Business
Eventbrite platform provides unique service for organising free or paid-for events
There are very few technology products which meet with almost universal approval, actually deliver on their promise – and which are available for free to users around the world.
Eventbrite is one of those, and right now it’s being used to administer about 250 events in the West of Ireland.
For those unfamiliar with the product, it is the world’s largest self-service ticketing platform, a web-based application which allows organisers to set up and control access to their events.
It is free to use for free events but it has the capability to set up paid-for events at a relatively low cost to the organiser. And uniquely the product is the same regardless of whether it’s free or paid for.
Maricka Burke-Keogh, founder of Online Marketing in Galway, says that the group would not have grown so quickly or lasted as long without Eventbrite.
“It’s simple to use and has no cost for us in most cases,” she says.
“Since we organise OMiG on a voluntary basis we don’t have time to devote to the control of ticketing, even if it is free. Eventbrite does that for us,” she adds.
That’s a point also taken up by Marino Fresch, Head of Marketing at Eventbrite, who was guest speaker at last week’s OMiG monthly event.
“Technology has revolutionised our lives but it can also lead to isolation, making it harder to make personal or inter-group connections because our time is scarce,” he says.
“Eventbrite applies modern technology to live events, allowing people to connect at events, rather than over Skype or social media.”
In some ways Eventbrite seems to be the modern equivalent of the RSVP allowing organisers track who’s attending their events.
However it goes further because it can be used to collect payments securely where required, issue refunds, obtain feedback from attendees and provide powerful analytical tools for the organisers.
Organisers can get a better understanding of their audience and improve their event or bring in other businesses to add value to it.
“For years people have been organising brilliant events but the user experience in booking places or paying was, to say the least, haphazard,” says Marino.
“Eventbrite solves this problem for events catering for between 10 and 10,000 people.
It has recently launched reserved seating for events and is using crowd-sourcing to develop a library of conference or meeting lay-outs for venues across the world.”
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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