Streamlining Event Success with Event Citadels' Comprehensive Services
In today’s fast-paced business environment, event organizers require comprehensive solutions to ensure the success of their events. Event Citadel, formerly CompuSystems, Inc., a leader in the trade show industry for over four decades, offers an extensive range of services designed to enhance every aspect of event success and management. From registration and analytics to onsite services and lead management, Event Citadel provides robust, integrated solutions to meet the diverse needs of event organizers.
Registration Services
At the core of Event Citadels’ offerings is its state-of-the-art registration service. Utilizing custom registration software, Event Citadel ensures a seamless registration process for attendees, exhibitors, press, speakers, and special groups. The platform supports real-time updates, interactive session search engines, and various payment processing options. Attendees can easily upload credentials, request visa letters, and access comprehensive dashboards. This streamlined process not only enhances the attendee experience but also provides valuable data insights for event organizers.
Analytics
In addition, data-driven decision-making is crucial for the success of any event. Event Citadel offers advanced analytics services, integrating Google Analytics into the registration site to provide exceptional metrics. For example, The platform tracks session abandonment, helping organizers identify potential drop-off points and improve the registration process. Detailed analytics on attendee demographics, registration trends, and engagement levels enable organizers to tailor their strategies and maximize event success.
Onsite Services
Furthermore, Event Citadels’ onsite services ensure smooth and efficient event operations. Their team handles every aspect of onsite management, from equipment setup and crowd control planning to badge printing and access management. The company’s robust lead retrieval system allows exhibitors to capture and manage leads effectively, providing electronic literature distribution and post-show electronic lead management. This comprehensive approach ensures event success by providing both attendees and exhibitors with a seamless and productive experience.
Lead Management Services
Equally important, effective lead management is essential for maximizing the return on investment for exhibitors. Event Citadel offers a range of lead management solutions, including wireless and paper-free options. Exhibitors can access booth contacts electronically, send follow-up emails, and manage leads through a centralized platform. The system also supports group registrations, allowing organizations or communities to attend events together and fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging.
Custom Integrations
Moreover, to cater to the diverse needs of event organizers, Event Citadel provides standard API and custom integration services. The platform integrates seamlessly with various industry vendors and third-party providers, including Salesforce, Google Analytics, onPeak, and more. This flexibility allows organizers to create a cohesive and efficient event ecosystem, enhancing the overall event experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Data Privacy and Compliance
Notably, In an era where data privacy is paramount, Event Citadel is committed to ensuring the highest standards of data security. The company is PCI, SSAE 16 (formerly SAS 70) Type II, and GDPR compliant, providing a comprehensive approach to data security. This ensures that all client and attendee data is protected, giving organizers peace of mind and allowing them to focus on delivering a successful event.
DEI and Sustainability Practices
Additionally, Event Citadel is dedicated to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and sustainability. The company has implemented various DEI initiatives, such as crafting a DEI mission statement, providing employee training, and ensuring equitable recruitment practices. Their commitment to sustainability includes eco-friendly office initiatives, paperless registration, on-demand badge printing, and virtual badge options. By integrating sustainable practices, Event Citadel aims to minimize its environmental impact and foster a greener mindset among employees, clients, and partners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Event Citadels’ comprehensive range of services, including registration, analytics, onsite management, lead retrieval, custom integrations, and commitment to data privacy, DEI, and sustainability, make it a trusted partner for event organizers. By leveraging advanced technology and a customer-centric approach, Event Citadel helps clients deliver event success through engaging, inclusive, and well-managed experiences. Whether you’re organizing a small conference or a large trade show, Event Citadel has the expertise and solutions to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. For more information about our services, visit CompuSystems.
By choosing Event Citadel, event organizers can ensure a seamless and successful event experience, backed by a team of dedicated professionals and cutting-edge technology.
Best Practices for a Seamless Event Registration Experience
Imagine an event registration process so seamless it feels like an overture to the grand symphony of your event. In our longstanding journey through the corridors of the event management industry, we’ve garnered insights that can transform the mundane into the extraordinary. Our pioneering spirit has led us to refine online event registration into an art form, one that ensures attendees begin their event experience with nothing less than amazement.
With online event registration becoming the cornerstone of modern event management, here are the best practices for event registration that synthesize our decades of innovation and experience to provide you with a compass for crafting a flawless registration journey.
Early Planning and Streamlined Processes
Our seasoned wisdom dictates that the cornerstone of a successful event lies in early planning. Following proven strategies for effective event registration, such as early planning and streamlined forms, ensures a strong foundation for success. An intuitive registration system must allow for a picturesque blend of information collection and user ease. The orchestration of fields that capture essential attendee information, while not overbearing them with surplus queries, is key. Craft your forms with brevity and clarity, enabling a harmonized experience from the first note.
Mobile Optimization: A Symphony Played on Every Device
In the dynamic landscape of event technology, adaptation is akin to survival. With over half of the internet traffic coming from mobile devices, a mobile-responsive registration platform isn’t just a feature, it’s a pivotal requirement. Ensure that every touchpoint of your registration experience is as accessible and immersive on a smartphone as it is on a desktop—a testament to our adaptable and user-oriented innovations.
Secure Transactions for a Trusting Audience
Security is not just a feature; it’s a commitment to your attendees’ trust and peace of mind. Deploying robust encryption and secure payment gateways safeguards sensitive information, orchestrating a secure environment for transactions. This reflects our unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of data security, allowing attendees to register with confidence.
Personalization: The Insignia of Exceptional Service
Personalization is the brushstroke that turns attendees into participants. Tailoring the registration process to individual preferences and histories echoes our family-owned touch in a digital format. Use the data at your disposal to customize experiences, greet returning guests with warm familiarity, and make first-time attendees feel like part of an inclusive community.
User-Centered Design and Accessibility
Our experience has taught us that the soul of any service is its user. A user-centered registration platform, compliant with accessibility standards, ensures that all potential attendees, regardless of ability, can navigate the process effortlessly. Incorporating clear language, assistive technologies, and a logical layout exemplifies our commitment to inclusivity and exceptional user experience.
Timely Communication: The Cadence of Engagement
Engagement is an ongoing conversation, not a singular transaction. Automated confirmation emails, reminders, and informational updates should follow each registration, maintaining the melody of engagement. Through timely and clear communication, you reinforce the anticipation and momentum leading up to the event.
Testing and Feedback: The Rhythm of Improvement
A visionary is only as good as their last innovation. Regular testing of the registration process across various devices and seeking feedback post-event forges a path for continuous improvement. Embrace the critical insights from your audience to refine your offerings—an adaptive strategy that showcases our enduring pursuit of perfection.
Analytical Insights: Composing Future Successes
Data analytics offer a window into the behaviors and preferences of your attendees. Cultivate these insights to understand the efficacy of your marketing campaigns, the attendee demographics, and their preferences. This wealth of information can inform not only the current event’s strategies but also the blueprint for your next masterpiece.
Integration with Event Management Modules
In the symphony of event management, each section must be in harmony with the others—and one of the best ways to manage event registration is by integrating it seamlessly with your broader event tools. Seamless integration of the registration module with your overall event management system—such as agenda setting, hotel bookings, and other logistics—is pivotal for a cohesive experience. It’s the mark of an experienced innovator to understand that the best technologies are those that work in concert.
Online registration is far more than a gateway; it’s the first impression, the opening act, the initial handshake. By embedding these best practices for event registration into your registration framework, you not only echo our time-honored expertise but also craft experiences that resonate deeply with your attendees. This is our legacy—fusing adaptability, innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence into every facet of event management. With these guiding lights, event organizers can orchestrate registration experiences that are streamlined, engaging, and harmonious, setting the stage for successful events that attendees will recall fondly for years to come.
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Event Citadel: A Leader in Event Registration and Management Solutions
In the ever-evolving world of events — in-person, virtual, or hybrid — the key to a successful assembly lies not just in the content and speakers but equally in the smoothness of its organization and the ease with which attendees can engage. Event Citadel (EC), formerly CompuSystems, has established itself as a leader in providing innovative, flexible, and powerful event registration and management solutions that cater to events of all types and sizes.
The Power of Streamlined Online Registration
In the digital age, a swift and user-friendly registration process is critical. Event Citadels’ event registration solutions are designed to deliver just that – speed, reliability, and ease of use.. Boasting an impressive portfolio, Event Citadel has collected over 100 million dollars in registration fees and handled over 50 million registrations, showcasing both reliability and reach. By offering a customized registration website that caters to various attendee profile types, Event Citadel enables event organizers to provide a fast and seamless registration experience for their attendees and exhibitors, which guarantees first impressions of the event are immensely positive.
To learn more about how Event Citadel optimizes the registration process from start to finish, explore our Online Registration solutions.
