Special times naturally also raise new questions. To prepare you for the virtual Formnext Connect, we have answered the most frequently asked questions in the FAQs and show you the most important functions for your successful Formnext Connect participation in the How-to video tutorials. If there are any questions left unanswered, our contact persons are always available to help you.
General questions
Who will participate as an exhibitor at Formnext Connect 2020?
An overview of the current status of exhibitors at Formnext Connect can be found here.
What is the current mood on Formnext Connect?
The response to the Formnext Connect has been very positive. Although many regret the cancellation of the Formnext exhibition, the Formnext community is looking forward to join the virtual platform for the AM industry in November.
How many visitors are expected at Formnext Connect?
Unfortunately, a binding statement on the number of visitors is understandably not yet possible. In 2019, Formnext welcomed almost 35,000 visitors, all of whom will be invited to Formnext Connect again this year through extensive marketing and PR measures. The varied and informative program inspires the potential visitors and then, in combination with the low logistical effort, ensures a high level of attractiveness and participation in Formnext Connect.
What are the key features of the platform?
The focus of Formnext Connect lies on three pillars:
- A matchmaking, which is based on artificial intelligence;
- a three-day program of live interviews, expert contributions, seminars, press events, etc. provided by the organizer and exhibitors;
- and the TCT Conference.
Exhibitors can provide content in so-called sessions and roundtables in live or on-demand. Both formats can be booked for a fee.
In which languages will the platform be available?
The platform will be presented in English and German.
Is it possible to integrate own chat programs (e.g. teams) for the online chats or web meetings?
No, the chat function is only available on the Formnext Connect platform. No own chat programs can be integrated.
In what form can livestreams and recorded film contributions be integrated?
On the platform there are three possibilities of integrating video contributions:
- on company or product profiles;
- contentwise with roundtables and sessions and
- as videochat in the customer contact.
On company and product profiles, videos from the platforms YouTube and Vimeo are integrated via link. For roundtables and sessions, there is the option of using live transmission or playing prepared videos. The video chat with customers is always live.
Is an upgrade possible at any time?
Yes, the upgrade is also possible directly in the platform.
Is all content only available on the Formnext Connect platform or is it also provided on the regular homepage?
An exhibitor list will be available on the Formnext homepage to provide interested parties with information about the exhibitors at Formnext Connec.
Exhibitor packages
Is an upgrade possible at any time?
Yes, the upgrade is also possible directly in the platform.
Co-Exhibitors
Can co-exhibitors be registered or must they register themselves?
Instead of a booth, every company has their own profile in Formnext Connect. There is no opportunity to present another company. So being a co-exhibitor is not possible.
How-to tutorials
Onboarding
In this tutorial you will be guided through the registration process and see how to maintain your profile and that of your team members. The free text fields (Headline, About me) in the profiles should be filled in bilingual or in English to ensure an optimal international customer approach.
Teams
In this video we show you the individual options of the teams function. In addition to the calendar possibilities, you can discover the company chat and your lead list. These functions will be available at the end of October.
Matchmaking
In our next video we will show you the matchmaking function as well as other functions of your start screen. Matchmaking will be possible from the beginning of November, as soon as the visitor enters the platform.
Leads
Is the number of leads guaranteed?
The assessment of leads is based on previous experience with the physical trade fair. We cannot guarantee a number.
Are the leads qualified?
Using the matchmaking function, customers are suggested according to their selected interests.
What are inbound leads?
Inbound leads include all participants who have visited the company profile, an employee profile or a product profile. Additionally, all participants with whom an interaction (video call/text chat) took place. The participants can, be contacted via the platform beyond the event. If the maximum number is reached, the following leads will not be shown anymore. An update of the package is then possible via the platform.
Inbound Lead list
Each team member sees the inbound leads list and can edit it individually. We recommend that there is someone from your team to keep track of the list and set up appointments for the colleagues if necessary. In addition, each team member can work individually with his list of interested parties and his recommendations on the start page.
What are Contacts?
Contacts have been made either through a scheduled meeting or a mutual interest (match) with someone. They are available to start chatting or to request a meeting with.
Which data can be exported from the platform?
Contacts can be exported from the platform. No personal data will be passed on in this process.
Login
Is there a deadline for registration and filling the profiles?
At the end of October, all visitors will have access to Formnext Connect. Therefore we recommend to book the package and fill in the exhibitor profile by 20.10.2020 to be found by as many visitors as possible. However, there is no official deadline, so you can also decide for a participation at Formnext Connect spontaneously.
When will I receive the access data for the platform?
After binding registration you will receive an e-mail with the login data for Formnext Connect from 05.10.2020.
When do visitors start coming to the platform?
