Stream Case Studies Stream Chat Integration: Accelerating Freeman's Virtual Event Platform

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	Stream Chat Integration: Accelerating Freeman's Virtual Event Platform Stream

Stream Chat Integration: Accelerating Freeman's Virtual Event Platform

Stream

Technology Category	Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Virtual Private Cloud Wearables - Virtual Reality Glasses, Headsets & Controllers
Applicable Industries	Cement
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Sales & Marketing
Use Cases	Virtual Reality
Services	System Integration
Challenge	Freeman, a global leader in the events industry, faced a significant challenge when the global pandemic forced most in-person events to transition to an online medium. The company had to quickly adapt and create a virtual event platform to serve their new user requirements. The new platform, OnlineEvent®, required a chat feature that enabled attendees to communicate with each other in specific channels during live stream presentations. The challenge was to integrate live stream chat functionality into its new virtual event platform to support thousands of concurrent users — and fast. Freeman's director of digital product management, Elissa Ewers, had to evaluate chat vendors in a short time frame, focusing on chat solutions containing must-have attributes such as rapid integration, scale to support tens of thousands of concurrent users, security, and single sign-on functionality. Read More
About Customer	Freeman is a global leader in the events industry, specializing in creating memorable moments that inspire and connect audiences, such as conferences, trade shows, and corporate meetings. The company offers a range of products that enhance experiences before, during, and after events, from beautiful in-booth LED light installations and spatial virtual reality to attract buyers, to real-time analytics dashboards to optimize event ROI. When the global pandemic forced most in-person events to transition to an online medium, Freeman quickly adapted and created a virtual event platform, OnlineEvent®, to serve their new user requirements. Read More
Solution	After evaluating several third-party chat API solutions, including a custom javascript build, and the third-party providers Chatroll and Pusher, Freeman integrated Stream Chat using the React SDK in just three weeks. Stream Chat was chosen for its flexibility, functionality, and ability to support Freeman's unique needs. The solution offered the ability to make channels, customize UI, and provided interactions like sharing files, emojis, link parsing, add mentions, and threads. During the integration process, Freeman's development team received guidance from Stream’s Director of Customer Success, Stephen Hodgetts, to deploy the chat SDK in a multi-tenant way. Nearly a year later, Freeman is enabling more of Stream Chat’s features such as direct 1:1 chat and moderating block lists and is customizing the UI to harmonize chat design with its brand identity. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Virtual Private Cloud

Wearables - Virtual Reality Glasses, Headsets & Controllers

Applicable Industries

Cement

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Virtual Reality

Services

System Integration

Challenge

Freeman, a global leader in the events industry, faced a significant challenge when the global pandemic forced most in-person events to transition to an online medium. The company had to quickly adapt and create a virtual event platform to serve their new user requirements. The new platform, OnlineEvent®, required a chat feature that enabled attendees to communicate with each other in specific channels during live stream presentations. The challenge was to integrate live stream chat functionality into its new virtual event platform to support thousands of concurrent users — and fast. Freeman's director of digital product management, Elissa Ewers, had to evaluate chat vendors in a short time frame, focusing on chat solutions containing must-have attributes such as rapid integration, scale to support tens of thousands of concurrent users, security, and single sign-on functionality.

About Customer

Freeman is a global leader in the events industry, specializing in creating memorable moments that inspire and connect audiences, such as conferences, trade shows, and corporate meetings. The company offers a range of products that enhance experiences before, during, and after events, from beautiful in-booth LED light installations and spatial virtual reality to attract buyers, to real-time analytics dashboards to optimize event ROI. When the global pandemic forced most in-person events to transition to an online medium, Freeman quickly adapted and created a virtual event platform, OnlineEvent®, to serve their new user requirements.

Solution

After evaluating several third-party chat API solutions, including a custom javascript build, and the third-party providers Chatroll and Pusher, Freeman integrated Stream Chat using the React SDK in just three weeks. Stream Chat was chosen for its flexibility, functionality, and ability to support Freeman's unique needs. The solution offered the ability to make channels, customize UI, and provided interactions like sharing files, emojis, link parsing, add mentions, and threads. During the integration process, Freeman's development team received guidance from Stream’s Director of Customer Success, Stephen Hodgetts, to deploy the chat SDK in a multi-tenant way. Nearly a year later, Freeman is enabling more of Stream Chat’s features such as direct 1:1 chat and moderating block lists and is customizing the UI to harmonize chat design with its brand identity.

Impact #1	The integration of Stream Chat into Freeman’s virtual event platform has been successful, with no issues with chat performance during a live virtual event. The solution has allowed Freeman to build engagement into their platform quickly. The company is now focused on customizing the chat UI so it’s more seamless with the Freeman virtual event experience. Looking ahead, as the future of events will likely include both onsite and virtual components, Freeman is well-positioned with a scalable, performance-driven, and reliable chat solution to enable deep engagement for all event participants.

Impact #1

The integration of Stream Chat into Freeman’s virtual event platform has been successful, with no issues with chat performance during a live virtual event. The solution has allowed Freeman to build engagement into their platform quickly. The company is now focused on customizing the chat UI so it’s more seamless with the Freeman virtual event experience. Looking ahead, as the future of events will likely include both onsite and virtual components, Freeman is well-positioned with a scalable, performance-driven, and reliable chat solution to enable deep engagement for all event participants.

Benefit #1	Stream Chat was integrated using the React SDK in just three weeks
Benefit #2	The solution supports tens of thousands of concurrent users
Benefit #3	Freeman tracks how many messages are sent during an event, and which channels have the most activity — an important marker to showcase event ROI to customers

Benefit #1

Stream Chat was integrated using the React SDK in just three weeks

Benefit #2

The solution supports tens of thousands of concurrent users

Benefit #3

Freeman tracks how many messages are sent during an event, and which channels have the most activity — an important marker to showcase event ROI to customers

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Overview

Stream Chat Integration: Accelerating Freeman's Virtual Event Platform

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit