The Evolution of Event Apps: Why Customization Matters

Event apps have become a central tool for both planners and attendees: they are the main hub of information, the starting point of networking, and have become practically indispensable to an event. This year marks five years since the pandemic, which reshaped event technology as we knew it and pushed it into uncharted territory. The event app has greatly transformed, keeping up with a technology landscape that is constantly evolving, matching the expectations of clients who now have concrete demands and rightfully so—expecting a high standard with outstanding deliverables. One size fits all, in fact, does not fit anybody. Customization is key to creating technology that aids both the organizer and the attendee.

A Decade of Progress

Event apps have come a long way since their introduction, evolving from basic event schedules to platforms that enable networking, personalized engagement, and real-time interaction. Smartphones are now an essential part of our daily lives—there is an app for virtually everything, and that comes with the expectation that there will be an app for an event and a community as well. In an information-saturated world, people expect to collect all their event details in a centralized manner. It is unrealistic to assume they will go searching for information in different places.

The Gaps in Event Tech

Yet, despite the progress, event organizers and attendees still face challenges. Many existing platforms are built on a rigid framework that does not adapt to the unique needs of different events. Organizers struggle with inflexible pricing models, limited customization options, and lack of integrations, while attendees often find event apps difficult to navigate, cluttered, or lacking key functionalities. Instead of enhancing the event experience, these platforms can create more frustration than value.

Another key issue is support. Many platforms operate under a self-service model, leaving event professionals to troubleshoot on their own. This approach might work for simple solutions, but when managing a complex event, planners need expert guidance to ensure everything runs smoothly. Without the ability to tailor their tools to their needs or rely on dedicated support, many organizations find themselves compromising on quality.

How We Answered the Challenge

We did what we always do: listened to our clients. More and more organizations were seeking a solution that would create the most seamless and effortless experience for their attendees—from signing up for the event and submitting their abstracts to accessing post-event materials and staying connected with the community. In response to this high demand, we expanded our platform to include two essential features: Abstract Management and Event Registration. These were carefully developed to ensure organizations could efficiently handle submissions, reviews, and registrations while maintaining a smooth connection to the event app.

We provide a platform that offers what we believe is essential for many of our clients while also giving them the space to integrate what they like. Our system adapts to the unique needs of each event. We don’t push a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, we help our clients choose what works best for them, and we adapt to that.

Some examples of how we integrate seamlessly:

• If an organization prefers their existing abstract management system but wants a seamless way to connect registration and the event app into one cohesive system, we have a solution for that.
• If attendees are already familiar with a long-standing registration system that holds all their data, there’s no need to change it—we integrate with it.
• If an organization is struggling with a clunky abstract management system and constantly dealing with the headache of importing abstracts into session information, we can offer a better solution.

A Smarter Approach to Event Management

Beyond expanding our platform with abstract management and event registration, we continuously explore ways to enhance our product suite based on conversations with our clients. Our approach ensures that organizations have access to the essential tools they need to run their events efficiently.

This is powered by our incredible partner network—industry leaders who have spent the last decade or more developing specialized products that integrate seamlessly into our system. By leveraging this expertise and our collaborative efforts, we maintain the highest quality deliverables while offering a flexible, tailored solution to every client.

The customization, the choice of integrations, and the ease for both event teams and attendees—these are all things we discuss together to find the right solution for each client.

Conclusion

The future of event technology is not about forcing everything into a rigid package. It’s about flexibility, customization, and delivering the right solutions for each unique event. At Conference Compass, we’ve designed our platform to evolve with the needs of our clients, offering personalized support, seamless integrations, and the freedom to choose the best tools for their events. By focusing on quality and adaptability, we’re able to provide a top-tier attendee experience while ensuring event organizers have the control and insights they need to drive success. We stay ahead of the event tech development curve and always push to find a better solution for our clients and their audience. And that’s what pushes us forward, always.

(This article was first published as a sponsored post written by Conference Compass on EventMB. The article has been rewritten to be up-to-date Find the original article here.)