Onsite Registration: Sophisticated and Speedy
The importance of efficient on-site registration cannot be overstated. With Event Citadels’ top-tier technology, event participants are welcomed with the industry’s most sophisticated on-site registration experience. Imagine arriving at an event to find streamlined processes that quickly get you from the front door to the show floor without any unnecessary hurdles. From kiosks that offer self-serve badge pick-up to fully staffed registration counters ready to assist, Event Citadel empowers event organizers to facilitate an entrant’s journey with speed and grace.
Discover how our Onsite Registration technology enhances first impressions and keeps your event running smoothly from the moment attendees arrive.
Superlative Event Management for Growth and Efficiency
Managing an event is akin to conducting a complex orchestra with numerous moving parts. Event Citadel helps organizers take control through comprehensive event management solutions, designed to streamline operations, drive growth, and reduce overhead.. No matter the size—from intimate workshops to grand conventions—having Event Citadels’ technology means having an impeccable handle on the event’s logistical, financial, and attendee-related matters. This robust management enables events to not only run smoothly but also thrive and evolve.
Our Event Management tools give organizers complete control over every aspect of their events, from logistics and staffing to budgeting and performance tracking.
Advanced Lead Retrieval: The Key to Business Development
For exhibitors, events are more than networking opportunities; they are venues to make business happen. Event Citadel provides state-of-the-art lead retrieval solutions that help exhibitors attract qualified buyers, develop better sales leads, and close more deals. Through traditional and cutting-edge technologies, the company ensures that participants can easily capture and store valuable contact information, streamlining the post-event follow-up process.
Dive into our Lead Retrieval solutions to see how exhibitors can maximize ROI by capturing and converting qualified leads more effectively.
Attendee Acquisition: Expanding Reach and Engagement
In the competitive events landscape, merely planning and managing is not enough; one must also know how to attract and retain attendees. Event Citadel has demonstrated prowess in attendee acquisition strategies, offering event professionals tools and insights to broaden their marketing reach and foster higher engagement rates. This component of the service suite ensures events are not only well-organized but also well-attended.
Learn how our Attendee Acquisition strategies help you increase attendance and deepen audience engagement across all event formats.
Stellar Customer Success Stories Speak Volumes
Satisfied clients’ testimony is the most telling evidence of Event Citadels’ impact. Organizations such as the Printing United, American Urological Association (AUA), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), and others have lauded CSI for its impressive contributions. From streamlined registration processes to support in transition from in-person to virtual conferences, Event Citadel has consistently outperformed expectations, providing indispensable services that are responsive to customer needs and agile enough to adapt to rapid changes in the event planning landscape.
Learn how Event Citadel drives long-term client success through expert support, innovative solutions, and four decades-long track record on our Customer Success page.
EC’s Commitment to Thought Leadership
Whether you’re new to event management or a seasoned professional, our blog provides essential reading for anyone looking to stay ahead in the industry remaining at the forefront of the event management field means more than keeping up with trends; it involves setting them. Event Citadels’ continued commitment to thought leadership is evident. For example, our blog provides essential reading for anyone in the event industry, offering gems such as ‘10 Tips on How to Attract Exhibitors to Your Event and Keep Them Coming Back‘ and insightful analyses on emerging norms like ‘Decentralized Registration Becoming the New Normal‘.
An exploration of Event Citadels’ comprehensive suite of services and the testimonies of their diverse clientele paint a clear picture: EC is more than a solution provider; it’s a partner to event organizers and exhibitors alike. Whether through superior registration services, attendee acquisition strategies, or cutting-edge lead retrieval tools, Event Citadel elevates every aspect of the event experience. With EC, event organizers can rest assured that their events will meet the expectations of modern attendees and exhibitors and exceed them, setting new benchmarks in the industry.
As events continue to adapt to new formats and audiences, Event Citadel’s impact will only grow stronger, solidifying its pivotal role in the success of events around the world.
Onsite Registration Solutions and Trends: Contactless and Self-Serve Approaches Take Center Stage
In the realm of event management, the first interaction attendees have is often at the registration desk. This crucial touchpoint can set the tone for the entire event experience. Recognizing this, Event Citadel (EC), formerly CompuSystems, as dedicated itself to providing registrant check-in and badging solutions that are not just elegant and efficient but are tailored to meet the evolving needs of today’s events – from intimate conferences to colossal conventions.
The last few years have fundamentally altered the expectations attendees have for events, with a paramount emphasis on safety, efficiency, and convenience. These changes have catapulted contactless and self-serve technologies from nice-to-have options to critical components of modern event registration systems.
