Two months ago, I interviewed Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti whose goMed2Med matchmaking tool was due to be used at the UBM show CPhI in Frankfurt. At that time, we agreed to do a second interview once the show was over to review the results and talk about the lessons learnt. I caught up with him last week at the CPHI show itself to do just that.
1.Tesi: Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti, as you know CPhI is now over. How did it go?
Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti: CPhI Worldwide in Frankfurt was marvellous – a fantastic event! It is definitely the world-leading pharmaceutical platform. This is the second time that the show organiser has used our match-and-meet service, and it was a tremendous success. We organised so many meetings – the matchmaking area itself was fully booked, and five times more meetings were booked at exhibitor stands than usual. We are delighted to have been able to support so many customers.
2.Tesi: How did your tool perform this time? Can you share any specific user feedback or results?
Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti: User feedback was very positive – you only need to look at the number of arranged meetings to understand what a success it was. In the months running up to the show, we also supported users via phone and mail to configure our system settings according to their needs. Interestingly, 42% of our automated matches led to a meeting request, which goes to show the high quality of our algorithm.
3.Tesi: What new lessons did you learn? Do you have a roadmap for further improvements?
Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti: In collaboration with UBM, we will open our match-and-meet system for upcoming events even earlier than we did this year. We will also enhance the functionality of the system’s meeting agenda. The software is something you have to continuously improve by listening to your users – it will never be finished!
4.Tesi: Looking forward, how would you describe the future of matchmaking in the exhibition industry in general?
Dr. Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti: Matchmaking is an integral component of events, that’s for sure. By supporting exhibitors and visitors to use their precious time in the best possible way, we hope to ensure our future success. We analyse data from past shows to prepare effectively for future events. The goal is to have a year-round matchmaking solution binding customers to events and increasing communication at all times. Matchmaking can’t be compared with social media – it’s about supporting those people who share the same interests.
Thank you very much for your time,
Tesi
