Solving Conferencing Issues With Online Event Registration Software
Organising a conference can be daunting – a substantial guest list, conflicting travel schedules and countless other logistical requirements means this process is not for the faint of heart. Our experience in the industry has seen us plan and manage thousands of conferences, and had it not been for online event registration software, we’d have thrown in the towel long ago.
Without online event registration software at your disposal, organising a conference is near to impossible.
Manually consolidating multiple guest lists, as well as managing hundreds of RSVPs is not an option if you want to a) hang onto your sanity, and b) see your conference succeed. Bar an act of God or another bout of loadshedding, event registration software can help to solve – and prevent – almost every single conferencing issue you encounter.
Here’s how online event registration software eradicates the following issues:
An RSVP process that’s akin to herding cats We all know that conducting a seamless RSVP process takes a whole heap of patience and an eye for detail. When it comes to a conference, managing the RSVPs of hundreds of guests from several different guest lists via online event registration software ensures that your guest list is always up-to-date. Thanks to real time updates, you’re able to tell – at a glance – who’s yet to respond, who’s accepted and who’s declined.
Long queues to register
In the eyes of an event planner, one of the most stress-inducing sights is a registration line that’s so long it snakes out of the door. Knowing your guests are getting more frustrated by the minute is preventable, however. Online event registration software makes check-ins quick and simple. With a self-check-in option, guests can simply find their names on an iPad and then confirm their presence without having to wait for a harried staff member to manually tick their name off.
Inadvertently seating a VIP with the rest of the guests
Your ability to ensure that your VIP guests are happy can make or break the reputation of your event. In other words, keeping your VIPs smiling throughout is paramount to your event’s success. Online event registration software enables you to control the access guests have to certain areas thanks to the use of QR codes. This ensures that VIPs aren’t mistakenly escorted to the general seating area, as well as making sure that VIPs – and VIPs only – are able to access exclusive areas.
Not having enough data about your guests
The more information you have about your guests, the easier it is to run a seamless conference. Online event registration software enables you to create custom form fields in your save-the-dates and email invitations. You’re able to ascertain all manner of data – from your guests’ travel arrangements, to their car registration numbers as well as their dietary and accommodation preferences.
Being faced with the same hiccups at every single conference
There’s always a guest who arrives unexpectedly – often with an entourage in tow. This can result in an incredibly awkward scenario that leaves everyone involved irate. Online event registration software records and stores all data, helping you to prepare yourself for situations like these. If you’re inviting the same guest to another event, and they’ve been flagged as someone who doesn’t RSVP, but always arrives, you’ll be prepared. What’s more, this enables you to build profiles of guests who’re frequently invited to your events – making it easier to predict how they’ll behave, and prepare yourself beforehand.
A low acceptance rate due to undelivered email invitations
Sending out hundreds of invitations – only to receive a fraction of replies isn’t ideal. Online event registration software helps to increase the delivery rate of your invitations, which in turn, facilitates a higher attendance rate. Software that takes email invitation best practice into account is key to ensuring your invitations land in the right inboxes.
