Demystifying Infor Events: Strategies for Finding Value in 2024

By: RPI Tech Connect   January 31, 2024

New year, new events. In this episode, we’re joined by RPI’s Regional Sales Director, Chris Lang, and Director of Marketing, Michaela Fallon, for a discussion about where members of the Infor community should invest their time in 2024. From Infor Connect to regional users groups and virtual trainings, Chris and Michaela will explain how to choose the right events to maximize value for your team.

Tune in to find out what goals to set for when it comes event planning in 2024.

Interested in listening to this episode on another streaming platform? Check out our directories.

Meet Today’s Guest, Chris Lang

Chris Lang is a well-known figure in the ERP community, boasting over two decade’s worth of experience working with both on-premise and cloud versions of Infor’s product. As the Regional Sales Director at RPI Consultants, Chris has assisted hundreds of organizations with their ERP needs, focusing primarily on industries such as Healthcare, Financial Services, and Government.

Prior to his role at RPI, Chris held significant positions at Infor, where he served as a Senior Director and Regional Vice President. During his tenure at Infor, he played a pivotal role in helping clients get the most out of their ERP investment, while ensuring it met their unique requirements.

Chris began his professional journey at Ciber, where he laid the foundation for his successful career. With a commitment to excellence, he has consistently delivered positive outcomes for clients, aiding them in achieving strategic positioning within their respective markets. Chris Lang is recognized for his proven track record, dedication, and ability to navigate the complexities of the ERP landscape to drive success for both clients and organizations alike.

Meet Today’s Guest, Michaela Fallon

Michaela Fallon is a marketing leader with nearly a decade of experience in marketing strategy and operations. In her role as the Director of Marketing at RPI Consultants, she leads the marketing team, overseeing events, content, operations, and design.

Before joining RPI, Michaela held several marketing leadership roles in B2B startups across many industries, showcasing her versatility and allowing her to evolve into a full-stack marketer.

Michaela’s expertise spans branding, team leadership, and growth marketing. She has consistently led impactful marketing initiatives, steering efforts in brand identity, content strategy, CRM management, and demand generation.

Meet Your Host, Chris Arey

Chris Arey is an experienced B2B marketing professional with an extensive background in content creation, copywriting, SEO, website architecture, corporate branding, and social media. Beginning his career as an analyst before making a lateral move into marketing, he combines analytical thinking with creative flair—two fundamental principles required in marketing.

With a Bachelor’s degree in English and certifications from the Digital Marketing Institute and HubSpot, Chris has spearheaded impactful content marketing initiatives, participated in corporate re-branding efforts, and collaborated with celebrity influencers. He has also worked with award-winning PR professionals to create unique, compelling campaigns that drove brand recognition and revenue growth for his previous employers.

Chris’ versatility is highlighted by his experience working across different industries, including HR, Tech, SaaS, and Consulting.

About RPI Tech Connect

RPI Tech Connect is the go-to podcast for catching up on the dynamic world of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Join us as we discuss the future of ERPs, covering everything from best practices and organizational change to seamless cloud migration and optimizing applications. Plus, we’ll share predictions and insights of what to expect in the future world of ERPs.

RPI Tech Connect delivers relevant, valuable information in a digestible format. Through candid, genuine conversations and stories from the world of consulting, we aim to provide actionable steps to help you elevate your organization’s ERP. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the ERP scene, our podcast ensures you’re well-equipped for success.

Tune in as we explore tips and tricks in the field of ERP consulting each week and subscribe to RPI Tech Connect below:

Transcript

Chris (00:00)
In today’s discussion, we’re diving into the world of events. From Infor conferences and user groups to virtual trainings and workshops. There’s been a shift in mindset. Tune in to find out where members of the community can find the most value this year.

Chris (00:02)
This is RPI Tech Connect, and I’m your host, Chris Ari. Today, we’re talking about events, specifically the shift in the types of events that are beginning to take hold across the Infor community. My goal for this session is to identify which events Infor users are going to get the most value out of. And to help us navigate the event space, we’ve got two very special guests, Infor industry veteran, Chris Lang, and the marketing savvy, Michaela Fallon. Welcome, guys.

Can you share with the audience a little bit about yourselves?

