Many of you who attend the HR Tech show or any other exposition/conference/trade show see the show in all its glory. The show floor with all the associated hoopla and hyperbole that goes along with such an event. The keynote speakers and/or informational sessions designed to inspire, enlighten and educate the masses. Typical stuff.

But what about all the behind the scenes wrangling that goes on? Those sponsored after hours events that are usually off site. In some cases they are open invitations to one and all and generally attract a decent crowd. Some offer decent food and good drink while others bank on musical entertainment to gain favor with the crowds. Everyone wants their little piece of the after show buzz.

Then of course there are the private, somewhat intimate little soirees planned exclusively for VIP´s or for "by invitation only" guests? They are typically held in restaurants or suites and are intended to bring the vendor closer to their prospects. If we´re lucky analysts and or the press are also invited to sit in to discuss the state of industry.

However, my favorite activity is the pressroom meeting. This is where the media gets to sit with vendors one on one and get the (usually quarterly) briefing from the senior people in the vendor organization. This is where everyone from the CEO to the Marketing representatives gets the chance to spin and weave some messaging in to their story. They run down the current state of the union and project what will be in coming months. This is where our CEO Debbie McGrath gets much of her insight from for her Vendor Files, which she tries to publish once a month...or so. This is also how I get up to date information on product so that we can better help explain the true value of any of these products when our membership (you) are looking for information.

I usually like to follow up on these meetings with a request for a full demo of the product so that we get a true feel for the capabilities of the functionality being offered by any given vendor that we cover. My radar goes on high alert when there is hesitation to show me live product. That usually means that ´Vaporware" is being sold and my tolerance for being sold on Vaporware is very low. For those of you unfamiliar with the term Vaporware refers to product that vanishes in to vapor when proof beyond just words is needed to provide validity that software actually exists beyond some nice looking mock up screens. In other words, it´s not live product residing on a production server ready to be used by the existing or soon to be clients.

Here´s the wikipedia definition for vaporware:

Vaporware (also spelled vapourware) is software or hardware which is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge, either with or without a protracted development cycle. The term implies deception, or at least a negligent degree of optimism; that is, it implies that the announcer knows that product development is in too early a stage to support responsible statements about its completion date, feature set, or even feasibility.

Thankfully the incidents of Vaporware rearing it´s ugly head have dissipated over the last few years but be forewarned! The chances of Vaporware being sold in the midst of a heated battle between two competitors looking to get a leg up in the competition for your business are still there. It´s always important to remember one thing, always use the one line that lessens your chances of being sold Vaporware - "Don´t tell me, show me!"

Strangely enough, the vendors whom I´ve actually caught trying to convince me of their Vaporware´s existance in the past tend not to ask for time in the press room at the annual trade shows anymore.Things that make you go hmmm....

Briefings are also a great way to distinguish between the great new ideas coming from the new vendors on the block. It´s also a great way to help tell the subtle differences between many of the exisitng vendors product as well. But probably the best reason to attend briefings is to ferret out the ´me too´ vendors who are playing catch up from the ones who are truly leading the way with innovation. Though lately I find that a lot of vendors aren´t really doing their homework. They make various claims referring to the fact that they are the leaders or innovators or at least first out of the box with certain technology and they are not. They can try and develop that spin all they like but duplication is duplication. If you weren´t the first to come out with the latest development in widget production that´s ok. You can always build a better mousetrap. But  be very cautious about making certain claims like " We´re the only" or "We´re the first" unless you actually are and know for a fact that you are. It can prove embarassing otherwise.

All in all I suppose I could be writing this about any industry. This is certainly not exclusive to the HR/ Talent Management world to be sure. I guess given the fact that this is one of the last sectors of the business world to develop technology I would have hoped that the world would have changed enough to avoid some of the pitfalls that other industries have had to endure when it comes to the buying and selling of technology. I suppose it´s all just a part of the learning cycle that HR is going through and in many ways is a necessary evil.