Background
The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) hosted its largest annual meeting to date from 26 to 30 April 2025 in Boston. Focused on advancing knowledge in heart and lung transplantation, the event brought together over 4,500 attendees from around the globe, along with 500 to 600 speakers and a wide array of exhibitors. Central to its mission were promoting continued education, fostering equal access for attendees, and creating valuable networking opportunities.
With aspirations to elevate the attendee experience and streamline operations, the ISHLT team sought a partner equipped to handle the complexities of its growing event.
Event Goals
- Enhancing the attendee experience with seamless badge printing and efficient check-in processes.
- Simplifying lead capture for exhibitors to boost engagement and satisfaction.
- Integrating their existing registration system (Impexium AMS) for smooth attendee management.
- Partnering with an event solution provider capable of delivering real-time data access, branding flexibility, and superior technical and on-site support.
Challenges
- Limited access to real-time data, causing delays and inefficiencies.
- Slow onsite badge printing processes, leading to longer check-in times and attendee frustration.
- Insufficient exhibitor support for lead retrieval, prompting issues raised by exhibitors during past events.
- Lack of scale and advanced technology to handle ISHLT’s growing requirements for their global events and meetings program.
Solution
CrowdComms addressed ISHLT’s pain points with a comprehensive and tailored approach.
Streamlined Badge Printing and Check-In: CrowdComms delivered seamless badge printing and check-in with proactive on-site support, producing 4,579 unique badges efficiently. Attendees praised the process, while impressed vendors sought CrowdComms’ contact details for future events.
Exhibitor Lead Capture: Achieving a 75% adoption rate, CrowdComms’ intuitive lead capture tool redefined exhibitor support. For this event, exhibitors ordered directly from CrowdComms, streamlining the process and ensuring hassle-free setup for the organiser. The platform received exceptional feedback, with exhibitors praising its simplicity and effectiveness.
Advanced Integration with Impexium AMS: CrowdComms developed a custom API to integrate ISHLT’s Impexium AMS, ensuring smooth registration management. Challenges were overcome to deliver flawless performance during the event.
Exceptional Support: CrowdComms’ team offered unmatched support throughout the event planning and execution stages. From proactive troubleshooting by team members to attentive on-site assistance by Tom and other CrowdComms staff, ISHLT’s team was consistently reassured by their dedication. The collaborative approach ensured a positive experience for attendees, exhibitors, and ISHLT stakeholders.
Outcome
ISHLT’s 2025 Annual Meeting was a meaningful step forward in improving how attendees and exhibitors experience their events. With support from CrowdComms, the team was able to simplify operations, reduce onsite friction, and introduce tools that better served a growing and diverse audience. While challenges were part of the process, they were met with strong collaboration, responsiveness, and a shared focus on delivering a smooth and professional experience. The positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors reinforces the impact of these changes, and both teams look forward to building on this progress in future events.