Have you ever dreamed of upping your game with an app but figured it would take too much time, too much money and technical resources you just didn't have?  Merchants Paper Company tapped into the power of the IHUBApp that they already use for internal communications to build out a whole new digital experience for their conference attendees in less than a week!

They recently hosted their Merchants’ 2019 Sustainability Conference & Trade Show, not only showcasing their products but featuring guest speakers to encourage discussion around the advantages of moving forward with environmentally friendly products and practices. This year, they saw an opportunity to give their vendors, attendees and even suppliers a new way of connecting around that.

Merchants Paper Company has been supplying paper and goods to businesses in Southwestern Ontario since 1941, and they'll be the first to tell you they're "old-fashioned" when it comes to the way they treat clients. They say they come from "a time when a handshake was a contract, a smile was sincere, a relationship was more than a transaction and friendliness was a point of differentiation. We think this still happens to be a pretty good way to do business."

But when it comes to making sure that things run efficiently and that everyone's in the loop, Merchants Paper Company is anything but old-fashioned!  One of our very first customers, they've used the IHUBApp to power internal communications.  With a conference coming up, they imagined a new way of extending that to create a digital experience that not only made things easier for guests but shared that value right back to their suppliers. 

• They had the conference schedule, event map and even presentations from the conference available on their IHUBApp.

   

• For conference staff and vendors, they created a private channel to communicate important updates.

   

• They wanted to show their vendors and suppliers how they were promoting their products during the conference in real-time, so they posted photos and videos as they walked the floor.

   

• After the event was over, they were able to survey their guests to help make next year’s conference even better.

   

And because the IHUBApp is easy to use, they built this app in less than a week!

 

“As a supplier of disposable products such as packaging, sanitation and similar items, we felt that it was our duty to be at the forefront of presenting sustainable solutions to the customers we serve and to help them to make responsible choices.

While we have hosted many similar events in the past, this was the first to focus solely on sustainability.  We invited an array of Vendor partners to display their wares that have an environmental story to tell. In addition, we had a number of speakers shedding light on matters of importance to our environment and, specifically, how it is that end-users of their products can make choices about the products they use that consider the environment.”

 
 

Fabiola also talked about the challenge of creating a hyper-personal, digital experience for conference participants with very different backgrounds and needs.

“We had an amazing keynote speaker.  Dr. Rupp Carriveau really helped us to drive the message home that the actions we take today will have an impact on our collective future.  We had a large number of guests ranging from decision-makers in our varied customer base all the way down to elementary school students who, quite literally, are our future and the people whom our choices will affect.”

 

Fabiola explained how the IHUBApp helped bring them all together in a way that made the experience easier for participants to engage and for organizers to manage.

“Through the IHUBApp, we were able to keep everyone up to date.  We had less paperwork and more accurate information, including the floor plan, venue information, agenda, live pictures and the set-up required before the show started.  Vendors event used the pictures shared during the show as part of their presentations.”

 

Fabiola offered a few parting thoughts:

“This is truly a great product, great team, amazing tech support.  Our vendors, management team and staff using the IHUBApp had nothing but great feedback. They are excited to see what we do next!”

 

We’re excited to see what you do next too, Fabiola!  Congratulations to you and your teammates at Merchants Paper Company on creating an experience that also helped equip your participants with knowledge and options to shape a more sustainable future!

The IHUBApp lets you create digital experiences, from the biggest to the smallest.  Wondering how it does the heavy-lifting for a much larger event?  Take a peek at the way the Greater Augusta Arts Council celebrated creativity and culture with nearly 90,000 visitors at the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival with the IHUBApp!

Curious about how other businesses and organizations are using the IHUBApp?  Let them tell you in their own words here on our Clients page.

Wondering what else the IHUBApp can do?  Take a look at even more of its features here, then schedule a demo with our team.  We can't wait to show you what the IHUBApp can do to help boost YOUR engagement!