The Rise of Contactless Event Registration Solutions: Self-service Kiosks and Mobile Registration Carts
The global pandemic served as a catalyst for rapid innovation and adoption of contactless technologies. Contactless event registration represents much more than just a trend; it’s a reflection of a broader shift toward creating safer, more streamlined attendee experiences. One of the most significant shifts in on-site registration is the move towards empowering attendees through self-serve options. EC has been at the forefront, offering solutions that allow for touch-free check-ins through self-serve badge pickup kiosks strategically located for convenience in airports and hotels, as well as full-service customized onsite registration options, adaptable for all event sizes. Kiosks and mobile registration carts provided by EC facilitate a DIY badge printing process that matches the event branding and even allows for personalized sponsor messages. This not only minimizes wait times and reduces congestion but also enhances the overall attendee experience by offering a sense of autonomy and efficiency from the get-go.
These technologies not only expedite the registration process but significantly reduce the potential for health risks, enabling attendees to enjoy the event with added peace of mind.
Beyond Registration: Tracking and Real-time Insights
Event Citadel extends the utility of its onsite registration solutions beyond the initial check-in. Through advanced session tracking, access control, and CEU management, event organizers can gain insights into attendee movements, session attendance, and overall engagement. This data is invaluable, offering a treasure trove of information that can help fine-tune event strategies, improve future events, and demonstrate ROI to sponsors and stakeholders.
Moreover, tailored dashboards and real-time alerts enable organizers to stay informed on key metrics, making it easier to manage high-traffic areas and ensure that the event runs smoothly.
White-Glove Service: The Event Citadel Difference
At the core of ECs’ offerings is an unwavering commitment to excellence, supported by a white-glove service team equipped with the expertise to ensure event registration systems perform flawlessly. With seasoned technicians and customer-focused project managers, EC brings over 50 years of experience to the table, ensuring that even the most complex events are executed without a hitch.
This level of support is crucial, particularly for large-scale events, where the registration process sets the tone for the entire attendee experience.
The Future is Contactless and Self-Serve
Looking forward, it’s clear that the trends toward contactless and self-serve on-site registration solutions are here to stay. These methods not only align with the heightened expectations attendees now have for convenience and safety but also offer event organizers powerful tools to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their events.
In an era where every touchpoint matters, investing in advanced registration solutions like those offered by Event Citadel can be a game-changer. Providing a seamless, hassle-free start to the attendee experience not only leaves a positive first impression but also sets the stage for a successful event overall.
As we move forward, the role of technology in enabling these experiences will only grow, with innovations in contactless engagements, personalized interactions, and data-driven insights shaping the future of event management. EC continues to lead this evolution, addressing the needs of both today’s and tomorrow’s events with cutting-edge solutions that redefine what onsite registration can be.
In short, the shift towards more dynamic, flexible, and attendee-friendly onsite registration solutions reflects broader changes in the events industry and society at large. By embracing these changes, event organizers can not only meet but exceed attendees’ expectations, ensuring their events are memorable for all the right reasons.
Redefining Your Trade Show Game: The Power of Advanced Registration Solutions
It’s the dawn of a new era in the event industry, accentuated by digital transitions and necessitated by unpredictable disruptions. What sets the pace in this fast-evolving landscape, you ask? Advanced registration solutions. This isn’t just the secret ingredient to streamlining trade show operations; it’s the harbinger of change, powering up your entire event planning suite. Let’s take a look at how these solutions can redefine your trade show game from the ground up.
First Impressions Matter
Let’s face it – the registration phase is the first real engagement attendees have with your event. If they’re met with a cluttered process, long waiting times or confusing instructions, it sets a negative precedent. Advanced registration solutions nip these issues in the bud, offering a smooth, user-friendly registration workflow that leaves a stellar first impression. That’s the head start you need in this competitive race.
Snapping the Paper Chains
Still mired in the age of paper forms and manual data entry? It’s time to say goodbye. Advanced registration solutions digitize the entire process, enabling a seamless flow of data. So, out go the paperwork, inaccuracies, and wasted hours. In step real-time updates, efficient data management, and a greener event.
The Personalized Touch
Everybody loves being pampered, attendees included. Advanced registration solutions let you tailor the experience to match individual preferences. By integrating with your CRM, these platforms offer personalized communication, from promotional emails to ticket confirmations. Remember, in a world of generic blasts, customization truly cuts through the noise.
