In event production, your technology stack is either your greatest asset or your biggest liability. A seamless platform empowers you to focus on creating experiences, while a clunky, disjointed system forces you to become a full-time IT support specialist. The difference lies in the vetting process. Going beyond the sales demo to ask tough, technical questions is the only way to separate a true partner from a mere vendor. This guide provides an expanded list of questions, designed to give you the clarity you need to make the right choice. The first thing to confirm, and truly non-negotiable, is whether its core platform can support your planning process, scale with your portfolio, and remain usable for every member of your team.
The core platform is the backbone of every event. Before you can think about promotion or attendee engagement, you need to know the technology can support your planning process, scale with your event portfolio, and be usable by your entire team.
Why this is critical: You need a centralized hub to assign tasks, track budgets against actual expenses, and see a live snapshot of progress without calling another meeting. This question tests if they offer a true event planning software solution, not just a registration page.
Why this is critical: A platform that works for a 100-person webinar might crash during a 10,000-person registration rush. You should understand their server architecture, load-balancing strategies, and past performance with events at your scale to ensure they can handle the pressure.
Why this is critical: Powerful software is useless if it's too complex for your team to use effectively. The user interface should be straightforward for everyday tasks, empowering your entire team without requiring constant IT support.
Why this is critical: A good partner will have a structured onboarding process, comprehensive training materials, and a clear system for getting your team up to speed. This ensures you get the full value out of your investment.
Once the foundation is set, the next step is building visibility. Your event tech partner should support you to clearly showcase your brand, communicate with precision, and integrate seamlessly with the rest of your systems.
Why this is critical: This single question covers two crucial areas. True brand control requires the ability to inject custom CSS to fine-tune your event website, while a complete white-label solution ensures your brand is the only one attendees see, creating a seamless and secure experience.
Why this is critical: Generic email blasts are ineffective. A modern marketing engine should allow for hyper-targeted communication. You need to be able to send reminders only to those who haven't completed a step or send tailored content to VIPs, all without manual intervention.
Why this is critical: A surface-level integration (also called shallow integration) that only pushes a name and email is not a real integration. You need to know if new registrants and their activities (like session check-ins) are automatically logged in their contact records in your CRM with seamless integration.
Why this is critical: This is the next level of data integration. If you capture crucial qualifying information during registration (e.g., 'Job Title,' 'Purchase Intent'), that data needs to flow directly into the corresponding fields in your CRM to be truly actionable for your sales team.
Why this is critical: Your event platform doesn't exist in a vacuum. Seamless connections to tools like Marketo, Salesforce, or QuickBooks are essential to create efficient workflows and a unified data ecosystem.
When marketing brings attendees in, registration becomes their first real interaction. The process must feel simple, personalized, and friction-free to set the right tone from the start.
Why this is critical: Your sponsors, speakers, and VIPs all have different needs. A sophisticated platform should let you build one intelligent form that dynamically shows or hides fields based on who is registering. This avoids clumsy workarounds and ensures a personalized journey from the first click.
Event day leaves no room for tech hiccups. Asking about offline check-in and flexible badge printing shows whether the platform can deliver a smooth arrival experience, no matter the conditions.
Why this is critical: A check-in system that crumbles without an internet connection is a liability. You need a platform with a robust mobile app that can operate entirely offline, securely storing check-in data and then seamlessly syncing it back to the server.
Why this is critical: The ability to print a custom-designed, high-quality badge for a last-minute VIP on the spot speaks to your event's professionalism and agility. This question probes their hardware ecosystem and their ability to deliver a polished onsite experience.
With attendees flowing in smoothly, your next priority is ensuring that exhibitors and sponsors see a measurable value.
Exhibitors and sponsors care about measurable ROI. Your platform should give them the tools to capture leads, qualify prospects, and see clear returns on their investment.
Why this is critical: A powerful lead retrieval app transforms a basic contact exchange into a sales intelligence tool. Exhibitors need to qualify leads in the moment—tagging them as 'hot' and adding context—to turn a lead into a tangible sales opportunity.
Why this is critical: This question tests whether they view sponsors as a core part of the event ecosystem. You need a centralized place to manage deliverables and ensure that sponsorship tiers are automatically reflected across the event website and event app.
Today, your audience is everywhere. Whether in-person or virtual, attendees expect an engaging, connected, and accessible experience.
Why this is critical: "Networking" can't just be a chat box. AI matchmaking is a technology that actively works on behalf of your attendees, analyzing profile data to recommend high-value connections, dramatically increasing the event's ROI for participants.
Why this is critical: In a hybrid setting, you have one conversation happening in two places. Your tech must bridge that gap. The ability for all attendees to participate in the same poll, managed from one place, is the essence of a truly integrated hybrid experience.
Why this is critical: Creating an inclusive event is essential. You need to know if the platform is designed with accessibility in mind (e.g., screen reader compatibility) and if it can support the diverse language needs of a global audience.
When the event wraps, the real test is whether the platform helps you demonstrate success and protect your data.
The event isn't over when the doors close. Measuring success and ensuring the platform's reliability are paramount.
Why this is critical: You need robust dashboards and customizable reports that go beyond simple attendance numbers. This question tests their ability to help you track everything from session engagement and lead retrieval metrics to overall revenue and attendee satisfaction.
Why this is critical: Data security is not a feature; it's a fundamental responsibility. A potential partner must be able to detail their data encryption methods, storage policies, and specific protocols for complying with international privacy laws.
Why this is critical: Handling financial transactions securely is non-negotiable. PCI compliance is the industry standard for protecting credit card data. You also need to ensure their supported payment gateways work for your audience and currency needs.
Why this is critical: You are investing in a long-term partner. You need to know they are innovating and have a clear vision for how their technology will evolve to meet future challenges and opportunities.
Why this is critical: This uncovers their support structure. You need to know if you'll have a dedicated account manager or be routed through a general queue. Understanding if they offer different tiers of support (e.g., standard vs. premium) is key to knowing what you're paying for.
Why this is critical: This question cuts through the marketing-speak of "24/7 support." While chatbots are great for simple, repetitive questions, a crisis during a live event requires nuanced problem-solving from an experienced human who understands the time-sensitive nature of our industry.
The responses to these questions will tell you everything you need to know. A confident, detailed answer signifies a mature platform and an experienced team. Hesitation or vague responses are red flags. Ultimately, you are not just buying software; you are investing in a partnership that will directly impact your event's success and your own sanity. Use this line of questioning to ensure you're making a sound investment in a partner who is truly built for the realities of our industry. Ready to experience what a true all-in-one platform can do?
Book a demo with Eventcombo today.
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