FCM Meetings and Events general manager Katie Fraser has called on event planners to move beyond basic attendee data collection, arguing personalisation efforts are failing because organisations rarely define how the data they gather will be used.
Personalisation demand outpaces execution
Speaking at a Spice Knowledge Sessions panel, Fraser said research shows 79 per cent of event leaders now prioritise personalisation in their programs, up four per cent year-on-year. Despite this, more than half of event planners offer no more than basic personalisation such as dietary and accessibility accommodations, while only 16 per cent personalise networking and 15 per cent personalise session recommendations.
Fraser said the gap stems from registration processes designed to confirm attendance rather than understand motivation. “Most registration forms are still designed to get someone through a door, but it’s also important to understand why they walked through it,” Fraser said. “If you’re only asking who’s coming, you’ll only ever be able to react to your event. Ask why, and you can start designing the event before the door even opens, not after it closes.”
Post-event measurement also under scrutiny
Fraser argued that standard satisfaction surveys obscure how attendees actually engaged with an event. “A five-out-of-five satisfaction score can hide someone who attended one session all day. A neutral score can hide someone who attended five,” she said.
On data collection limits, Fraser pointed to Qualtrics research showing 64 per cent of consumers prefer tailored experiences, but only 39 per cent believe the benefits justify the privacy trade-off. She said planners should apply a simple test before collecting or using attendee data: “Before you ask for a piece of data, ask yourself what decision it will actually inform. And before you use it, ask whether the person in front of you would reasonably expect you to know it.”
For corporate travel buyers and event planners working with FCM Meetings and Events, the comments point to a shift in how event technology and data strategy are being positioned within program design, with Fraser describing effective event technology as one that “removes friction” rather than becoming the focus of the experience itself.