Data-Driven Decisions
Here’s the cherry on top – the goldmine of data these solutions offer. Everything from attendee demographics to tickets sold and conversion rates is at your fingertips, lending itself to actionable insights. You can tweak your marketing strategies, adjust logistics, or ramp up promotional activities on the fly. The result? Data-backed decisions that take ambiguity out of the equation.
Security and Compliance
With an increase in digital transactions comes the increased responsibility of ensuring data security. Advanced registration solutions prioritize data protection, ensuring compliance with regulations. As you enrich your attendee experience, you can be assured their information is in safe hands.
Boost to ROI
The cumulative effect of all these benefits? A considerable uptick in your ROI. By delivering a stand-out registration experience, you not only entice more attendees but also increase the chances of them returning for future events and recommending you to others. It’s a domino effect – get the start right, and success will follow.
When it comes to maneuvering the ever-evolving labyrinth of trade show organization, advanced registration solutions are the compass that leads the way, defining your event’s success trajectory right from the get-go. It’s not just about staying ahead. It’s about carving out a unique niche that sets you apart in the crowded event marketplace.
Excited to harness the potential of advanced registration solutions? Eager to experience the power they wield in not just elevating your trade show, but redefining it entirely? Event Citadel, formerly CompuSystems can help. Reach out to us for an in-depth chat about what the future of registrations holds. Sometimes, all it takes to revolutionize the game is the right tool in your arsenal. Explore the potential today!
Onsite Registration: How to Reduce Wait Times and Improve User Experience at Events
By Kahle Williams
Onsite registration is often the first time attendees experience your brand. Long wait times and poor user experience can cause frustration and unwanted callouts on social media and discourage attendees from returning to future events. Here are some best practices to ensure a smooth and efficient onsite registration process so your attendees can quickly get their badges and take advantage of everything your event has to offer.
Pre-Registration:
Encourage attendees to pre-register for the event. Offer incentives such as early bird discounts or freebies like swag, drink tickets, and parking reimbursement. Also, online registration should be quick and easy, especially for returning customers. Auto-fill contact information when possible to significantly speed up the process. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to register, it’s probably too long.
Remote Self-Serve Kiosks:
Think airport check-in. Implement self-serve badge pickup kiosks around the convention center for attendees to quickly print their badge before they arrive. Focus on areas where you expect a large inflow of people, such as airports, hotels, and bus drop-off locations. Strategically placed kiosks can reduce foot traffic in the central registration area by up to 50%, which can be the most significant factor for reducing wait times and boosting customer satisfaction.
Remote Self-Serve Carts:
This option is similar to the self-serve kiosk above but is mobile. They can be moved around easily to busy areas. For maximum speed and efficiency, carts should have onboard battery power, wifi, and reliable scanning and printing capabilities to keep them running smoothly.
Registration QR Codes:
Include QR codes on strategically placed signage around the convention center for people to register on their smartphones. Then, the registration confirmation will direct them to nearby self-serve badge printing stations. This works particularly well when the QR code signage is close to the badge printing stations. Be sure your registration website is mobile-optimized and has a simple registration flow.
Self-Serve Registration Stations:
For attendees that did not register in advance, offer self-registration stations in your central registration areas. This technology allows attendees to register, pay, and print their badge in just a few minutes. Furthermore, it reduces the number of registration counters and temporary personnel needed.
Mobile Badge Printing App:
Equip your team members with a handheld badge printing app to proactively alleviate long registration lines “on-the-fly.” Approach pre-registered attendees waiting in line, enter their name or registration number and direct them to a designated printer location to collect their badge. It does wonders for quickly clearing out bottleneck areas.
Queue Management:
Use queue management techniques such as floor markers, rope and stanchion, and signboards to guide attendees in an organized fashion. While simple management techniques may seem obvious, poorly organized registration areas can increase wait times by up to 35%. Consult your registration provider when designing your registration areas.
Real-Time Updates:
Provide real-time updates on wait times and any changes to the registration process to keep attendees informed and reduce frustration. Display updated information on the show app and registration dashboard, or make it accessible via a chatbot.
Feedback Mechanism:
Collect feedback from attendees and exhibitors on the advance and onsite registration process to identify areas for improvement for future events. Offer a simple feedback form directly on the registration website or include a link to a survey in your registration confirmation email.
In conclusion, by implementing these best practices, you can ensure a smooth and efficient onsite registration process, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience for attendees. This will help you build a loyal attendee base, improve the overall success of your event, and increase customer retention.
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How Task Flows Can Help You Plan a Smoother Post-COVID Registration Experience
by Melissa Ruisz Nazario
We’ve seen a big uptick in positive, post-pandemic news as of late: more people are receiving the vaccine, local governments are allowing venues to re-open, and trade show organizers are planning live events in the coming months.
