Figure 1. Examples of some personal value drivers for individuals within networking events organizer Speaker / trainer / facilitator Other attendees Value-in-use (Attendees) Event concept (breaks; dedicated sections for networking; introductions); communication (before the event; follow-up) Method of the speaker / trainer / facilitator / moderator (propensity to interact with and encourage interactions among attendees) Attendees’ composition and propensity to interact Social value Interact with peers Gain new friends and consolidate existing relations “Servicescape” (technology; arrangement; ambiance); communication (before the event; follow-up) Knowledge, method and performance of the speaker/trainer/facilitator/ moderator Attendees’ contribution with questions, debates, knowledge from own experience shared Learning value Acquire knowledge Be able to apply and generate improvement Courtesy of customer service; “Servicescape” (site arrangement) Empathy and method of the speaker/trainer/facilitator/ moderator Meeting special attendees who they ‘connected’ with sharing of woes and successes. Emotional Just meet with people, not for commercial gain Activate feelings and emotions Extra conference activities, Quality of hotel, spa, bedrooms etc. Humour of speaker/trainer/facilitator/ moderator Enjoying being with other attendees and interactions being humourous. Hedonic value Pleasure, enjoyment, feeling good,
Figure 2. Examples of of possible measures of networking event value WHAT HOW WHERE WHO Tangible Intangible Perception Behaviour On-site Off-site Delegates Providers PRE Social Media hits on likeliness to come Lengh of registration list Newspaper, television coverage of event No of current ongoing projects the event is directly/indirectly linked to How was the registration How was the customer service How clear were the directions to meet, and locations, pre-event. Number of totally new contacts to make No of new potential business projects to start Probability of collective innovation to be formed Marketing of event Positive social media comment about event Negative social comment about event How ambient was the atmosphere Expectations regarding welcome met? Regarding the venue? Customer-supplier pre-event interaction interaction Supplier- supplier pre event interaction (in case of multiple providers only) Invitations to event Registration list length Customer perceived value (pre) Thinking strategic responses to anticipated reactions set up by provider Ratio of expected ROI to ROI achieved Alternatively creating ROI scorecards – criterions such as Inputs, Objectives, Impacts, ROI Setting up reaction for through the event by aligning inputs EVENT No. of business given out/obtained Hedonic value Emotional value Hedonic value Emotional Video recordings of event Video recordings of event Twitter activity Crowd interaction patters Photographs to analyse emotions Relationship Value Transaction value
No of new contacts made No of existing contacts seen again No of information pamphlets taken/given out Reputation value Can be summarized by the following measures: This is relevant to my work at the present time This is important to me and my success This is a good investment No of food and drink portions consumed On site observation of behaviour Number of freebees taken Gained ability to contact attendees in future On site observation of behaviour Customer perceived value (during) POST No of thank you messages sent Proceedings from event Number of enquiry emails within 3 weeks of event. Amount of useful job information/society issues information gained New knowledge, ideas and insights from the event Knowledge about the event organizers. (Largely learning, knowledge and professional value) Willingness to recommend I will come again to these events I will bring other colleagues to these events. I had the chance to effectively communicate what my business does. Social Media tweets or blogs or LinkedIn connections of event Number of social network references to the event at 2 and 4 weeks after the event. Quality of event Complaints The event organizer’s image is … Online questionnaire about evaluation to delegates No of registrations for future events Number of hits/downloads on for future events Percentage of attendees with recollection of event post-1 year No of existing relationships renewed Professional value, social value, learning value, customer perceived value (post) Number of new members joining some aspect of the event organizing organization. Number of responses to thank you email follow-up sent by the organizers. ROI (%) Measured as (No of contact associations made/Amount of money spent)X 100 No of new business projects started with attendees met at event (intrinsically related to ROI measure above)
One-to-one Many-to-one One-to-many Many-to-many Example service encounters Lawyer Management consultants Conference speaker Networking event No. of typical providers and customers (examples only) Low (1-1) Low (3-1) High (1-1000) High Interaction between customers Usually very little Usually very little Usually little individual interaction high individual interaction with other delegates Pre and post service encounter interaction Usually very little Potentially post Usually very little Both pre and post event Level of value created by the customer for other customers Usually very little Usually very little Often little except when within groups of friends Often very high value derived from other delegates When is most created (before, during, after) Mainly during the service encounter Mainly during the service encounter Mainly during the service encounter Most likely, after the service encounter