The visitors, representatives of the press and other participants will have access to Formnext Connect from 28.10.2020.
Matchmaking
Do visitors have to approach exhibitors proactively?
No, registration questions are used to request preferences which are automatically matched with the exhibitor.
In addition, visitors can also proactively search for exhibitors
Can appointments with experts be arranged (via a calendar)?
All the meetings you've scheduled for Formnext Connect and events you'd like to attend can be found in my schedule in one convenient location. An export of your meetings to your external calendar is possible.
How does the matchmaking work?
Using the matchmaking function, customers are suggested according to the selected interests during their registration, but you can also actively search for customers. Among the various suggestions, you can choose whether you are interested in the contact or want to reject it. If both parties are interested, a match is created.
Based on further information such as transaction data, search patterns and existing contacts, further contact recommendations are automatically made.
How can visitors be invited to the platform?
In order to invite visitors to the Formnext Connect, we recommend a marketing campaign by email or mail. You will receive a discount code of 100%, which you can provide to your customers. Your contacts can order a ticket via our ticket shop and will get access to Formnext Connect free of charge. If you need further advice on this, please do not hesitate to contact us.
How can we get in contact with visitors?
In case of a match the customer can be contacted via text chat. The chat function is active until 31.12.2020. Alternatively, you can always request an appointment for a virtual meeting (video call) with your preferred contacts. The meeting function is available since 03 November 2020 and until 20 November 2020 inclusive.
How do meetings work on the platform?
The meeting function is available since 03 November 2020 and until 20 November 2020 inclusive. Please note that meetings can only be arranged on a weekly basis. The virtual meeting room is available to you 24 hours during this period. A meeting is always a 1-1 video call. Once you have created a meeting, you will find it under my „My schedule“. Here you can add more people tot he call. In the video call you also have the possibility to share your screen.
Is it possible for an exhibitor to rename his meeting room?
Unfortunately it is not possible to name the meeting room individually. The name is always "Virtual Meeting Room".
Technical information for video calls
With internet-based applications like Whereby, your internet and network connection play a key role in proper use of the application. In many cases there isn't an error with the entire underlying system, but instead a network condition that's causing things to not work right. There are several things to check on if you're experiencing network connection issues, or getting a message in your room that you're having network problems, and these have been detailed below.
Firewall
We do understand that many organizations prefer to route their network traffic through a firewall to improve privacy and security. However, because Whereby is a peer to peer service, we do need some traffic to be allowed through the firewall. We require that outgoing traffic via TCP and UDP on port 443 is open, so this change will need to be made by your network administrator.
Proxy or VPN
At the moment we don't use a static range of IP addresses for Whereby's servers, so we don't recommend using Whereby behind a proxy or VPN. In some cases users will have initial success using Whereby behind these services, but in many cases those users do end up experiencing connection issues at some point in time.
Browser
We recommend that you update your browser to the latest version. As Microsoft Internet Explorer is a discontinued model, please do not use it for the video calls.
What is the company chat?
You can find the company chat in the menu under Teams. It can be viewed and answered by all team members. A company can always be contacted. It is useful to name a person from your team who is responsible for the chat.
Press
How are press conferences displayed on the platform?
Since exhibitors will not be on site in Frankfurt this year, providing a room with the necessary equipment is not expedient. We also have to take into account the different time zones of our journalists.
That's why we give exhibitors the opportunity to create separate product profiles within Formnext Connect that are only visible to members of the press. Here, exhibitors can either integrate existing product information or provide information tailored to the press and name a company representative who is available as a contact for the press.
Within the product profile you can also embed a video (YouTube or Vimeo), which can also be a live stream from your office.
All products for journalists are listed in a separate list, which is only visible to participants of the trade press.
Privacy policy
Does Formnext Connect comply with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO)?
The Formnext Connect platfrom is GDPR compliant. No personal data will be passed on.
How do exhibitors get the customer data?
Sensitive customer data is not shared through the platform. As soon as you get in contact with a customer, you can network with them via the chat or video function and exchange your contact data.
Profile
What format must the image film of the company profile have?
The image film as part of the Pro and Unlimited packages can be embedded in your exhibitor profile via a YouTube link, so there are no format requirements.
Problems with the video upload?
- click in the appropriate field and insert the video URL
- click on "Add"
- click on "Update preferences"
- click on "Save"
- wait about 5-10 minutes
Can lectures only take place and be purchased in the official supporting program or can we also do this on the company profile? What costs are to be expected?
You will have the possibility to book product presentations as part of our official lecture program. With the Comfort and Premium packages you furthermore have the option to integrate your own live stream as a YouTube link in your company profile, however, this will not be visible in the overall event agenda.