As much as we’d love for everything to simply “go back to normal,” the reality is that we have to follow new safety procedures for live events. These added steps, such as requiring attendees to produce a negative COVID-19 test through onsite testing, can make the registration and badging process more time-consuming – and potentially frustrating – for attendees.
How can organizers plan out this new attendee journey while ensuring that attendees feel that their overall event experience and time have been considered?
One way to map out this process is through a task flow, which is a user experience (UX) design method that can give you and your team a more complete picture of how an attendee’s experience hangs together. In the article “UX task flows vs. user flows, as demonstrated by pancakes”1, Erika Harno describes task flows as focusing on single tasks with simple, sequential, high-level pathways.
The goal (the last step of the task flow) is to access the event or show floor, and might have looked like this pre-COVID:
The added requirement of producing a negative COVID test to get on the show floor adds additional complexity, involving scheduling a test beforehand or taking the test onsite – sometimes every day of the show.
Thinking through the steps of a task flow for these scenarios can provide clarity and also help anticipate any stress points that need to be managed before the event. Here are the key steps to consider in a task flow, as detailed in Leah Buley’s book, The User Experience Team of One 2:
1. Figure out your starting point and “moments of truth.”
We know that the registration process starts with the online registration form, but showing up onsite would be another starting point to consider. For example, attendees are used to showing up to the main registration area to get badges before going to the show floor. However, if they need to first get tested at another concourse of a huge convention center, it would be frustrating to have to walk back and forth if they could have saved time by knowing where they should have entered the venue. How can that frustration be mitigated before arrival so that attendees are not spending valuable time walking back and forth?
2. Consider what comes next (or prior).
After you pick your starting point, think about how attendees would get to that point and where they would go next. Repeat this process, either working your way from start to finish or spreading out from the central moment you began with until you hit a reasonable start and endpoint.
For example, we’ve seen organizers ask attendees to use chatbots or smartphone apps to schedule onsite testing and then display negative test results to receive their badge or wristband. However, these apps don’t always work the way users anticipate. It would be important that not only staff, but especially those who have never used the app to test out the process of downloading the app, scheduling a test, and receiving a test result before the show, so any issues can be mitigated and so staff can help confused attendees.
3. Think about alternate entries and exits.
For each step in the process ask yourself, is there another way that someone could get here? Or is there somewhere else they’re likely to go from here (not necessarily the next step in the process)? Also, consider what should happen if people abandon at this point. If they come back later, what should they see?
Some scenarios to consider for COVID testing: When multiple attendees show up on the opening day without having scheduled any test, how will their time be managed so they don’t get frustrated at having to wait at the “back of the line” for too long? And, though it sounds unlikely, sometimes attendees do not have smartphones, so what is their process for testing, showing a negative result, and getting a badge?
4. Add annotations.
Once you’ve captured all the key steps for a task flow, go back through and add notes for how transitions should take place, or other important points to capture that are not self-evident.
For example, how are privacy and HIPAA laws being complied with during screening, entering information on an app, and in the testing area? How will social distancing be enforced if there are bottlenecks at testing stations?
Final Considerations
Creating task flows for different types of attendee scenarios at your live event may seem like extra work. However, this tool can help you and your team not only see the big picture, but also discover two important things.
- The “moments in between”: These are the potential side doors and scenarios when the attendee does not move from one pre-planned step to another.
- The “friction points”: Friction is anything that can inhibit attendees from intuitively and painlessly achieving their goals.
Finding ways to anticipate and prevent as many friction points as possible will provide your attendees with a smoother overall event experience – one they will enjoy so much they will have to tell their colleagues about. This will encourage them and others to attend your show for years to come.
We hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions or comments about this blog, please send us an email at marketing@csireg.com.
Sources:
1. Harno, Erika. “UX task flows vs. user flows, as demonstrated by pancakes.” Medium article.
2. Buley, Leah. The User Experience Team of One. Brooklyn: Rosenfeld Media LLC, 2013. Print.
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The Return of Live Events: Top Trends for 2021
by Kahle Williams
Everyone is wondering: when are live events going to return? I wish we could tell you with certainty, but no one knows for sure. However, there are some extremely positive trends indicating the return of events is imminent. Plus, I can share some interesting insights we’ve gained working closely with our customers who have either recently hosted their event or are planning to do so later this year.
