Spotlight on NZ

Just tryin' to keep the customers satisfied

Frances Manwaring | 17 June 2009 | 2 Comments

I was lucky enough to have a ticket Simon and Garfunkel's first concert of their world tour in Auckland last weekend.  When I say lucky, I mean it, because it was a fabulous concert, but also because the tickets sold out in something ludicrous like nine minutes.

A couple of years ago I watched the DVD of S&G's Central Park Concert held in 1974 at the peak of their fame and shortly before an acrimonious split.  The faces were fresher, Art's voice was more sublime, but in essence what I saw on Saturday was not dissimilar in repertoire or quality.  The biggest difference was that it was live - I was part of the audience cheering the great men's every utterance, as opposed to being a spectator watching the enthusiasm of others on the DVD.  It's just not the same singing along to a DVD as it is singing along with 11,999 other excited people, but I still had tears in my eyes watching it.

But....the ticket prices were eye-wateringly high, return air tickets at peak times over the weekend don't come cheap, nor do down-town hotel rooms, food and drink, getting from airport to downtown to venue and back.   And then there's the temptation to succumb to the blandishments of new shops!   If one were to be mercenary about it, such events really need to deliver big time to justify such high price tags.

Of course, with a concert involving two of the greatest contemporary musicians, that's not really the point is it?  But, in the business world there has to be a measurable return on investment to warrant the outlay and time consumption of attending an event and the opportunity loss of whatever else you could be doing instead to achieve business growth.  In many cases, it really isn't necessary to actually be there and attending virtual events in many cases achieves results with minimum cost and disruption to business.  Plus you don't' end up knackered with aching feet.  Granted, you don't get free sweeties or pens, but virtual goodie bags can contain some surprisingly tasty offerings!

Adding a virtual 'last city on the tour' event or a virtual track running simultaneously with a physical one great ways of ensuring that people don't miss out whether it is because the event sells out or because they can't afford to be there, or can't be there at the right time. 

While S&G agreed to stage an extra concert for their fans who missed out on tickets, I'd put a lot of money on the fact that there were still many who would have moved heaven and earth to be there for whom financially or because of timing, seeing their idols was simply out of the question.  In the music world you can buy the DC or DVD of the concert.  In the business world, virtual events technology should mean no-one has to miss out...come the day!

Tags: Simon and Garfunkel, Auckland concerts, virtual events, virtual technology