Michaela (00:35)
Absolutely. Thanks, Chris. Very excited to be on the podcast today. As you mentioned, my name is Michaela Fallon and I am the Director of Marketing at RPI. I have been at RPI for just over a year and been working in marketing for the better part of a decade. In the last year, I’ve had the great opportunity to attend and even host, which we’ll get into later.

all kinds of really informative and for events and I’m looking forward to chatting about them

Chris (01:11)
Hey Chris, what about you man? What’s your history? What’s your story?

Chris Lang (01:14)
Yeah, this, it’s long and colorful, right? So this is Chris Lang. I’m a regional sales director with RPI Consultants, have been here almost three years, in April it’ll be three years. Been part of the Enfor ecosystem for 26 years. Started working in this space in 1998, right out of college. So I’ve had multiple roles across my career, spanning from consulting

consulting management, sales management, and here at RPI in a sales role. So happy to be here today and have this discussion.

Chris (01:52)
Just a little bit of background, right? You’re a new guy? Well, happy to have both of you. Yeah, this is, looking forward to today’s discussion. And like I mentioned, today we’re gonna get into events, as we’ve known them, as they’re becoming. And so, Chris, I’d like to start with you. What’s been going on in your world over the last couple of years? What have you seen?

Chris Lang (01:56)
New guy.

Michaela (01:59)
That’s why Chris Lang is the expert on this podcast today.

Chris Lang (02:04)
Well, I appreciate it.

Yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, events have taken on a whole new meaning and approach. We had this thing called the pandemic that really just sort of shut down any kind of, you know, personal interaction or in-person meetings for some time. We certainly see that now opening back up and the events are starting to happen again. And I think.

Over the past couple of years, what I’ve been seeing is that the attendance is steadily rising as well. So I think folks are excited to get out and to get with their peers or counterparts or partners, uh, you know, at various events and exchange ideas and collaborate and talk about, uh, things that they can do to make their business operations better. So, um, seeing things come back to life, so to speak, I would, I would say.

We’ve also seen probably some consolidation, whereas in the Infor space specifically, there used to be a ton of kind of regional user events and those events are maybe consolidating now and creating larger events for more geographic area as far as attendance goes. So seeing a lot of different things happen, but I think the good news is that they’re coming back and folks are interested in those in-person events once again, and we’re seeing the.

attendance numbers rise, which is good.

Michaela (03:52)
Yeah, I totally agree, Chris, that the return to events has maybe been a little bit slower than the quote unquote return to regular life elsewhere. But I think people are really starting to see the value of that in-person interaction again and what they’re missing if they haven’t really returned to those in-person spaces. And it’s been exciting to see that steady increase over time. And again, we’ll echo what you said

consolidation of some of these events, you know, it has shaken up the whole landscape, things are kind of resorting themselves out, and I think people are looking for a lot of bang for their buck when they’re going to an event. I think the threshold for getting someone in person is probably a little bit higher now, and so people are really looking for a lot of value when they attend an event. So, you know, these user groups and these new mega user groups I think

I think another event that we’ve seen post pandemic that is really providing a ton of value to the community is InfoConnect. Everything I heard about that event from both our team and from customers last year was that it was a really stellar place for the community to gather.

Chris (05:11)
Yeah.

Chris Lang (05:11)
Yeah, I agree, Michaela. Um, info connect was, was super valuable. And, and I think we’re going to see more events like this going forward. Um, so for sure. I agree with you there.

Chris (05:29)
Yeah, so InforConnect is, I think last year was the first time we saw that, right? I think that was the first time Infor had rolled that out. Do you think in a way that it kind of replaced what Inforum was? Or what do you think there?

Chris Lang (05:48)
I don’t think it replaced what Inforum was. I think it was super valuable to have partners and customers and folks from Infor at the same event and nothing replaces kind of in-person interaction and collaboration. I think it was good for our customers to be in a setting again where they had these informational sessions that were

extremely valuable and applicable to their scenarios. It’s always good networking, whether it be with our customers here at RPI or other partners, so to speak. There’s a ton of value and collaborating and talking with other partners about what’s going on in the ecosystem, trends that we see that we need to pay attention to, and then project experiences as well. We are kind of one big family, if you will, and…

We’re all in this to support the Infor customer base and Infor. So, you know, was it the same kind of experience that Inforum is? No. But, you know, maybe we’ll talk a little bit later about the possibility of Inforum coming back. I know that is a very popular event and hopefully one day it will come back.