The Trends Are Shifting
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- A fewer number of our customers are canceling their event or pivoting to virtual. Instead, they are postponing to later in the year. Here’s a current breakdown of our events scheduled to take place the remainder of the year:
◦ Q2 – 30% scheduled / 70% canceled or virtual
◦ Q3 – 95% scheduled / 5% canceled or virtual
◦ Q4 – 100% scheduled
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- COVID-19 cases continue to drop for the seventh consecutive week and are down an incredible 79% from their recent peak!1 This, coupled with the 80 million vaccine doses administered in the US so far2 with great results, bodes well for events returning soon. At this rate, the majority of US citizens, and more importantly the highest risk citizens, will be vaccinated by the summer.
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- Confidence levels are on the rise. Although air traffic is still down significantly, in the last week we’ve seen that passenger flights continue to increase and are now over 1 million per day (up 40% from the beginning of February). As the COVID-19 trends and vaccinations continue their positive trends, we believe it is inevitable that we will see improvement in both attendee and exhibitor sentiments.
Latest Tools Show Organizers Are Relying On To Re-Open Safely
Health Screening – This has become the cornerstone of most onsite health and safety plans we’ve seen as of late. It’s a process to ensure all visitors, staff, and exhibitors produce a negative COVID-19 test before being permitted into the event. Organizers are using chatbots to schedule the coronavirus tests. Confidential test results are then sent to a digital health app that event participants download to their smartphone where they can show proof of their test results.
Managed Crowd Density – Another key component. It’s the process of managing occupancy limits for the show floor, sessions, and other spaces to comply with local authority regulations. Entrances are equipped with a display monitor that shows the occupancy level in real time using traffic light indicators. Staff members are alerted automatically when occupancy limits are reaching capacity.
Contactless Registration Services – Organizers are doing a lot to reduce foot traffic and all forms of contact in the registration areas. Here are some popular options:
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- Virtual Badge – A completely electronic badge that resides on registrants’ smartphones. A link to download the virtual badge is included in the registration email confirmation. Registrants then add it to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay and use it for session/hall access control and lead retrieval – eliminating all physical badge printing onsite.
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- Print At Home Badges – Registrants print their badges on plain paper before they leave for the event. Links to the PDF badge template are provided in the registration confirmation email or customer portal. When onsite, registrants can easily fold their badges to fit into the clear plastic badge holder used with a lanyard (supplied by Organizer).
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- On-Demand Contactless Printer – A self-serve and touchless solution for registrants to print their badges from printing stations that can be strategically placed throughout the convention hall. Registrants launch the printing application right from their registration confirmation. After entering the printer station code into their smartphone, their badge prints immediately.
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- Contactless Express Registration Carts or Kiosks – A lot like on-demand contactless printers, but with more capabilities. Kiosks and mobile carts can be equipped with onboard self-serve barcode scanners to support a large influx of people, and the process can also include COVID-19 screening questions and a liability waiver. Kiosks and mobile carts can easily be placed in the main registration area or any remote location such as airports or hotels.
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- Scheduled Registration Check-in Times – A process to limit the number of people in the registration area at one time by requiring registrants to schedule their badge pickup date/time in advance. We recommend making it a mandatory step in the registration process so it can’t be bypassed. The date/time they select will appear in their registration confirmation email that can be added to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay.
Gear Up For a Busy 2021
The outlook for live events returning in 2021 is extremely positive. A recent industry survey conducted by UFI3 points to the same conclusion:
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- Industry revenues will double in 2021, compared to 2020
- 64% of respondents say last year’s loss of events due to COVID-19 has only reinforced the importance of face-to-face gatherings
- 57% of North American companies say virtual events will not replace in-person events.
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We know that COVID-19 has transformed the event industry, accelerating the adoption of technology to produce virtual and hybrid events. And while those online elements are here to stay, they simply cannot replace what live events offer. That includes, to name a few:
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- The rapport and trust built by meeting face-to-face, which strengthens business relationships
- Opportunities to expand your industry network
- The energy and excitement of opening day
- The sensory experiences of seeing and interacting with a new product before your very eyes
- The element of chance and spontaneity in meeting different people and encountering new businesses and products
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We hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions or comments about this blog, please send us an email at marketing@csireg.com.
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Going Virtual? Not all Registration Systems are Created Equal
by Melissa Nazario
If you’re hosting a virtual event, be sure you consider all your options for registration. All of the virtual event platforms have registration capabilities, but they don’t always have the features you or your registrants may want or need.
