After serving on the planning team for two years acting as project lead for one, my excitement for Avaya ENGAGE continues to grow day by day. I love getting to see how the partnership between Avaya and IAUG grows each year and how that growth is showcased at our annual event.
I also enjoy being on the attendee side of conferences; I’m a 2-year veteran of Higher Logic SuperForum, and I’ve also been able to attend Enterprise Connect and the IAUG South Africa Conference. I’ve picked up a lot of conference-goer tips and tricks along the way, so I’m delighted to share a few to help you make the most of your Avaya ENGAGE experience.
DO: Download the Avaya ENGAGE mobile app.
In an effort to be more environmentally conscious this year, we’re putting all of the conference information in our mobile app instead of printing. Inside you’ll find a live map to help you get from place to place around the venue, sponsor locations, our Passport to Prizes game, and the agenda builder. This app is perhaps the most important tool for navigating the conference, so make sure you check your email for instructions on how to download.
DON’T: Forget your charging cables.
There’s no feeling quite as upsetting as being in the midst of a productive day of networking and learning when you realize your device battery has quickly dwindled to 5%. We’ll have stations set up around the Phoenix Convention Center for you to recharge while catching up on a few emails between sessions. Just bring the cables for your devices and we’ll take care of the rest!
DO: Divide and conquer.
Are you attending Avaya ENGAGE with colleagues? If so, this is the perfect opportunity to sit down and make sure you’re covering all the bases with your team. Perhaps you’ll designate one person for cloud topics, another for artificial intelligence, and another for professional development. Maybe you’ll set geographic zones for each person so they can create their agendas accordingly. The possibilities are limitless, but it’s a good idea to have a game plan so you can share highlights afterward. (Pro tip: if you’re travelling to the conference alone—or even if you’re not—be sure to stop by the IAUG booth to make dozens of new connections from day one!)
DON’T: Leave your new connections hanging.
While there are many big names who will be attending Avaya ENGAGE (read: Magic Johnson), the most important people are the ones with whom you connect onsite. This conference is your annual opportunity to meet new people in the telecommunications IT field and grow your professional network. Remember the app I mentioned previously? This will also house all of the contact information for the people you meet—plus, you can add a note to remind yourself how you met the person and the topics you discussed. Make sure you reach out to them on LinkedIn or send them an email after the conference to keep the momentum going.
DO: Review on-demand sessions after the conference.
For the second year in a row, recordings of conference sessions will now be available on-demand for all attendees. This is a great way to catch up on content you may have missed or refer back to a specific talking point that piqued your interest. This is already included in the price of your conference registration, so don’t let this benefit go to waste!
Bonus tip: Have fun!
The most important thing to remember while attending Avaya ENGAGE? Have fun! It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of being out of the office and travelling to a new place, but this really is the best time of the year to focus on advancing your career, growing your network, and optimizing your telecom IT strategies. One easy way to make sure you have fun is to mark your calendar for the Avaya Welcome Party at Chase Field and the IAUG “Under the Stars” closing party. Both are great opportunities to meet new faces and reconnect with familiar ones!