Chris (07:09)
That’s interesting. And I think we had spoken previously, but I know that you mentioned that at InfoConnect you saw a larger attendance rate from certain regions. And so maybe like this year and going forward, maybe there’ll be more events like that in different areas that kind of appeal to folks from different parts of the country. What do you think there?

Chris Lang (07:34)
Yeah, I definitely think that, you know, there has to be kind of a regional focus, um, in for connect, if I’m not mistaken, last year was held in St. Paul, where the in for, um, and for offices are there. And we did get a lot of attendees from that particular area in the Midwest. So perhaps, um, you know, a couple of additional regional events, one catering to the West coast and then perhaps one on the East coast as well.

would kind of round out attendance and, you know, attract various customers of them for in those particular regions to come to this event. So maybe that’s on the docket for them. I’m not entirely sure, but I think that would be very nice to see.

Chris (08:22)
And so in the meantime, I know that, as we said, that this year, people are slowly and surely attending more in-person events. But as Michaela said, the ask is a little bit greater now. And so in the meantime, I wonder if folks from the community are looking elsewhere for resources to level up and find out what’s going on in that space. So Michaela, from your perspective.

Do you see there as like a middle ground for where people can kind of like get caught up and also like improve their skills?

Michaela (08:59)
Thanks for watching!

Yeah, absolutely. So I think one thing that we’re seeing, you know, it’s like what you see with everything today. You can, everything’s becoming a little bit more customized and tailored over time. I think that’s an overall trend. And I think we’re seeing that happen in events too. We’re getting some that are more specific to a certain type of user or a certain type of product or training or something like that. So something I could speak to is what we’ve been doing here

at RPI. We hold trainings both in person and fun new things that I’ll talk about a little bit. We’re doing them remotely as well. And those trainings are really focused on a specific topic. So, configuration console, for example, IPA, for example. And that will be a three-day

hands-on intensive training with our consultants and with a small number of fellow Infor users. And we found that people find a lot of value in that because they are walking away with really actionable hands-on takeaways learning how to help them do their job easier. So I think we will continue to see more things like that are really tailored to a specific group

worthwhile for them to come in person. On the flip side of that, some topics don’t have to be done in person. Don’t maybe lend themselves to a three-day long training or some job functions. It’s not as easy to go on site somewhere for three days. So we have introduced a new virtual training option. We’re calling them Lunch and Learns. And they are half-day remote trainings.

keeping them small so that people can still get that high value of that really one-on-one intensive training. But you know, for someone who has to be on site in a hospital, for example, we’re trying to do things where we meet people where they are and don’t necessarily ask them to come to our office for three days. So I think we’re going to see a lot more diversification like that going forward.

Chris (11:14)
I see, I agree with you there. Especially with like meeting people where they are, you figure what’s involved in, you know, traveling to either a major conference or something industry specific, or even, you know, an in-person training like the ones that we do. Like, there’s a lot involved in that process, whereas attending something virtually is just, you know, usually one-time payment and some instructions on how to attend and then you’re good. You know, you’re not having to.

Not nearly as many resources are involved with getting approval for something like that.

Chris Lang (11:48)
Yeah, and I think too, if you look at, you know, Chris, you mentioned the bigger conferences, which, you know, pretty much in our space and given the markets that we’re, we’re working with and at, at Infor being an Infor partner, I mean, you’ve got HIMS, which is the big, you know, healthcare technology conference that happens every year. You’ve also got GFOA. You look at our customers, you know, a lot of healthcare, a lot of government, um, customers that we have as well as Infor.

But you’ve got GFOA and then ICMA. So these are all larger conferences that really have spokes to smaller regional groups. And we’ve been finding a lot of value in those conferences as well. So you’ve got the big annual conferences that these organizations hold. And then, you know, for GFOA, as an example, you’ll have a North Carolina GFOA or a Virginia GFOA. So,

In the past year or so, we’ve been finding that these regional conferences, their offshoots of these larger events are also very valuable. They’re smaller, they’re more intimate, if you will, in terms of interactions with the attendees, a lot of opportunity to share ideas and thoughts and talk, you know, tell stories about what’s going on in the market, not only in the software business, but, you know, for each of these industries, what are the…

What are the challenges and advantages of healthcare customers or government agencies that we work with? So I think those are really valuable as well.