Sometimes the simplest and best option is to reuse the registration system you developed for your in-person event. Here are some of the benefits of taking this approach:
- In most cases, it can be repurposed for your virtual event without much effort
- We can integrate it with your virtual event platform, creating a seamless user experience – registrants simply click on a secure link in their registration confirmation to access the event and no logging in is required
- It’s familiar to your registrants so they will have an easy time registering
- Peace of mind that your valuable registration data is 100% secure (we adhere to the strictest privacy practices)
In the words of Phillip Ridley, Meetings Manager for the Emergency Nursing Association:
“The CSI team provided the support and resources needed to allow our team to accomplish the transition from an in-person meeting to a virtual conference. They were wonderful in the development and execution of the EN20X registration process and exceeded expectations across the board.”
We hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions or comments about this blog, please send us an email at marketing@csireg.com.
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5 Event Registration Solutions that are Contactless, Self-serve, and Support Physical Distancing
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been in regular contact with our customers and have been encouraged by the creative solutions they are finding to reopen their live events under the new health and safety regulations. We are happy to report that many of them with live events later this year are planning to proceed as scheduled.
Here are some of the safe event solutions we’ve been talking to our customers about that will hopefully give you ideas for your event.
1. Virtual Badge
The traditional name badge is replaced with an identification-only printed name tag and a virtual badge that resides on the registrant’s smartphone. The virtual badge is used to gain access to the event floor and into sessions and for lead retrieval purposes.
Features
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- Registration confirmation includes a link for the registrant to add their virtual badge to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay pass.
- The virtual badge will include a QR Code to be scanned for event floor and session access and for lead retrieval purposes.
Benefits
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- Eliminates the need to have a badge printed at onsite terminals
- Registrants’ uploaded photo ID can be included in the virtual badge
- Touchless scanning of virtual badge will allow for increased security and health safety
2. At-Home Name Tag Printing
Registrants print their own name tag on plain paper before they leave for the event. Their name tag is provided in a PDF document that is conveniently downloaded from a link on the registration confirmation or customer portal. When onsite, the name tag is easily folded by the registrant to fit into the clear plastic badge holder used with a lanyard (supplied by show management).
Features
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- Works on any type of printer.
- Can be customized to match the event’s branding.
- On-demand remote contactless printers are available for name tag reprints onsite.
Benefits
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- Self-serve
- Limits onsite equipment required for badge printing
- Increased health safety by limiting onsite printing
Want to see how the at-home name tag printing works? Click on the name tag image above to print it out.
3. On-Demand Contactless Printer
A self-serve and touchless solution for registrants to print their name tag or badge from printing stations that can be strategically placed throughout the convention hall. Registrants launch the printing application right from their registration confirmation. After punching the printer station code into their phone or tablet, their badge prints immediately.
Features
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- Printer stations have a small footprint and fit nicely on tables or counters.
- Stations include a printer, long-lasting onboard battery, and internet router.
- Printing application works on any phone, tablet, or computer.
Benefits
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- Can be placed in remote locations such as airports and hotels
- Increased security and health safety
- Reduce foot-traffic in the main registration area
4. Staggered Check-in Time for Registrants
One of the best ways to limit the number of people in the registration area at one time is to implement staggered check-in times for your exhibitors and attendees. Getting people to select a check-in time can be difficult so we recommend making it a mandatory step in the registration process.
Features
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- Exhibitors and registrants will be required to choose a specific time window and location to pick their badge.
- The time they select will appear on their registration confirmation that they will add to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay pass.
- Upon arriving at registration, they will be required to show their scheduled pickup time to the Guard before proceeding to the contactless badge pickup area.
Benefits
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- Increased health and safety
- Fully integrated with the registration process
- Control the number of people in the registration area at one time
5. Contactless Express Registration Carts or Kiosks
A lot like our on-demand contactless printers, but with more capabilities. Our kiosks and mobile carts have onboard self-serve barcode scanners to support a larger influx of people that you would have in the main registration area.
Features
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- Kiosks include a tablet, badge scanner, and badge printer for contactless printing. The registrant simply scans their registration barcode to print their badge.
- Mobile carts can be equipped with either a laptop and scanner or a tablet on a stand in conjunction with a badge printer. The registrant simply scans their registration barcode to print their badge.
- Can be placed in the main registration area or in virtually any remote location such as airports or hotels.
Benefits
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- Self serve and contactless
- No need for badge holders
- Eliminates the need for barcode scanners in areas that require security entry
We hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions or comments about this blog, please send us an email at marketing@csireg.com.
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