5 Best Vendor Inquiry Chats for Event Planning
When planning an event—whether a conference, trade show, or virtual gathering—seamless communication with vendors, sponsors, and attendees is...
When planning an event—whether a conference, trade show, or virtual gathering—seamless communication with vendors, sponsors, and attendees is essential. A well‑designed chatbot can automate inquiries, collect vital information, and free up your team to focus on creative aspects. In 2025, the market for event‑specific chat solutions has expanded, offering a range of features from simple form‑based assistance to advanced AI that can understand context, remember past interactions, and even schedule follow‑ups. This listicle examines the top five solutions tailored for event planners, highlighting their unique strengths, pricing structure, and suitability for different business sizes. Whether you run a boutique event agency or a large corporate events department, you’ll find a platform that fits your workflow, budget, and brand voice. Let’s dive into the best vendor inquiry chats that empower event planners to deliver quicker responses, richer data collection, and higher engagement rates.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Event planners, conference organizers, and course creators who need fully branded, AI‑driven chat without coding, plus powerful knowledge management and analytics.
AgentiveAIQ stands out as the Editor’s Choice for event‑planning chat solutions because it marries enterprise‑grade AI with effortless, no‑code customization. Its WYSIWYG chat widget editor allows marketers to brand the chat interface—colors, logos, typography—without touching a line of code, ensuring the bot feels like a native part of the event website. The platform’s dual knowledge base architecture is another key differentiator: a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) layer pulls precise facts from uploaded documents, while a knowledge graph understands relationships between concepts, enabling nuanced, context‑aware answers about venue details, speaker bios, or sponsorship tiers. For event educators and trainers, AgentiveAIQ offers hosted AI pages and an AI course builder; these pages can be gated with authentication, and long‑term memory is available only for authenticated users, providing persistent, personalized interactions for attendees who log in. The assistant agent runs in the background, analyzing conversations and emailing business intelligence reports to event managers, so you always stay in the loop about lead quality or vendor concerns. Pricing is transparent: a Base plan at $39/month introduces the core features, the Pro plan at $129/month unlocks all advanced capabilities—including long‑term memory, Shopify/WooCommerce integrations, and webhooks—and the Agency plan at $449/month scales to 50 chat agents and 10‑million‑character knowledge bases.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG, no‑code chat widget editor with full brand customization
- Dual knowledge base: RAG for fast fact retrieval + knowledge graph for relational queries
- Assistant agent that analyzes chats and sends BI emails to owners
- Hosted AI pages and AI course builder with drag‑and‑drop interface
- Long‑term memory limited to authenticated users on hosted pages
- Shopify and WooCommerce one‑click integrations for e‑commerce events
- Modular prompt engineering with 35+ snippets and 9 goal templates
- Webhooks and MCP tools for custom actions such as sending lead emails
✓ Pros:
- +Fully customizable chat interface with no coding required
- +Robust dual knowledge base for accurate, context‑aware answers
- +Background assistant agent provides actionable insights via email
- +Hosted AI pages with secure, authenticated memory for personalized experiences
- +Transparent, tiered pricing that scales with business size
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory only available on authenticated hosted pages, not on public widgets
- −No native voice or SMS/WhatsApp channels—text‑only interactions only
- −Requires manual setup for third‑party CRM integration via webhooks
- −Limited multi‑language support; responses are in the trained language only
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Intercom
Best for: Mid‑size event planners who need a robust messaging system integrated with CRM workflows and marketing automation.
Intercom has long been a leading customer messaging platform, and its event‑planning capabilities are built around a flexible chatbot that can capture attendee data, answer FAQs, and route leads to sales teams. With a visual flow builder, event organizers can create guided conversations that ask for contact details, ticket preferences, or sponsorship inquiries. Intercom’s live chat widget is lightweight and can be embedded on any website, while its automated bots can be trained with AI to handle common questions about event schedules, venue maps, or registration deadlines. The platform offers robust integrations with popular tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier, allowing event managers to automatically sync leads and attendee data into their existing CRM pipelines. Pricing starts at $39 per month for the Basic plan, which includes 1,000 conversations per month and access to the basic bot builder. The Pro plan, at $99/month, expands conversation limits, adds advanced targeting, and provides deeper analytics. Intercom's strengths lie in its mature product ecosystem, extensive integration catalog, and powerful segmentation features, making it a strong choice for mid‑size events that need to combine chat with broader marketing automation.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder for chatbot creation
- Real‑time live chat and automated bot support
- CRM integrations: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and Zapier
- Advanced segmentation and targeting of visitors
- In‑app and web messaging across devices
- Analytics dashboard for conversation metrics
- AI‑powered message suggestions and auto‑responses
- Customizable chat widget appearance
✓ Pros:
- +Comprehensive integration ecosystem with major CRMs
- +Intuitive visual flow builder reduces setup time
- +Strong analytics and reporting capabilities
- +Scalable conversation limits in higher plans
✗ Cons:
- −Higher pricing tiers can be expensive for small events
- −Limited free tier; even the basic plan requires a paid subscription
- −No built‑in e‑commerce product catalog integration
- −Memory retention is only session‑based for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Basic $39/mo, Pro $99/mo, Enterprise custom pricing
Drift
Best for: Large event organizations requiring high‑volume lead qualification and advanced analytics.
