“ Given the circumstances and uncertainty leading up to the event, with ever-changing government Covid guidelines, it is a testament to the teams professionalism and customer-centric approach that everything went as smoothly as it did....

This event took place in July 2021 just as Covid restrictions were beginning to be lifted. With Government guidelines constantly changing, the Museum worked with the client to adopt a hybrid approach and successfully delivered the event.

Eacs are experts in the delivery of IT services and are the trusted provider of IT solutions and managed IT services to a wide range of UK organisations.

 ‘Optimise IT’ is eacs' flagship marketing event that has been a fixture in IT decisions makers calendars for over 18 years. In 2020, during the height of the Covid pandemic, eacs took the event virtually with great success. But, as businesses started to transition back to ‘normality’, eacs wanted to bring Optimise IT back to a physical in-person event.

 Why eacs chose the British Motor Museum:

eacs knew that for the event to be a success the venue needed to be centrally located and had the appropriate safety precautions in place to enable delegates to feel safe and confident in attending.

Having used the British Motor Museum previously, they knew that the large flexible conference spaces and the added attraction of the Museum would enable them to maximise attendance. In addition, eacs were confident that all the safety precautions the Museum had put in place would reassure their delegates.

About the event – taking a hybrid approach:

The event took place in July 2021 just as Covid restrictions were beginning to be lifted. Despite the challenges and the ongoing uncertainty around lockdown restrictions, eacs were determined to push ahead with their Optimise IT event.

As a business, they saw this event as an important step to getting back to some normality, and it was clear that their customers were looking for help and guidance in prioritising their future IT investment following what had been a challenging year. Whilst for some of their clients there was an appetite and desire to get back to meetings as normal, there was still an element of trepidation amongst others. As a result, they decided to take a Hybrid approach and provide delegates with the opportunity to attend in person or virtually.

This proved to be a wise decision as days before the event with over 150 registered to attend in person and over 90 attending virtually, the government extended lockdown restrictions which resulted in a number of delegates switching their registration from physical to a virtual presence in the lead up to the event.

 The virtual element of the event was supported by Mustard Presentations, one of the Museum's preferred suppliers, supported the live streaming via eacs' 'Optimise IT' virtual event platform. eacs where delighted with the professional service that Mustard Presentations provided, which included a bespoke stage and backdrop, which enabled a really positive experience for both physical and virtual attendees.

Eacs added to the in-person delegate experience by incorporating time to explore the Museum within the event agenda. Whilst entry to the Museum is part of the Day Delegate package eacs also requested a special guided tour, which proved to be extremely popular and ensured that the majority of delegates stayed until the end of the event. At the break and lunch interval periods, attendees also had the opportunity to visit exhibition stands and ask the experts their burning questions, all whilst keeping to COVID safety protocols that were in place.

   

As part of the exhibition area, eacs hosted a Modern Workplace area which looked at some of the newest innovative technology solutions as well as a Microsoft Teams area which was led by some of the leading manufacturers of Teams Rooms equipment. Attendees were able to view demos and try some of technology out first-hand, and the stand proved to be very popular for those who attended Optimise in person.

Richard Puckey, Head of Compliance & Facilities and event organiser, said "The team who supported us throughout the event were fantastic. The flexibility shown by the team enabled us to pull together and ultimately put on an event that achieved our objectives. Given the circumstances and uncertainty leading up to the event, with ever-changing government guidelines, it is a testament to their professionalism and customer-centric approach that everything went as smoothly as it did"

"The feedback from delegates has been extremely positive. They really enjoyed the layout of the venue and the opportunity to visit the Museum, especially the guided tour. Due to the event's success, we are already looking to arrange a similar event at the Museum in the coming months."

eacs received some fantastic feedback from those who attended in person. One attendee said “Great to get to a physical IT Conference today run by eacs at the British Motor Museum. Some interesting discussions around what our networks look like now and how to secure them going forward.” Another attendee even noted the air conditioning which was especially important as Optimise was being held inside during the summer on a very warm day!