What You Need To Know About Self-Service Events

The convenient, accurate, and immediate nature of self-service events has proven to be the preferred method for many event managers and customers. This is so because self-service events boost efficiency and help promoters manage their time and events in an orderly manner.

If you’re in the events industry and looking for ways to optimize operations with self-service technology, you've come to the right place. This article will give you a comprehensive overview of its functions, benefits, and implementation.

Let’s begin with the basics.

A. What is self-service technology?

Self-service technology refers to a range of independent interactive systems that offer convenient service experiences to customers. This solution enables customers to access services and information or complete transactions independently without the need for direct human intervention.

Self-service events save the added baggage of face-to-face interaction for service employees. This two-way process is a win-win for both customers and businesses. It empowers customers by increasing their autonomy while streamlining processes for businesses.

B. Why do you need self-service events?

As previously mentioned, self-service technology is a win-win for both customers and businesses. 

To understand how,  let’s go through the following points.

1. For the customers

Here are some key benefits of self-service events to the customers:

i). Convenient and time-saving

A survey by McKinsey revealed that 75% of customers prefer self-service options to save time. For example, you can simply create a registration using an event management tool like Ticket Generator to sell tickets for your event.  Prospective customers can scroll through the information conveniently and buy tickets without relying on anyone.

ii). Enhanced control and personalized experience

Self-service events empower customers by offering them control over their interactions. Customers can browse the registration portal on their mobile devices to book their event on their preferred dates and select their preferred seats.

iii). Reduced wait times and improved service efficiency

Through self-service events, customers can enjoy full control of their interactions and independently navigate various tasks. The common tasks include booking tickets, making payments, or accessing event-related information.

This autonomy reduces the wait times and enhances the overall experience as individuals can customize their interactions to their preferences. For example, Ticket Generator offers a unique QR code for every ticket, which customers can show at the entry gate and have their ticket validated in just a matter of seconds without waiting in long queues for check-in.

iv). Quick and seamless transactions

Self-service technology in the event industry streamlines transactions, making them faster and more efficient. You can use self-checkout and digital payment systems equipped with scan and pay options to save time and reduce frustration.

v). 24/7 availability

Self-service technology is significant as it is accessible and available 24/7. All customers need is an internet connection and a browsing device to get all the information regarding an event. Customers can then engage with businesses without constraints on operating hours or physical locations.

Moreover, interested customers can get all the information on the event registration page and buy tickets without contacting a single person. The tickets are then transferred digitally through WhatsApp or SMS, replacing the need for printing.

2. For the organizers

Self-service technology is a primary tool organizers and businesses use to boost productivity and minimize inaccuracy. 

Here’s how it benefits organizers:

i). Reduced labor costs

According to an IBM report, self-service technology and AI can lead to a 30% reduction in labor costs. With self-service technology, organizations don’t have to hire additional staff to carry out repetitive tasks like recording attendee details, reducing business labor costs. Businesses can allocate their workforce to more value-added activities by automating mundane tasks.

ii). Streamlined business operations and improved productivity

Self-service technology makes processes more efficient by reducing bottlenecks and streamlining business operations. This eliminates the need for manual booking of tickets, where customers can register for any event directly. Businesses can customize their registration page with:

• Event cover 
• Basic event details
• Event description
• Venue map location
• Contact details
• Social sharing options and more

iii). Reduced human error and increased accuracy

Self-service technology in events minimizes the risk of human error. With automated registration and booking systems, the possibility of miscommunication between customers and staff is eliminated, ensuring accurate and error-free bookings. You will know exactly the number of booked and unbooked seats, eliminating the possibility of seat overlapping.

iv). Access to insightful customer data

Self-service technology can pick up valuable customer information such as customer preferences, behaviors, and demographics. You get access to customer patterns which can be tracked to provide insights into buying habits and seasonal trends.

Some of the significant information you can track is:

• Total number of visits on the event registration page by time
• Total number of registrations received by time
• Registration approval rate
• Total tickets generated
• Channel of ticket sharing- PDF, email, SMS, Whatsapp
• Active, expired, and deactivated tickets

v). Leveraging data and insights for personalized marketing campaigns

The data and insights you collect through self-service technology can be useful in creating personalized marketing campaigns and targeting specific customer segments. For example, you can use the data to market future events based on a customer’s browsing history. You can also send personalized marketing messages and offers via email or mobile apps, increasing the chances of conversion and customer loyalty.

vi). Improved decision-making

Data and analytics can help businesses make informed decisions and optimize customer operations. For example, companies can use checkout data to determine popular booking hours and plan accurately. This can also help in pricing strategies and resource allocation.

C. Implementing self-service events

Offering your attendees self-service options can eliminate hassles and make self-check-in, session entry, and reporting more efficient and affordable. 

Here’s how you can implement these self-service events.

1. Registration

You can fully customize the self-service experience right from the registration process using event management software like Ticket Generator. It empowers attendees to control their experience while allowing your staff to concentrate on other aspects of the event. 

You can set up and customize the registration process by

• Approving each registration automatically or manually
• Allowing only one registration per guest
• Setting a deadline to receive registrations
• Integrating your payment gateway
• Monitoring and exporting attendee registration data such as attendee details documents uploaded, payment statutes, registration approval status

2. Check-ins

With contactless check-ins, attendees can check themselves into events within seconds. Every time you sell a ticket, a unique QR code is generated to let the attendees check in immediately, eliminating the need to wait in long queues. You can implement this technology in all event types, such as individual sessions, workshops, concerts, or seminars.

This is how you can use Ticket Generator for super easy self-service events and check-ins-

• Each ticket contains a unique QR code scanned by event coordinators to validate the authenticity of the tickets and eliminate gate crashers.
• Coordinators use a Ticket Validator mobile app to scan the unique QR Code or enter the unique ticket code to validate each ticket.
• Get instant notifications to know the status of each ticket- valid, invalid, or duplicate.

3. Branding

Self-service event technology automates processes and allows attendees to engage with your unique brand directly. Customized elements and designs enable users to connect with the brand more deeply. You can do this by creating a fully branded experience from start to finish- beginning with the registration, where attendees can view, verify, and edit their information,

This is how Ticket Generator lets you brand your registration page:

• Upload business or event logo
• Change the background image or color
• Add event description, tagline, notes, or any other important details
• Add variable information unique to each ticket

4. Data tracking and analytics

One of the greatest significance of using self-service technology is that it gives you control over your attendee insights. You can get a full oversight of your attendee data on your tracking dashboard like:

• Overall event attendance
• Busiest hours of the event
• Total number of tickets validated by each coordinator
• Number of re-entries allowed
• Number of valid, invalid, and duplicate entries.

D. How to choose the right self-service technology

Once you decide what operations tasks you’d like to reduce and how you want to impact your customer journey, you can investigate the right solution. There are several event tech options available today. This includes hardware solutions and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technologies easily integrated into your website or social profiles.

These platforms focus on the most common, repeatable scenarios and issues and automate them to optimize operations. So when evaluating a self-service, consider these attributes:

• Ease of use
• Implementation
• Mobile friendly
• Support
• Pricing
• Use cases
• Integrations

E. Optimize self-service events with Ticket Generator

Ticket Generator is an event technology platform empowering events of all shapes and sizes (seminars, concerts, holiday parties, workshops) to plan and produce live experiences globally seamlessly. We provide tools and resources for event managers and businesses to enhance productivity and eliminate errors. 

We offer:

• Seamless registration process
• Fully customizable ticket designs and branding
• Easy distribution of tickets via SMS, email, and WhatsApp
• Complete insights into attendee data
• Fully secure and easy check-ins

Sign up now!