Event Check-In Kiosk and Software
A streamlined, efficient check-in process is the cornerstone of any successful live event. As the event industry evolves, organizers turn to technology to modernize operations and improve attendee satisfaction. Event check-in kiosks and software are increasingly becoming the go-to resource for revolutionizing the way guests check in to events.
The power of an effective live event check-in system cannot be overstated. Choosing the right software for your event can provide benefits from start to finish.
However, before selecting which system is suitable for your brand, it is crucial to understand the process of live event check-in, the features that could be helpful, and how something like software and kiosks impact brand reputation, guest experience, and your event’s overall success.
What Is Event Check-In Software?
Check-in software for events includes a digital platform to assist guests who are arriving at a live event. Traditionally paper or other physical methods were used by event organizers to check in attendees. However, with new technology’s speed and efficiency, software programs simplify and accelerate the check-in process.
The specific way that event organizers use check-in software can vary. Some software programs use QR codes, barcodes, RFID technology, independent apps, or a combination of these features. Regardless of the method, check-in software aims to make the process fast and easy for both guests and your brand’s staff.
Many check-in software programs also feature attendance tracking and other ways of gathering data for insight analysis. The information gathered helps event organizers see in what ways an event was successful and what elements could be improved. The best software programs offer highly detailed analytics, leading to even further future improvements. Software programs that include these insights are immensely helpful in optimizing live events for guest satisfaction.
Why Is It Important?
In today’s world of technological advancements, check-in software paired with physical kiosks is becoming the norm at live events. It’s common enough that most event managers consider it essential, and for good reason.
Events that don’t utilize software programs instead rely on manual check-in procedures. This process may involve a guest verbally telling an employee his or her name and showing a paper ticket or digital receipt. The employee then must manually verify the guest’s name and cross-reference the paper ticket with the information on file.
Understandably, this manual check-in process can lead to long lines and growing attendee frustration. That’s to say nothing of any problems that may arise, like an employee mishearing a name in a noisy venue, badges or names in the guest list being out of order or misspelled, duplicate names, or any number of other issues. This process is definitely less than ideal, it feels archaic, and it doesn’t give guests a good first impression.
At In The Room, we believe that first impressions are one of the most critical factors in event management. If you don’t give your guests an incredible first impression, you’re setting your event up for failure.
When event organizers instead use event check-in kiosks and software for live events, they massively cut down on wait times, lines, confusion, and annoyance. Instead, guests walk into the venue and are met with short lines (or no lines at all), user-friendly tablet kiosks, and a check-in process that’s over in moments.
Features to Consider in Event Check-In Kiosks and Software
Check-in is a particularly important step in planning an event because it’s the first in-person experience your guests will have with your brand. Because of that, you’ll need to select a software program that checks all the boxes. Here are the features you should look for when selecting event check-in software.
Pairs with On-Demand Badge Printing
If you’ve been pre-printing badges for your events, we’ll tell you right now: you’re doing it wrong. Here’s why.
Picture this scenario: in the days leading up to the event, you and your employees spend hours upon hours printing and sorting badges for expected attendees. At check-in you keep the badge table fully staffed. There are long lines of guests waiting for staff to locate each specific badge. At the end of check-in, you’re left with a big pile of badges meant for registrants who didn’t make it on the day.
All of the problems listed in that scenario—the wasted time before the event, the long lines, the unused badges—can be solved if your software program pairs with on-demand badge printing.
Instead of spending time beforehand printing and prepping the badges, they’re printed as each guest checks in (eliminating the excess badges from no-shows). Your employees can focus on other tasks before the event, and your guests will get their badges within seconds of checking in. That way, there’s no waiting for someone to sort through hundreds of pre-printed badges to find a specific one.
Accommodates Exceptional Circumstances
Providing on-demand badge printing is vital for more than just the reasons listed above. You’ll also need a check-in software program that accommodates guests with exceptional circumstances.
This means that your software should be able to admit walk-in registrants as well as make changes to badges for those with misspelled names or wrongly listed job titles. This software will need to be able to handle registrations along with the event check-in kiosks, and it will need to easily make changes to a guest’s information.
Promotes Upsells
No matter what field you’re in, one goal for your event is certain: you want to bring in as much revenue from the live event as possible. One of the most convenient ways to do this is to encourage upselling in the check-in process.
Many of your guests will have registered as basic attendees, but once they see an impressively efficient check-in process and the set up when they walk through the door, they may want to upgrade their experience. Offering a one-click upsell option for VIP status at check-in benefits them just as much as it does you.
The key here is to find a software program that makes it a quick and easy process for your guests. In The Room check-in software encourages attendees to upgrade with a simple click—a one-and-done action.
Simplifies the Check-In Process
Every point we’ve made so far involves a more simplified check-in process. You want your guests to get through the line and the kiosk stations as effortlessly as possible: just a few clicks, an upsell offer, and a quick tap to print the badge.
A smooth check-in process will need to be paired with an event check-in kiosk and software that is user-friendly for both guests and employees. You’ll need a few workers well-versed in technology to handle any crisis, but the software program you select shouldn’t involve frozen screens, a complex check-in process, or an army of tech-savvy employees. The bottom line: your software should keep everything short, sweet, and straightforward.
Uses QR Codes
Many check-in software programs use barcodes, and while these work for the initial check-in or for gaining access to a session within the event, they do not provide you with any other helpful data.
The solution? QR codes. In this day and age, it’s crucial that your event management software employs event check-in QR codes. Like barcodes, QR codes can first be utilized as a way for guests to check in at the beginning of the event. They can then be printed on guest badges and used for admittance to talks, lectures, and sessions within the venue.
