Anyone who has hosted an event knows the painstaking process of event check-in all too well. A slow check-in process results in an ever-growing check-in line and unhappy guests. On the other hand, a quick and painless experience sets a positive tone for your entire event.
In order to ensure you start your event on a high note, we’ve put together a quick guide on how you can accelerate check-in at your next event.
A great event check-in experience starts with your ticketing or registration provider. If your guests have a hard time purchasing their tickets, you can assume with a fair amount of certainty that check-in will not go smoothly. On the bright side, some amazing options are available for online ticketing and event registration. Of course, we would strongly recommend focusing your attention on an online provider. Online event ticketing will not only make it easier for your guests to purchase their tickets and for you and your team to track sales performance, but it will allow you to make more effective use of technology during event check-in. More on that later in this post!
Here are some additional benefits event planners can gain by using an online ticketing solution:
At this point, you’ve selected the perfect online ticketing provider, have sold out your event, and are getting ready for the big day or night. Prior to your event, we recommend sending a quick email to your guests with any important information about the event. This email can include a reminder for the date, time, and location of the event, and it can also include information on the check-in to prepare your guests for their arrival. Certain things to include here are:
Providing this quick reminder email will give your guests an idea of what to expect when they arrive at the event and will help ensure a quick and streamlined event check-in process.
As you determine the layout of your event and do your final walk-through, make sure you select a logical place for event check-in. Your check-in location should be near the entrance of the venue and should allow for smooth foot traffic and as little congestion as possible. To make things easier, be sure to include plenty of signage that will guide incoming guests to your check-in area. Finally, use your staff and volunteers to warmly greet and guide traffic through and out of the check-in area.
One of the easiest ways to streamline your event check-in will be to use ticket scanning technology, something that will only be necessary if you make use of an online ticketing provider. Ticket scanning technology will allow your staff and volunteers to download an app, use their smartphone’s camera, and instantly scan and check in guests that arrive.
Most event ticketing platforms come equipped with a ticket scanning app and will include a QR code or barcode in any ticket purchased. This means that your guests can show either their eTicket or printed ticket if they’d like. All devices will sync, meaning that if one staff member checks in a guest, all other staff members will instantly show that guest as “checked in.”
Worried that a guest may not be able to find their ticket and will hold up the check-in process? Don’t be! With most ticket scanning platforms, your staff can look up any attendees by name and directly check them in manually using the app.
To speed the check-in process even more give attendees the power to manage their own check-in with check-in kiosks. They can simply scan a barcode or QR code to check themselves in. Consider allowing walk-in attendees to easily register and check themselves in as well.
Having a reliable event check-in software will certainly help move things along, but a well-trained team of staff and volunteers is simply irreplaceable.
Your onsite check-in staff will focus on two major areas: ticket scanning and greeting/traffic control. Make sure they are confident, positive, and prepared to warmly greet your guests. Once guests have gone through your check-in process, have your remaining event staff guide traffic away from the check-in area and into your event.
A few things to nail down before the event include:
Invest in a faster, simpler check-in process - it will pay off. Not only do first impressions count, your attendees will also feel more relaxed, refreshed, and ready to mingle and learn.
