ACUHO-I Event App Success Story

The Association of College & University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) represents nearly 14,000 members from more than 850 institutions and companies who serve more than 1.2 million students worldwide. Its mission is to advance campus housing and residence life, with conferences and events at the heart of that mission.

Events are a cornerstone member benefit, driving professional growth, connections, and community. ACUHO-I needed a cost-effective, branded event app that could seamlessly integrate with its AMS and other platforms, streamline delivery, boost engagement, and deliver exceptional experiences.

In 2017, ACUHO-I launched the ACUHO-I Events app, powered by RD Mobile’s Engagefully EVENTS.

The app provides a familiar, intuitive experience for users while delivering robust tools for staff, exhibitors, and sponsors:

• Multi-event management via RD Mobile Backoffice, reducing staff time
• Real-time notifications & urgent alerts for schedule or room changes
• Interactive attendee directory with direct messaging to foster networking
• Digital business card exchange for easy contact sharing
• Schedule building with personalized agendas
• Lead scanning to capture increase exhibitor & sponsor value
• Session check-in to track attendance & continuing education credits
• Interactive Q&A, polling, evaluations & resource downloads
• Exhibitor self-service portal for streamlined setup
• Gamification to boost engagement & add fun
• RD Mobile support with fast responses & onsite assistance
  

Impact & Results
Before partnering with RD Mobile, ACUHO-I relied on large, expensive printed program guides. What was missing was a modern way to deliver accurate, up-to-date information that reflected the ACUHO-I brand.

Since launch, the ACUHO-I Events app has supported 74 events with over 9,900 app downloads. The app has become a central operational asset because it's easy to manage and fast to update onsite. Each year, adoption grows as both the product and the user experience continue to improve. It's now the expectation. 

The ACUHO-I Events app delivers measurable value across key areas:

• Sustainability & cost savings by replacing printed onsite event guides
• Increased engagement through personalized schedules, push notifications & gamification
• Staff time savings from real-time editing, streamlined logistics & flexible content customization
• Enhanced networking with directory, digital business card exchange & direct messaging
• New sponsor opportunities via lead scanning
• Stronger event identity, ensuring ACUHO-I event recognition
• Consistently positive attendee feedback highlighting usability, networking & event experience improvements

Future Plans/Looking Ahead

Planned enhancements include leveraging the Speaker Portal to manage speaker content, using web widgets to display event content on the website, leveraging AMS and platform integrations for seamless data flow, and sponsored push notifications to generate additional revenue.

The ACUHO-I Events app is more than a tool — it’s a dynamic platform that delivers consistent value to attendees, sponsors and staff while creating a seamless event experience year after year.