Chris (13:28)
Yeah, it’s interesting. Yeah. And you’re making a good point there too, because like the difference between attending something like an industry specific conference, like you’re going to get different kinds of value out of something like that, as opposed to something on a smaller scale with the intimate setting that you mentioned. Because I think when you’re in the smaller setting, you can, you get more one on one time with people and you’re, you know, from the community, but on the other side of it and at the bigger events, you’re kind of

getting caught up on emerging trends and maybe where the product is going and things to expect like on the product roadmap that you may not have known otherwise. So it’s interesting and I agree with you that as much as beneficial as the virtual trainings are, it’s like sometimes like there’s no substitute for getting people in the same room at the same time talking about what’s important to them.

Michaela (14:23)
Yeah, totally, and Chris area, I will just, two Chris’s, man, we gotta plan this one better next time. Yeah, maybe we’ll go last names for this.

Chris (14:28)
Hehe

Chris Lang (14:30)
You can just call me Lang if you want. That’s pretty standard.

Michaela (14:38)
But yeah, talking about those kind of broader industry events, speaking from my perspective as an attendee, Chris Ari and I got the opportunity to go to a marketing conference this year. And that kind of broader, those broader conferences to me are like the dreaming conferences. That’s where you get to see, as Chris was saying, the big trends. You get to have the big ideas. Whereas I think the more intimate settings sometimes

gradient specifics in a more accessible way. So I think there’s a place for both of them. You just kind of have to know what your goal is going into it.

Chris Lang (15:18)
Yeah. And I would, I would say to Michaela kind of a thought I just had. If I look at it, I have attended hundreds, I’m guessing at this point, hundreds of events that are either related to software or an industry. And, you know, obviously it’s valuable to be able to talk to people there and to develop relationships and network, but kind of to your point, I always find myself personally exploring the different, uh,

I would exhibits, I don’t know, I don’t want to use all the marketing and conference cliches here, but to meet other partners or vendors or companies that are at these events to get an understanding of what they do. And, and kind of to your point, how it all sort of fits into an industry’s direction and it’s always enriching for me to learn more about what

technology exists or what services exist or various types of companies and organizations that attend these events as exhibitors as well, what they do and what they bring to the market. It’s always evolving, as you can imagine. When I went to a conference 20 years ago, it’s a little bit different today in terms of technology and capability and to your point, ideas and dreams about what solutions could be applied for our customers. So it’s very interesting.

to me to soak all that in.

Michaela (16:48)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And you know, a big important piece of this that we’re missing is when you go to these big conferences, the booths are amazing and you get cool free swag. And that is an important part of the whole experience. So. Ha ha ha.

Chris (16:57)
Hahaha

Chris Lang (16:58)
Yeah. Well, and you could, you could get, you could get your swag and probably snare, uh, you know, snare a cocktail at the next booth and play a round of darts at the, yeah, so it’s almost like going to a circus, some of these shows, um, tons of entertainment and plenty of free, free gifts to go around. I agree.

Michaela (17:07)
Very true.

Yeah.

Yep, yep. No, and it’s true, and it’s fun. I mean, the big conferences are fun. I think, you know, not to pat ourselves on the back too hard, but I think when we bring people into our RPI office, you know, we take them out to a baseball game or take them ax throwing. I think there’s maybe an unsung part of this, which is it’s good bonding with your team and with other people in the industry. That’s a big part of a lot of these.

Chris Lang (17:45)
Yeah, I agree. And yeah, go ahead.

Chris (17:47)
You gotta like the people you work with and what better way to do that than to like do something that’s maybe not totally related to work, right?

Michaela (17:56)
100%.

Chris Lang (17:57)
100%. And I think that, you know, to kind of cap off the, maybe one of these days we’ll stop referring to the pandemic as that era of time that was very challenging for everybody, I’m sure. But what’s most exciting to me now, going to events, is seeing people that I haven’t seen in perhaps years, due to these gatherings being

kind of canceled or put by the wayside or shifted to virtual. So being able to link up and connect with folks that I’ve known all my career, obviously many of us have taken varied paths along our career journey, but still doesn’t change the fact that I’ve got long-term relationships with a lot of people in this industry. I’ve got a lot of friends in this industry. And it’s always good to.

to reconnect with them in person for, you know, at events like this. And that’s a highlight for me as well, to keep those relationships up. The relationships up.

