Connectivity has increased but closeness has not. Hopin, the leading platform for shared experiences which includes its all-in-one event management technology for virtual, hybrid and onsite event, aims to address that. Hopin’s Head of Sales for EMEA, Jack Hanratty addresses the issue of ‘closeness’ and what brands need to do to get a step ahead of their competitors.

Opening the session, Jack commented that “We’ve never been more connected but also more isolated at the same time. We’re looking for more meaningful content than ever because of everything that’s going on in the world. Closeness is a business-critical issue and, in this industry, we are uniquely positioned to address that.

“Connectivity has increased over time, but closeness has not. We are facing a closeness deficit – we are living in a world where we have never been more connected. Despite that, we’re more isolated, lonelier and looking for more meaningful conversations than we have ever done before.”

Jack continued by sharing that closeness equals quality over quantity. He also explained that closeness fuels growth, loyalty, and empowered teammates. As a result, customer experience management is expected to double to $14.9B by 2025 and now B2B customers are expecting a B2C experience.

“Who to trust has never been more relevant. While the industry still leads from a trust standpoint, we have seen a 9% drop in the trust for technology – the biggest drop in this industry’s history.

Talking about what businesses can do to help solve the closeness deficit, Jack said that “It’s essential to bring people together with shared experiences, meaningful conversations, creativity – the moments when you feel part of something before, during and after. Now more than ever we need to focus on inclusivity. Not just for in-person events, but also consider virtual.”

Closing, Jack stated that “If your community is both internal and external, you will outpace your competition. Addressing the closeness deficit will fuel business growth, customer loyalty and provide you with a competitive ‘moat’ which will set you apart from your competition and empower your teammates.”