Event check-in apps are disrupting the events industry in a great way, and truly transforming the way industry professionals use technology to manage their events from start to finish.
According to the Losberger Group, one in four event professionals are using tablets to manage the registration process, while others are still playing catch up. New and exciting event apps provide a simple yet intelligent way to increase attendee satisfaction and event engagement, and streamline the process for event professionals.
As an event professional, you may ask yourself, “What are the benefits of using event check-in apps?” Let’s take a close look at the benefits of using check-in apps for events of all sizes.
5-Star Attendee Experience
Giving attendees an excellent event experience is one of the most important elements in making your event successful. As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
For an event, that experience starts at check-in. The traditional check-in process can be labor-intensive and time-consuming for both planners and attendees. Now, by using event check-in apps, event organizers and their guests have a solution for a fast, stress-free process.
Events apps such as ImpactFlow Live allow you to look up guests by name or confirmation number, scan tickets, and view any pre-event responses or preferences in an intuitive format—all key elements to providing attendees with a five-star experience. Guidebook’s 2014 Event Tech Report notes that 88 percent of event professionals said using an event app had a positive impact on attendee satisfaction.
Go Green!
The average event professional plans more than 10 events per year. Yikes! That’s a lot of registration lists that are being printed on paper. The great thing about check-in apps is that among other things, they cut costs on printing and greatly reduce an event’s impact on the environment.
Have you ever worried about your list getting lost or attendees manipulating the system with paper tickets? Going green takes all those worries away. With all of your event information in the cloud, apps have never been safer.
In addition to streamlining the registration process, event check-in apps are the perfect tool for accommodating guests’ last-minute changes. Given the frequency of late requests by attendees, event professionals know that flexibility is key. Event check-in apps allow guests to make hassle-free last-minute changes to travel and lodging details, dining preferences, activity schedules and more.
Extra Team Member in the Palm of Your Hand…Literally!
Event technology can help increase productivity by 27 percent and decrease event costs by 20–30 percent, notes a study by Frost & Sullivan. Using a check-in app essentially allows event organizers to create an extension of their team, allowing them to accomplish more with less manpower.
You’ll also want to consider how an event check-in app can seamlessly connect with other technology that you may already be using. A great event check-in app provides a one-stop shop for event management and promotion, allowing planners to create a registration webpage, sell tickets, set pre-event questions, launch email promotions and complete on-site check-in—all in one integrated platform.
Real-Time Data
Event professionals clearly understand that real-time data is a major factor when executing an excellent event that knocks it out of the park and exceeds all expectations, rather than having just an average event. Of course, data is most valuable when you put it to good use. A useful event check-in app will give you real-time insight into the capacity of your event, an active guest count, details on when guests arrive and the ability to offer refunds on the spot.
Additionally, real-time data provides event organizers with greater insight into their event, helping them to make smart, data-driven decisions on the fly. This ensures that you always provide the best experience for your guest.
Never Miss an Opportunity to Increase Event Revenue
The days of carrying cash are long gone for many, especially millennials. Event attendees expect to make payments on the go using their debit or credit card. Having the tools to accommodate your attendee for unpaid balances or add-ons will allow you to cash in on every opportunity to make additional revenue.
The most innovative apps on the market today, including ImpactFlow Live, allow organizers to use a chip-enabled card reader that turns a tablet or mobile device into a box office. Simply connect to your device and swipe or insert a card into the reader to process secure payments right on the spot.
Out with the Old, in with the New!
If you are not already using an event check-in app or haven’t at least thought about it, you’re behind the curve. Soon it will no longer be a question of if you should be using a tablet or mobile app—it will be a question of “Which one are you using and why?”
The key to successfully choosing an event check-in app is to make sure it gives you the necessary tools to provide a five-star customer experience, increases productivity while decreasing overall costs and is flexible to your ever-changing event demands. You should always strive to provide an efficient, smooth check-in for your event attendees, so choose the app that works best for your events, team and company’s bottom line.
Armon Moore is ImpactFlow’s co-founder and chief creative officer. Moore, an expert at event technology, leads ImpactFlow’s design, brand marketing and growth teams.