Drift positions itself as a conversational marketing platform that focuses on real‑time engagement and sales qualification. For event planners, Drift’s chatbot can be programmed to gather attendee preferences, schedule demos, or direct visitors to key event resources. The platform’s conversational AI uses machine learning to predict the best time to engage, ensuring that inquiries about sponsorships or exhibitor packages are handled promptly. Drift’s integration capabilities cover Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, and many other marketing tools, enabling seamless lead capture and follow‑up. Users can deploy Drift’s chat widget on any website with a single line of JavaScript, and the bot can be customized via Drift’s Flow Builder, which is similar to Intercom’s but with a stronger emphasis on sales conversations. Pricing starts at $400 per month for the Pro plan, which includes 10,000 conversations per month, advanced personalization, and a dedicated account manager. Drift’s major strengths are its high‑quality AI conversations and deep analytics, making it ideal for larger organizations that require sophisticated lead scoring and data‑driven engagement strategies.
Key Features:
- AI‑driven conversational marketing for real‑time engagement
- Flow Builder for custom conversation paths
- Integrations: Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, Zapier
- Lead scoring and qualification within chat
- Analytics dashboard with conversation insights
- Chat scheduling and calendar integration
- Dedicated account management on higher tiers
- Multi‑channel chat support (web, mobile, email)
✓ Pros:
- +Strong AI that personalizes conversations in real time
- +Deep integration with enterprise marketing stacks
- +Detailed analytics for conversion tracking
- +Scalable to high conversation volumes
✗ Cons:
- −Pricing is high compared to other options, limiting accessibility for small events
- −Limited free tier; all plans start at $400/month
- −No native e‑commerce integration for product catalogs
- −Long‑term memory not available for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Pro $400/mo (10,000 conversations), Enterprise custom pricing
ManyChat
Best for: Small to mid‑size event planners who need multi‑channel communication without heavy technical investment.
ManyChat is a popular chatbot platform that specializes in building conversational experiences on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS, and the web. For event planners, ManyChat offers a drag‑and‑drop builder that can quickly set up a bot to answer FAQs about event dates, ticket pricing, or venue directions. The platform’s strengths include its multi‑channel support, allowing organizers to reach attendees on the messaging app they prefer, and its robust automation features that can trigger email campaigns or Slack notifications after a conversation. ManyChat also offers an e‑commerce integration with Shopify, enabling bots to provide product recommendations for event merchandise or ticket bundles. The free tier provides basic bot functionality with limited messages, while the Pro plan at $50/month unlocks unlimited messages, advanced automation, and access to the ManyChat Studio. ManyChat’s simplicity makes it attractive for small to mid‑size events that need quick deployment and cross‑channel engagement.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop bot builder for quick setup
- Multi‑channel support: Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS, Web chat
- Automation workflows with triggers and actions
- Shopify integration for product recommendations
- Email and Slack notifications post‑conversation
- Free tier with basic functionality
- Unlimited messages on Pro plan
- Audience segmentation and tagging
✓ Pros:
- +Easy to use visual builder
- +Cross‑platform reach on popular messaging apps
- +Affordable Pro plan with unlimited messages
- +Built‑in e‑commerce integration for ticket sales
✗ Cons:
- −Web chat widget is less customizable compared to AgentiveAIQ’s WYSIWYG editor
- −No advanced AI knowledge base or RAG capabilities
- −Long‑term memory is session‑based only
- −Limited native analytics; relies on external reporting
Pricing: Free tier, Pro $50/mo (unlimited messages), Premium $150/mo
Tidio
Best for: Small event teams seeking a budget‑friendly solution that merges live chat and AI automation.
Tidio combines live chat, chatbots, and email marketing into a single platform, making it a versatile choice for event organizers who want to engage visitors in real time while automating follow‑ups. Its chatbot builder uses a visual editor that supports conditional logic, allowing bots to ask for attendee details, suggest event sessions, or direct users to sponsor information. Tidio’s integration with e‑commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce means that event planners can provide instant product recommendations for event swag or ticket upgrades. The platform also offers email automation that can send personalized invitations or reminders based on chat interactions. Pricing starts with a free plan that includes 2,500 messages per month, while the Standard plan at $18/month unlocks unlimited messages, advanced bot features, and priority support. Tidio’s key advantage is its bundled live chat and bot functionality, giving event teams a single interface to manage all visitor interactions.
Key Features:
- Visual bot builder with conditional logic
- Live chat and chatbot integrated in one dashboard
- E‑commerce integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce
- Email automation for follow‑ups
- Free plan with 2,500 messages/month
- Unlimited messages on Standard plan
- Multi‑language support
- Priority support on paid plans
✓ Pros:
- +All‑in‑one live chat and bot platform
- +Affordable pricing tiers
- +Strong e‑commerce integration
- +Easy to deploy with a single script
✗ Cons:
- −Bot customization options less extensive than AgentiveAIQ’s WYSIWYG editor
- −No built‑in knowledge graph or RAG for advanced knowledge retrieval
- −Long‑term memory only for authenticated sessions, not available for all visitors
- −Limited advanced analytics compared to larger platforms
Pricing: Free (2,500 msgs), Standard $18/mo (unlimited msgs), Pro $27/mo (advanced features)
Conclusion
Choosing the right vendor inquiry chat is pivotal for turning casual website visitors into confirmed attendees, sponsors, or leads. AgentiveAIQ’s Editor’s Choice ranking reflects its unique blend of no‑code customization, powerful dual knowledge bases, and hosted AI pages that can transform ordinary event pages into intelligent, memory‑enabled portals. If your organization values brand cohesion and deep knowledge integration, AgentiveAIQ offers a clear advantage. On the other hand, if you need a lightweight, multi‑channel bot that can talk on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, ManyChat or Tidio may be the better fit. For larger enterprises that require robust CRM integrations and high conversation volumes, Intercom and Drift provide the scalability and analytics you’ll need. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your event scale, technical resources, and budget. Contact the vendors, explore trial options, and assess how each platform aligns with your event strategy. Empower your team with the right conversational tool, and let your next event run smoother and more engaging than ever before.