Savvy Selection of Payment Conferences in 2014!

This time of year is always conducive to planning and goal-setting for the year ahead.  For me this involves a review of all the conference notifications and invites.  There seems to be so many for the payments and cards industry and it can be overwhelming trying to select the most relevant ones for your business.

Looking at the range of payment conferences across Europe and the US, it’s a worthwhile exercise to review them and figure out which ones would be most beneficial to attend.  Unless you’re learning new topics, networking with relevant industry people or expanding your knowledge/business prospects in some way then there’s little point in signing up for them!

Depending on the business topics you are dealing with, you can pick up a lot of info at the right event and with careful planning it doesn’t have to set you back too much cost-wise.  Retail expos are also usually free or low cost and you can pick up lots of useful insights attending the specialist mini seminars and simply talking to the exhibitors. 

For me personally in 2013, there were two stand-outs - Payments Innovation Harvard in Boston and Cartes in Paris.

At the Harvard event, I gained fantastic insight into US developments and enjoyed high quality talks from key industry speakers including Al Gore, who spoke about the concept of the Global Mind (what happens when technology connects people and information rendering us fairly inseparable).  This is now coming up again next month and I would strongly recommend it. At Cartes, I learnt a huge amount about the latest trends and innovations in mobile payment, NFC, biometrics, M2M and related businesses.  Overall there was a great mix of diverse sessions, which gave me great exposure to the unique challenges and opportunities facing the industry.  

Dinah Tobias coordinates the Payment Forward Networking forum in London, which brings together senior professionals from across the payments industry on a regular basis.  Their events give industry specialists the chance to discuss issues affecting our industry through a series of debates, discussions and networking events.  A recent data security event at Vendorcom was very insightful and provided an up-to-date view on this pertinent issue.  Looking at the 2014 calendar there are a range of topical debates taking place in London, which are certainly worth checking out.  Likewise the payments regulation event, also in London, this coming April is very comprehensive looking and probably well worth attending.

Throughout Europe there are a few larger events scheduled for 2014, the first of which is the Merchant Payments Ecosystem conference in February, taking place in Berlin which is set to be a key event for those of us researching the evolution and impact of payment systems worldwide. This is one I am really looking forward to attending.

With mobile payments a hot topic in the industry, the number of events dealing with this area have increased recently.  I’ve attended a few and find that the same issues are re-hashed and it’s tricky to come across something new or useful.  I’d advise doing some research on the speakers and companies attending to make sure it’s relevant for your business interests, as these tend to be pretty expensive too.

You don’t have to give up a whole day or week to gain something.  I was at a variety of short afternoon events last year, for example a recent Vendercom afternoon.

With clever planning can get you a lot of information, insights and contacts.  I also find that taking a day or two out from grind helps with thinking and I always come back with clearer thoughts on my own business priorities.

The key lies in setting out your objectives and what you want to achieve from the events.  Early bird offers, or attending some of the mini sessions can save money and ensure you get the most from your budget for this type of activity.  In fact where possible, never pay full price. Either book early and take discounts or book late and haggle!

My immediate priority is to get organized for Money2020 in November in Las Vegas.  I’m watching closely on Twitter to see all their announcements and discounts –well worth following them on @money2020!   It’s in its third year and is considered by all accounts to be the most professional, innovative and forward-thinking event for our industry.  Anil and the team run a fantastic show and they’re expecting around 4500 attendees from more than 1750 companies for 2014, which will make for an excellent networking and learning opportunity.