Is it possible to integrate a livestream? Only recorded videos are not sufficient.
If a video is included in the booked package, you can integrate a live stream into your profile via a URL (Formnext Connect supports various popular video platforms (YouTube, Vimeo).
Is there a virtual exhibition hall and virtual product presentations?
Formnext Connect focuses on matchmaking and for exhibitors on the related leads. The contact initiation in the virtual space is made especially efficient by this focus and is not graphically overloaded. Exhibitor and product profiles also follow this principle. However, the video integration allows for individual designs to be implemented without problems and in accordance with your CI requirements.
Until when must the content be uploaded?
The visitors, representatives of the press and other participants will have access to Formnext Connect from 28.10.2020. From that date on, active networking will be available and we recommend that you complete your profiles by that date.
Will there be a demo access for the platform?
A demo login is not possible. On this page we offer you several How to Videos, which present an exhibitor profile and further functions.
Which technical specifications (e.g. formats, sizes) must be observed when filling the company profile?
You will find an initial overview under the item "Company profile" in our exhibitor information.
Can the content be entered bilingually? Does the visitor see only one view depending on the language selection?
No, the platform does not have two surfaces. For this reason it is necessary that all information is entered in both languages in the respective field. Although the visitor has the option of setting up the Formnext Connect in German or English, the self-filled fields in the profiles are not translated.
Language
The display depends on the language setting at the first login. This means that you have been uploaded to our platform with the default setting English and have thus also logged in with the English view. If you now change the language to German, the fields may still be displayed in English. We apologize for this technical problem! A visitor on the platform will see your profile in his own language (German or English) and not in a language mix.
Which "keywords" does the exhibitor use to be found best?
Product groups and area of interest can be added to the exhibitor profile, according to which the visitor can filter the exhibitor list. The exhibitor representative profile also plays a role here. The exhibitor can specify the industry interested in, products offered and countries of interest.
Which fields are searched for in the text search?
The following fields are considered: Company name, product name, first name, last name, headline, job title, location, metadata (= fields to be selected, e.g. job function, industry, product categories). The description won’t be not searched.
Can the profile also be adjusted during the fair?
Yes, the profiles can be adjusted at any time.
Can I see a preview of my exhibitor profile?
Yes, click on your personal profile, then on View Profile. At the bottom you will see your company profile. Please click on this profile to view your company profile.
Produktprofile
What are product profiles?
You have the possibility to store individual product profiles in your company profile. These are separate pages that can be enriched with a video (depending on the package booked), pictures and text to inform the visitor in the best possible way about your product portfolio.
What are product groups?
The product groups are used to cluster your company, just like the physical Formnext. The item offered product categories contains the headings representing the process chain of additive manufacturing and is attached to the exhibitor profile as a rough clustering. The respective sub-items can be found under the item offered products as a pre-selection at the exhibitor representative. At Formnext Connect the product groups and offered products are an important (of the) basics for matchmaking.
Can team members be assigned to specific topics or products?
A product assignment in the product profiles is not possible. However, the profiles of the team members can be filled individually. In the company overview the job title of the team member can be seen.
Supporting program
Is there also a virtuall supporting program?
Relevant content is an important pillar of Formnext Connect. The supporting program also offers digital knowledge transfer at the highest level with the partners ACAM, BE-AM Symposium, purmundus, TCT, VDMA AG AM etc. Click here for the program overview.
What happens between the "Formnext Fusion" event on November 3rd and the "Formnext Connect" beginning November 10th on the platform?
In the time between the Speed Networking Event on 03.11. and Formnext Connect you can explore the functions of the platform and get in touch with visitors through the Matchmaking function.
Technical recommendations for the platform
Firewall
We do understand that many organizations prefer to route their network traffic through a firewall to improve privacy and security. However, because Whereby is a peer to peer service, we do need some traffic to be allowed through the firewall. We require that outgoing traffic via TCP and UDP on port 443 is open, so this change will need to be made by your network administrator.
Proxy or VPN
At the moment we don't use a static range of IP addresses for Whereby's servers, so we don't recommend using Whereby behind a proxy or VPN. In some cases users will have initial success using Whereby behind these services, but in many cases those users do end up experiencing connection issues at some point in time.
Browser
We recommend that you update your browser to the latest version. As Microsoft Internet Explorer is a discontinued model, please do not use it for the video calls.
Have you further questions to Formnext Connect?
If you still have any questions, our contact persons will be happy to help you at any time.
Your contactsHelp Desk
We're here to make sure your online experience is the best it can be. Please reach out to us using the following contact options should you need any support for the Formnext Connect platform:
Email: Support.Digital-Events@mesago.com
Phone: +49 711 61946 811