very good evening . It was only as I was leaving that my daughter pointed out to me that we had enormously over catered on drink , unsurprisingly . When I popped back in and asked the waiting staff , they smiled knowingly and went to retrieve all that remained . I was slightly confused and perturbed , is that the practice ? I asked and they said that most customers forget or decide to leave any excess , which the venue then claims as its own . Hmm , I thought . Is that OK ?
The idea of bringing business to a venue and then for them to retain part of your collateral for their own future use is alien to us as event organisers . Imagine if every venue you hired decided to register all your visitors and then when your tenancy was done your visitor database was claimed as belonging to the venue . Would you be happy with that ?
Surely no organiser would stomach that , or would they ?
In the brave new world of hybrid events , the platforms that we are all using are surely the virtual venues . These have been a fantastic addition to our offering , let ’ s make no mistake and so it ’ s vital that we establish the terms of engagement with which everyone is comfortable . We need these platforms as part and parcel of our industry for the foreseeable future , so what are the rules ?
Many platforms are currently retaining the data of all the visitors which technically is theirs for future use , should they choose . They are not the first supplier that has been entrusted with our data , of course . Research companies and registration businesses to name a couple , for example . To my knowledge , these relationships have never been breached by the third-party exercising use of the data for their own benefit . We need
Below : Julian Agostini
“ An organiser is always paranoid about their data , and rightly so ; it ’ s the prime asset .”
to ensure that the same happy marriage is in place with any platforms that are coming into our marketplace .
Everything , of course , would need to comply with local data laws .
These are new partnerships for our industry and so we are feeling our way and trust needs to be earned . An organiser is always paranoid about their data , and rightly so ; it ’ s their prime asset . If someone else has access to all the details , what is to stop these virtual venues becoming organisers themselves ? They are welcome to , of course . Many traditional venues run their own events , it ’ s a natural route for business expansion and we welcome more organisers but not with someone else ’ s hard earned and sophisticated data .
Food for thought , perhaps . Or maybe I ’ m over-thinking this and my words of caution are from someone who ’ s been in lockdown too long . Someone take me to the pub .
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