Summary
For event organisers, success isn't just about delivering a great event — it's about proving it.
Did people enjoy it? What worked? What should change next time? And ultimately — will they return for another iCAN event?
For Ajay, Co-Founder of iCAN (Insurance Cultural Awareness Network) — who delivers over 90 events a year for leading insurers and corporate partners — this has always been the real challenge.
"You can feel when an event's gone well. But proving it properly is much harder."
Traditional feedback methods weren't working. Response rates were low, and when feedback did come in, it lacked detail or arrived too late to act on.
"You might get a score out of 10 — but not what actually mattered."
This created a gap between the real experience on the day and what could be captured afterwards — making it harder to improve events, demonstrate value, and secure repeat business.
The Shift: Capturing Feedback in the Moment
That changed with SaySo, Hoxton AI's spoken feedback system.
Instead of relying on post-event surveys, iCAN captures feedback live, during the event, through simple spoken responses.
The setup is deliberately lightweight — an iPad, a stand, and a handset for privacy.
"It takes minutes to get up and running. You don't need anything complicated."
Attendees tap the screen, speak naturally, and move on. No forms, no typing, no friction.
Because feedback is captured in the moment, it's far more detailed and accurate.
"People say five to ten times more than they would in a form — and it's actually meaningful."
Making It Part of the Event (Not the Focus)
A common concern is whether attendees will engage. In practice, iCAN keeps it simple.
"You don't need to make it a big thing — but you do need to show people how it works."
Ajay introduces it briefly during the event and often does a quick live demo. After that, usage builds naturally.
The setup helps — visible, simple, and private.
"Because it's anonymous, people are much more candid. You get the real feedback — not just polite answers."
The team also plays a role. As they engage attendees throughout the event, they naturally encourage feedback.
"If someone tells us something useful, we'll just say — go and record that. And they do."
The result is strong, consistent engagement without disrupting the flow of the event.
Richer, More Honest, More Useful Feedback
The biggest change has been the quality of feedback.
Instead of short answers or scores, iCAN now captures detailed, nuanced insight — often equivalent to hundreds of words once transcribed.
"We're getting proper detail now — what worked, what didn't, and why."
Because responses are spoken and anonymous, they are more open, more specific, and more useful.
SaySo also guides attendees with light prompts — such as speakers, content, venue and overall experience — ensuring feedback is both structured and actionable.
This allows iCAN to clearly understand:
- What attendees valued most
- Where issues occurred (e.g. sound, layout, catering)
- What should change for future events
It also creates a bank of high-quality quotes that can be used to demonstrate success.
"The quality of feedback — and the quotes you get from it — are incredibly valuable."
Real-Time Insight That Improves Events on the Day
Unlike traditional surveys, SaySo isn't just retrospective.
It gives iCAN visibility into feedback as the event is happening.
"If someone says they can't hear at the back, we can fix it there and then — not weeks later."
This allows the team to respond immediately, improve the experience in real time, and avoid repeating issues.
Stronger Reporting and a Clearer Path to Repeat Business
For iCAN, the biggest impact is what happens after the event.
SaySo automatically produces clear, structured insight — highlighting key themes, what worked well, and what can be improved, alongside detailed attendee comments and quotes.
"We can clearly show what worked, what didn't, and how we'll improve. That's huge for clients."
This makes it far easier to demonstrate ROI — not just attendance, but actual experience and impact.
That clarity builds trust and makes repeat bookings far more likely.
"It makes it much easier for clients to say — yes, that worked, let's do it again."
It also benefits venues. With clearer feedback on layout, AV and catering, organisers can return to the same venue and improve each event over time.
Practical, Flexible, and Easy to Deploy Anywhere
Because SaySo is lightweight, it works across any event setup.
"You can take it anywhere and set it up in minutes. That flexibility is key."
It can also be tailored to each event, with prompts adapted depending on audience, format and objectives.
For international audiences, built-in language detection and translation ensures everyone can contribute — and that insights are captured consistently.
A Growing Opportunity for Venues
Ajay is clear on one thing:
"If venues had this built in, we'd use it every time."
Providing this kind of feedback capability gives venues a clear advantage — helping organisers run better events, demonstrate success, and return.
The Result: Feedback That Drives Outcomes
By moving to real-time spoken feedback, iCAN hasn't just improved insight — it's improved outcomes.
- More feedback
- Better quality insight
- Faster improvements
- Stronger client retention
"We're getting more feedback, better feedback — and actually using it. That's the difference."
When you can clearly prove an event worked, the next one becomes an easier sell.
