Tripleseat, a provider of event management solutions based in Boston, Massachusetts, launched a new software for planners to add to their arsenals—Tripleseat Floorplans—which allows event planners to digitally design spaces without having to set foot in them. The launch comes after Tripleseat’s recent acquisition of software company and program Merri, which the company has rebranded and added to its current repertoire of event and meeting planning solutions.
Kate Kennedy, director of content for Tripleseat’s software department, says the company has been integrating with Merri for a long time, so the acquisition made a lot of sense for them. “We wanted it to integrate better with Tripleseat,” she explains. “Before the integration it was really just like, you can include your floor plans and your event documents and that sort of thing. Now, if you use Tripleseat, it streamlines everything, and it’s completely integrated with your Tripleseat dashboard.”
With Floorplans, users can create 2D, to-scale diagrams of rooms in minutes by uploading photos and measurements of event furniture and decor, and also collaborate in real time with clients, team members, and vendors to make layout changes on the go. The program also provides a catalog of more than 50,000 items you can add to your layout. “You can upload photos of the different kinds of chairs, so you can see like, oh, this round table will fit 10 of these chairs, but only eight of these, and you can show that to the client, so it’s all customizable,” says Kennedy. There are also tools for managing seating arrangements, and templates can be saved. If you find a setup you like for a specific event type, the next time you host a similar event, you can simply pull up the one you created previously and work from that.
The program also has a 3D walkthrough feature, making it easy for all parties involved to get a realistic feel for how the space will work in real life. This feature also reduces the need for on-site visits for those planning an event from afar or who simply have a busy schedule.
Kennedy says you do not have to be a current Tripleseat user to take advantage of Tripleseat Floorplans, but for those who are, integrating the software is very easy. “I think one of the biggest advantages is that if you do have Tripleseat, it’s part of our ecosystem,” she notes. “It’s like a seamless integration with everything from your Tripleseat dashboard to your calendar, your documents, and your guest portal, and it was really designed specifically for hospitality and events.” Randi Bushell, the founder of Merri and original creator of the software, saw a gap in the market for a product like this after planning her wedding. “She was going back and forth with the event planner, and at the end it didn’t actually look how she thought it was going to look,” says Kennedy. “So that’s how this product was born, and I think that’s really cool, because it was actually built with event planners and event venues in mind.”