But what sets QR codes apart from barcodes is their versatility. When event software helps you print QR codes onto event signs and badges, your guests will be able to scan the codes at any time. QR codes can be linked to an event landing page, map, schedule, social media account, and more. This provides an easy way for attendees to explore upcoming sessions, find their way around, and view keynote speakers.
QR codes are handy because very few, if any, of your guests will be interested in downloading a separate event app. Having to download a new app for every event is a clunky way to update and keep attendees informed. Not to mention, most will just delete the app on their way home. QR codes, on the other hand, are lightning-fast and don’t take up extra storage space on a phone.
Includes Real-Time Updates
This feature is an event manager’s bread and butter. If your software doesn’t provide real-time updates for both you and your guests, you may as well go back to doing everything with a pen and paper.
The minute a guest hits the print button for an attendee badge, your check-in software should sync across all platforms to show that the guest has officially checked in. Every time a guest enters a lecture or session, your software should inform you of their attendance record.
Likewise, any time there’s a change or update to an event itinerary—a session is quickly filling up or a keynote speaker is adding a surprise assembly—your guests need to know about it as soon as you do. You don’t want frustrated guests showing up to a full or canceled session, and you definitely don’t want them missing out because your software program didn’t update fast enough.
Real-time updates are crucial to allow event managers to keep track of attendance, keep guests informed, and generally maintain a well-organized event.
Tracks Event and Session Attendance
No matter the goals set for your live event, you’ll be hard-pressed to measure success without analyzing the data gathered by event management software that tracks and reports attendance.
Check-in software should include sophisticated tracking tools so you can keep your guests happy and gather data along the way. Your software should do the following:
- Manage room capacities: We already mentioned the importance of being able to report to guests when an event is filling up. However, the first step is to have check-in software that provides you with these statistics in the first place. You’ll want software that tracks attendance in every room and balances that against each room’s capacity so you know exactly how many seats are left.
- Monitor session attendance and overall attendance: Most check-in software programs will track overall attendance, which is excellent for gauging your event’s success on a large scale. But not all programs will give you insights into the attendance record of every session. These numbers are crucial in determining the impact of each session so you can plan which keynote speakers you’d like to ask to return for future events.
A note on this feature: Many of the most advanced check-in software programs will have difficulty telling you just who was “In The Room” at each session. However, with our software In The Room you’ll be able to see guest profiles as well as drop-off rates for each session. This will help you understand which sessions appeal to different people. From there, you can gear your marketing efforts toward specific audiences and significantly increase your ROI. - Predict daily meal attendance: Software programs that only tell you who checked in at the very beginning of your event won’t help you determine numbers on food and beverage orders. You could very well end up ordering too much food and being left with a surplus of waste—or worse, not ordering enough and leaving guests hungry.
Instead, check-in software should track daily attendance and let you know who sticks around for lunchtime or cocktail hours so you can get an accurate idea of the food and beverage orders you need to place. This will save you money—no more spending thousands on extra food and drinks no one will consume—and keep your guests from experiencing frustration and hunger.
Prioritizes Your Branding
Creating a good first impression doesn’t just involve your guests’ opinion of the event—it also extends to their thoughts about your brand as a whole. One of your goals should be to create a positive impression of your brand and keep it at the forefront of people’s minds.
The conference check-in software you select can allow you to include your branding into the check-in process. This means that your logo, colors, fonts, and other branding elements should be used in each step of the process.
Event management programs should also include your branding in all marketing materials, including emails, ads, and the event landing page. All design elements should integrate these elements, meaning the software should provide customizable options. To create a professional appearance and set the right first impression, you want all your check-in materials and online locations to look similar, with your branding in mind.
Integrates with Other Tools
Representing your branding across all platforms won’t do you much good if the check-in software doesn’t integrate with all of these platforms.
Some tools your software should integrate with include email marketing systems, event planning software, and customer relationship management programs. While you can hold an event using check-in software that doesn’t integrate with other tools, you’ll spend unnecessary time manually importing documents, branding features, and other elements from one platform into another. This is time you could spend doing other things; when time is money, you’ll lose out on revenue.
Additionally, manually exporting and importing data doesn’t always go smoothly. Automating the process can help you manage marketing materials to create better relationships with guests and increase repeat attendance. Check-in software programs from In The Room can help you flawlessly integrate check-in data with other tools.
Why Choose In The Room?
Once you are aware of the features to look for when choosing check-in software for your next event, the challenge is in finding the right software. Let us make that easy for you.
In The Room provides event management software for any live event. We cover everything from helping guests register to checking them in, customizing and printing badges on-demand, and tracking attendance and other important metrics. Best of all, we help you optimize monetization along the way.
We didn’t start our company to be just another event management software program, the same in a sea of others. We built the best software available because no other company had the technology needed to successfully optimize live events the way we wanted it done.
Think of the sleekest, most innovative, and successful brands today. We’ve heard that walking into one of our events is like entering an Apple store, and we take that to heart. The ingenuity and professionalism of top international brands is what we provide to all of our clients.
We want event organizers to be able to host state-of-the-art events that are equal parts profitable and impressive. We help make this happen by including the features we listed in our event management software. We’ll even work one-on-one with you to determine the best strategies for monetizing each aspect of your event.
When you choose In The Room for your event check-in kiosk and software, you’ll elevate revenue and reputation with each event your brand hosts. From check-in, your guests will know they’re at an event to remember.