There's never been an e-commerce event like OX Fest '21

OX Fest has been a bit of a passion project for our team. Since I joined parcelLab, it has been one of my main goals. But it's not just me alone, an event of this scale requires lots and lots of people to be involved. I can say that almost every person in parcelLab has already been involved in some capacity with OX Fest. Creating content, designing graphics, building the website, inviting people, providing ideas on the product side. So of course you can imagine how excited we are to be able to finally talk about it!

Why is OX Fest ’21 different?

I guess we should start with the basics: what is OX Fest and what makes it stand out? Firstly, it is an Operations Experience festival. Nobody else in the world is thinking about Operations Experience Management in the way that we do. Other solutions may focus on enhancing elements of the post-purchase journey, like communication or returns. Our category is unique because it looks at the whole picture. We are thinking about all of the touch points throughout the customer journey from start to finish, and how it all can be a cohesive and integrated experience.

Secondly, it’s quite unusual for e-commerce focused events to not be simply focused on retail. But we know that people don’t just compare buying experiences to other brands, but to all other experiences they have had. It doesn’t matter if they are playing games online with their friends, getting their pizza delivered, or ordering a TV through an online store… they will be comparing and evaluating how good their experience was. That’s why at OX Fest we are bringing in examples from all industries. So, we’ll be able to take notes on how to be the best! Whilst of course identifying key trends to get on board with.

You own the conversation

Whatever format you prefer, I’m sure that you will find it at OX Fest. We will provide a variety of sessions to participate in, like roundtable discussions and brainstorms. So, if you want to talk about a specific idea, you can do that.

Of course, our expert speakers will be sharing their knowledge through the keynote style presentations, that will be always followed up with a Q&A session. Also, there will be fireside chat style discussions where a few speakers are talking about the core theme. And again, as it is live, you have the influence over what they’re talking about.

Just post your question in the chat or in the Q&A and it will be weaved into the discussion! In this way, you can influence the way that the conversation goes and what the outcomes are. And the more vocal you are about what you want to hear, the more you will get out of it. So, if you sign up and get an email from me asking, ‘What do you want to learn from this person at OX Fest?’ Respond right away! What do you want to learn? What questions do you have? We’ll make sure to address that during the session.

There will also be a mass brainstorm so you can see what everybody else is thinking. And we hope you’ll be able to pick up some valuable ideas other at OX Fest. You will get access not just to the expertise of the speakers, but also the expertise of 500+ attendees, too.

Flexible, accessible event access

You can see that OX Fest is five days long and someone may ask, ‘Why is a virtual event five days long? Why would you do that?’ Well, it’s because there are multiple topics that we want to cover. The human brain is not good at concentrating on so many things at once. So instead of putting it all together, or risk people missing out on talks because of schedule clashes, we simply split it up.

One day we will talk about your approach to customer experience. On another day, we’ll touch base upon the core topics of conscious leadership like sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. We will talk on Wednesday about customer engagement and how to nurture this relationship with your customer, so they come back to you again and again.

As well as being available on different days, sessions will also be available on demand, along with a variety of other content. We know that sometimes you can’t make it on this specific time, or the time zone just does not fit your needs. So, we will make sure that whenever you log into OX Fest, you will find valuable resources.

‘Out-of-this-world’ speakers

We are looking forward to welcoming expert speakers from all sorts of specialisms. One question I have got a lot is… “Okay, but why NASA?‘ My answer is this: we are combining the experience of different industries, so that we can learn from each other and approach things from different angles. But the real breakthroughs, we believe, happen when you learn from the best-of-the-best, and take it one step further. Even if you just use their idea as a basis for your own project. Or you take their advice on innovation, or problem-management, or creativity.

Hearing from NASA is a perfect opportunity to do this. It’s not just about their amazing accomplishments, but it’s also about their processes, of how they approached challenges. How did they lead their team? And how did they design their thinking process when solving different problems that have never been solved before? We can all learn a lot from them.

The power of entertainment

Needless to say, at OX Fest, you can expect to have some fun. We’re celebrating the power of entertainment in your customer experiences, so how could we not bring some fun to OX Fest itself? Also, the best learning happens when you operate in work-play mode!

That’s why we are bringing you a variety of fun elements: a DJ, improv comedy show, crafting sessions, to name but a few! We want to set the mood, shake up your daily routine and create an atmosphere that sparks light-bulb moments.

Tune in for new OX Fest announcements

There is so much more to come, so please stay tuned! You can find the latest news on speakers, the agenda, partners and other activities at OX Fest, on our LinkedIn and Instagram accounts. And of course, if you’re interested – please sign up to secure your spot and receive updates directly!

OX Fest is designed to blend the expertise and innovation of different industries with e-commerce trends, and challenge conventional thinking. Join us for a truly unique multi-industry event.