August 2009: If you’re running an exhibition or any large-scale event, managing multiple schedules of VIP delegations and other logistical issues such as human resource planning can be extremely frustrating. Last minute changes crop up, resulting in panic and confusion.

Inchone, a provider of e-learning solutions, has developed i3DMX, a delegate management system, to help trade show organisers reduce the complications of managing multiple schedules of VIP delegations (senior government officials or prominent industry figures) and effectively utilise their time spent at exhibitions.

i3DMX is a Web-based tool that enables exhibition organisers to facilitate business matching by matching the meeting schedules of high profile visitors with the country hosts, delegates and exhibitors.

The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), a statutory board in Singapore that manages defence research and development, used the i3DMX to efficiently manage the schedules of several large overseas delegations who were flying in simultaneously for the International Maritime Defence Conference and Exhibition (IMDEX) in May this year. See picture above.

After IMDEX, DSTA will continue to use the system to manage the schedules of overseas delegations that the agency regularly hosts in Singapore.

Apart from appointment planning, the system also manages the scheduling of site visits, hotel and tour bookings, sending out and tracking of invitations, event registrations, and transportation arrangements. Other key features include a delegation sensitivity item for managing politically sensitive situations and group listings for compulsory events.

Changes to VIPs’ schedules are entered into the system by the liaison officer in charge or the trade organiser, hence, providing a centralised database of all changes and updates. Accessed via a single log-in/password on a computer, the liaison officer has a bird’s eye view of the VIPs’ daily schedules from their flight information to daily lunch appointments. Changes to the delegates’ meetings or appointment times are sent to them by SMS and email.

Dr Tay Chor Ter (above), CEO of Inchone says, “With i3DMX, the exhibition organiser has a cockpit view of their delegates’ schedules which will improve time management. Instead of relying on the traditional time-consuming method of putting various spreadsheets together, relying on handwritten notes and constantly printing out updated schedules, the alternative we offer ensures that the delegation’s time is well utilised and that the process is error-free.”

Available now in English and soon in Chinese, i3DMX has been deployed at nine shows in the last three years including IMDEX, Global Security Asia and Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2009.

More on Inchone

Founded in 2000 in Singapore, Inchone is a leading provider of online learning and training systems that enables organisations to transform knowledge into workplace productivity. It continually leverages the significant experience and expertise of its people in learning, software and product developments to deliver top quality, efficient and cost-effective learning systems for the clients.

Clients are from government/public sector, business, education and non-profit organisations.

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