Chris (19:04)
Yeah, I have to call out that sentiment. There really is no substitute for getting together in person with people and catching up and talk about what’s going on in your world and kind of new developments at work. And then, it’s just, yeah, I agree with you 100%. It’s…

And you mentioned something too, at one point we’ll get away from referring to COVID as this time where it was like, well, this happened. And I’ve heard people even coin the term, it’s BC now. It’s before COVID and after COVID. That has adopted new meaning since it was so traumatic. It’s true. It really has changed the way that people interact and the way that they like to consume content. And so it’s just…

Chris Lang (19:44)
Right.

Chris (19:57)
It’s an interesting landscape right now and ultimately I think people need to set out what they want to achieve and what they want to take out of these events before deciding to attend them. Like Michaela had mentioned earlier, what’s the goal and depending on what that goal is, you’re going to get different outcomes or different events are going to lend themselves to different outcomes and you need to know that going forward.

Chris Lang (20:25)
I totally agree.

Chris (20:25)
Um, yeah. Well, I appreciate you guys sharing your perspective with us. Um, we’re getting close to time, but before we wrap up, I’d like to ask you each this final question. Uh, it’s the million dollar question. And if you could offer today’s audience one piece of advice regarding events in 2024, what would it be? Michaela, if we could start with you.

Michaela (20:49)
Sure. Well, Chris, you really stepped on mine there, but no, it’s good. It’s good. But no, I will reiterate what you said that I think going into any event with a goal and an intention is always going to make it more valuable for you and your team. So as we talked about, if that’s a dreaming and thinking big exercise, then there’s one type of event for that. If it’s a training

Chris (20:53)
Sorry. I wanted to make a cut.

Michaela (21:19)
there’s another type of event for that. Or if it’s a networking and finding people in your industry, there’s another type of event for that. So I think that’s really the overarching strategy is people are looking, you know, planning their schedules and managing their budgets for the year. I think that’s how they should go into it.

Chris (21:39)
Nice. And Chris, what do you think, man? What can we give the Infor Community today?

Chris Lang (21:46)
Yeah, well, we certainly can give a lot to the Infor community, but I would say, you know, challenge yourself to go to an event and, you know, have the parts and pieces of that event represent value for you. But I think, you know, a lot of it might be just stepping off a ledge at this point and saying, you know, I do want to go attend something in person. I know I’m going to get a lot out of it.

the experience is going to be great. And then I would also say too, you know, from an Infor community perspective, your voice is valuable. So encourage Infor to do more. Your voice as the customer or as a partner or as a part of the ecosystem just in general, you know, should be heard. And we know that Infor will be listening. So, you know, encourage Infor.

Hey, we want more of these types of activities. They’re extremely valuable. Someone always usually leave with great takeaways to these conferences and events. So encourage them to do more. And I believe they will listen and act.

Chris (22:59)
Yeah, that’s a great point you’re making. I’m actually glad you brought it up. We didn’t cover it too much, but these events are a great opportunity to improve and strengthen the community because as we’ve seen, Infor is listening to what folks and users are saying and they’re making improvements and they’re taking action. So even beyond your own personal goals and what it is that you wanna do to improve your skills or network, this is an opportunity to…

make the product and the community stronger. Feedback is huge. So I so appreciate you saying that, I’m glad you did. And so yeah, yeah dude. For those listening in today, thank you for your time. Appreciate you hanging out with us. This is, we’re doing this every other week. So if you have a question about today’s episode or wanna hear us talk about something that maybe you’d be interested in hearing, we invite you to.

Chris Lang (23:38)
You bet.

Chris (23:56)
To reach out to us, you can do so at podcast at rpic.com. Again, that’s podcast at rpic.com. Until next time, guys.

Chris Lang (24:08)
Thanks, Chris. Thanks, Michaela. Always good being with you guys.

Michaela (24:11)
Thank you so much. Bye guys.

Chris (24:13)
Thanks. All righty, bye.

Chris Lang (24:13)
Take care.