9 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Connect

Our Connect Customer Conference happens every two years, so there’s no time to waste once it rolls around. With that in mind, how do you get the most out of it? We asked some of our team members for suggestions, and they covered a lot. Check it out!

Trevor Gruenewald is keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Connect has many opportunities, and he’s encouraging attendees to take advantage of them.

Trevor said, “Immerse yourself in technology and industry trends and discussions. This year, we've significantly expanded our focus to explore more of the hot topics and industry trends that matter most to your business. You won’t miss in-depth talks about artificial intelligence (AI) in business, cybersecurity, emerging market opportunities, industry disruptions, proven best practices, and so much more. Each session is designed to provide takeaway action items you can apply immediately upon returning to your business."

Sarah Hagan knows that the best way to get the most out of Connect is with a plan. If you figure out which sessions you want to attend, when you want to visit the tech lab, and which booths you want to visit in the expo hall, you’ll have a much more fulfilling time at Connect.

As Sarah said, “To maximize your experience at our conference, I recommend planning your agenda strategically before the event. We know it is not easy to take three days out of your busy schedule to join us, so reviewing our session lineup, sponsors who will be at our expo hall, and hours of our Tech Lab and Customer Support Center ahead of time can be helpful. With over 225 product, industry, and business resource sessions, it’s impossible to attend everything, so divide and conquer with a colleague if they will also be at Connect. By proactively mapping out your conference strategy, you'll extract maximum value from every moment at ECI Connect.”

For Matt Heerey, Connect is all about learning from each other. You can learn a lot just by talking to someone with a business like yours.

As Matt said, “Some of the greatest value customer attendees receive from attending Connect is learning from their peers. Customers should come to sit at meals with attendees who use the same product. They should make a point to ask questions about best practices for how other attendees use different modules or how they solve a particular business process or challenge. Often, they will find somebody who has found a better way to do something in the software. Or, even just by trading ideas and experiences back and forth, both parties will devise new ideas to try. Second to sitting in our sessions, customers often benefit from this most.”

Scott Duman also recommends that attendees learn from each other, but he encourages collaboration on more than just software tips.

As Scott said, “My tip would be for customers to network with other builders of their size or larger builders if they are planning to grow. Also, to seek out individuals from other organizations that have the same or similar roles. I’ve witnessed many great conversations and knowledge sharing at past conferences, and I’d suggest it to anyone attending.”

John Maiuri focuses on the future and what we can plan for. Connect is a great way to learn what to expect for businesses as we head toward 2025.

John said, “This year, on the heels of the hyperactivity in our industry during the COVID years, provides unique insights into emerging trends such as ecommerce and artificial intelligence. Our opening session for building supply businesses will outline our multi-year strategy for the modernization of our core go-forward solutions and our further investments in our deeply integrated ecommerce platform using AI, upgrades to our hosting services, and deeper use of AI within new data analytic tools.”

Brian Bowerfind is looking forward and prioritizing connections. Connect is where we’ll talk about new features and updates, and it gives our customers the chance to talk directly with our leadership.

Brian said, “Attendees will be among the first to see and understand the latest features and updates in our ERP and ecommerce solutions. This will give them a competitive edge and the opportunity to optimize their operations. Our top leadership will also be present. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with decision-makers, ask questions, and provide feedback that could influence the future of our solutions.”

Laryssa knows the Connect Customer Conference will help our office technology customers get ahead of the competition.

Laryssa said, “Attending this year’s Connect customer conference is crucial for office technology businesses looking to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. We won’t just be talking about trends; we’ll also dive headfirst into game-changing solutions that are turning the industry on its head, like our EvolutionX ecommerce integration with e-automate. By joining us this year, you’ll walk away with concrete strategies to fuel your growth to stay miles ahead of the competition.”

Brian Ernst is also thinking about making strong connections. Due to scheduling conflicts, it’s been six years since his last Connect, and he’s thrilled to be going back.

As Brian said, “After a six-year absence from Connect due to Industry Week conflicts, I am excited to get in front of a group of distribution customers to learn about their businesses in an ever-changing environment, understand where they see opportunities, and then determine how we can help with our products, either now or in the future.”

For Anna Grubb, Connect is a great time to share some new things in the field service division’s products and network with customers.

Anna said, “I’m most excited about showcasing our new features of e-automate and Printanista integration and seeing our customers.” She recommends that all field service customers should find her and chat.

Our Connect Customer Conference will be a priceless opportunity to further your business, whether through a deeper understanding of your software, networking with other ECI customers, or both. We can’t wait to see you there! Make sure you’re signed up.