Lead retrieval solution for event exhibitors

This was a completely new product, so we had no analytics data that could be used, and we gathered the information we needed through conversations with our clients and observing what exhibitors used to collect lead data. Most of them would do it through a regular barcode reader or manually through written forms or business cards note-taking.

I also made a competitor analysis. Most of the solutions were standalone apps where users could scan attendees’ badges or business cards and generate a list of leads and export it to a spreadsheet in order to upload it to a CRM software. They didn’t address the problem of context and only provided basic contact information.
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We decided we should add a lead retrieval feature to the event app, that way organizers could manage everything together. This would also allow us to make use of app data to provide more accurate and rich information on the attendees’ profiles.

This apps focused on organizing contact information from business cards. The apps couldn't be used by teams and mostly made use of the phone original contact list.

Some solutions were standalone apps, but other event app providers were also starting to provide this as a product. Goomeo was one of the most complete with a rating system. Those were all from abroad and didn't have a strong marketshare in Brazil.

Before creating the user flows, I led the team in a brainstorming session on features the product should have. We listed them according to each user type and made a simple voting round on which would provide more value based on the information we had.

I had to work in two different user flows, one for each user type. They would share some information and funtions, like adding users to a team, but would have differente amount of detail over the information. Organizers would have general numbers for each team, and exhibitors would have detailed information of the performance of each team member.

While working on this, we also discussed how the product would affect registration in the app for regular attendees, since it was important to connect their profile in the app to their credential number and event ticket information.

The new feature would be completely integrated with the event app already provided. It made use of the phone camera to read the event badge code to identify the participant and then create a lead for the exhibitor based on and linked to the attendee profile in the app.

The system already had all the exhibiting companies information for the app exhibitor’s guide. Organizers could then activate the feature for the companies that had purchased it, creating a team of users who had access to said feature. The concept of a team was important to overall performance analysis for managers.

As part of a lead retrieval team, people had access to a new menu with the list of all leads from their team and a simple performance report. Because it was important for the process to be fast, I added a quick access button to the app home page. This way, even if the app was closed, they could access the badge scan as soon as it loaded.

This feature would be hidden in the app until the user was added to a team. We needed to introduce it to the exhibitors who already had the app installed and guide exhibitors who hadn’t on how to create their app account to use it.

When exhibitors scanned a barcode or QR code on an attendee’s badge they would get their profile information in real-time. They could quickly confirm if all data was correct and not lose any information. Data would be up-to-date with the attendees' profile and linked to it for messaging within the app.

The help of our CEO and sales team was crucial to understanding how CRM softwares deal with lead data and bringing some of this information to our product. Because context was essential, besides the basic profile information, we also added a field for comments and rating. The rating had the objective of prioritizing contacts and segmenting them.

Exhibitors had access to reports showing the number of leads collected, the average lead rating and the individual team members’ performance. After the event, they could easily manage any duplicate leads and export all their lead data for upload in their own CRM. With both the app and the web platform, exhibitors could adapt to each moment of the event.

Organizers have a view of all the companies' performance. During the event, organizers could provide help to any teams they noticed who were underperforming. After the event, they could access the web platform for final results for any reports or negotiation.

With the project available and under development, we were able to reach an agreement with one of our clients, Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado, to use it in the next event. Very few exhibitors used it in the first event, but the response was positive and they decided to sell it for the next event. I and other 3 teammates went to a later event to collect feedback and observe how the product was being used.

We also agreed to provide collect for the exhibitors at RD Summit. mobLee was also participating as an exhibiting company and that gave us the opportunity to not only collect new feedback from exhibitors but also for our own team to experience it and create a stronger sales pitch. 
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The partnership with RD also brought our first integration, with RD Station, which is the leading digital marketing platform for lead management and automation in Brazil. The integration was a great differential for the exhibitors of this event.

Our focus on the team status brought some difficulties for individual contributors to find their own leads and manage them, specially during the event, where they didn't have access to a computer. So we brought more information to the app and filtering options, making it possible for each team member to see only their own status in the app, sort their leads and manage them.

Because exhibitors could see the attendee's data when scanning, data accuracy was a must. Last minute ticket transfers or registrations would not be found when reading a barcode, because the app hadn't download the new data in time. This would leave the impression that the app didn't work at all. To address this, in later iterations, we worked on data transfer performance and in later syncs with attendees’ profiles. The exhibitor is able to leave the profile blank and the app will automatically fill it later once it downloads the information.

Because the internet connection is a common problem in event venues, we decided the solution should be as offline as possible, making it compatible with and giving preference to vCards to have the complete information when scanning.

Internet connection also proved to be a challenge when sending the data to our server. When checking the leads on the web platform, exhibitors wouldn’t find specific leads and that would give them the impression that the product wasn’t working. To guarantee no lead was lost, we needed to show if any leads still needed to be synced and made several back-end adjustments to improve back ups.

When selling the solution to event organizers, one of our bigger barriers for the product, in the long run, would be obtaining the attendees’ data. Because of this, we made integrations with the bigger ticketing companies in Brazil: Sympla, and Eventbrite. Organizers who had their own registration software could either upload the attendees’ list via spreadsheet or pay for custom integration.

Collect is now used by more than 50% of the exhibitors in Reed Exhibitions events in Brazil and data showed it had a positive impact on exhibitors’ NPS responses. Companies who hire Collect consistently give the event a higher NPS score than those who don’t.
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Organizers who hire mobLee are adding Collect as a basic benefit to all sponsorship quotas and exhibitor contracts.
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This product also became one of the pillars in mobLee’s revenue and vision and helped the company acquire its series A round of investment.