Lessons from Onsite: Check-Ins

This post is the third in a series related to onsite services.

Denis Ziegler, Associate Manager of Software Development for RegOnline, describes his first onsite customer event experience:

Working in software development, I don’t get to interact with our customers too frequently.  Last month, I had my first opportunity to go onsite and see how RegOnline works in a real life application.

A customer was having a large three day event, and we had a small team visit during the onsite check-in portion of the second day to help out and see our onsite check-in feature in use.

Of the 1900 attendees who registered, over 1,600 were checking-in on site, exceeding their target by 160%.  It was interesting to see how our customer had included multiple registration types into their registration form, and set up kiosks to accommodate them during the check-in process. Of the ten kiosks, two were geared specifically toward Elite Members and Exhibitors. The other eight were used for the remaining registration types.

The onsite check-in process was configured to let the user search by registration ID, email, and first/last name, with the option to print their badge after check-in.  Each kiosk had its own dedicated label printer to reduce time needed for printing each badge.  We also saw how our system let the attendee correct their name or address, add a guest to their group registration for free, and pay their remaining balance.

From a development perspective there is nothing like getting in the thick of things with your customer, to feel the fast pace and the urgency, and help them use the system in ways they hadn’t thought of.  Most of the attendees were very thankful that we were able to support their needs.

Overall, it was a positive experience, and I would love to see and hear how our other customers are using our system.

Denis (standing, far right) and others helping with check ins.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Get your bike on!

This post is the second in a series of RegOnline experiences from onsite events.

Last fall, some members of the RegOnline team went onsite to observe a unique event. It was a showcase of all things bicycle, from buying to selling to trading of bikes and parts. The event attracted hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees.

Although registration had been set up online beforehand for both attendees and exhibitors, only a small percentage signed up in advance. The day of the event, volunteers were tasked with selling tickets and manning the will call station for those that signed up previously.  There was only one paper copy used to check in will calls. On the convention floor, volunteers helped exhibitors to their booths, and took care of many outstanding tasks manually.

While the event was unique, there was a lot to be taken from this experience. Needs vary, and it was clear that there were a few simple things that we could have done in order to help the process. RegOnline has since expanded service offerings, and many of our new additions  would be helpful to a similar situation.

We now have mobile check in functionality, which allows for easy check in through Apple and Android based devices. That way all last minute updates are available, eliminating out of date lists and frustration. We now have an entire system dedicated to Lead Retrieval, which is easy to use and implement in order to generate and grow your customer base directly from events. Additionally, we are in development of many other technologies to help events run smoothly and more efficiently.

Stay tuned for the end of the week, as we continue the conversation of what we learned from being onsite.  And as always, leave us a note about your experiences onsite…we are anxious to hear!

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Welcome to Onsite Week!

Regardless if it is a six person class or a 70,000 participant marathon, RegOnline has helped power events for years, streamlining workloads and creating order for event organizers.

As a commitment to having consistent communication with our customers, we have had the opportunity to visit various local events in the greater Denver area (our home base) that were using RegOnline. We were able to observe our product in action, from how it worked, to how it met the needs of the particular event.

And what did we learn? Well, not only are no two events alike, but every event organizer uses RegOnline in a different way. Over the course of this week, we will share a handful of stories what we have taken with us from these visits.

In the mean time, feel free to leave us a note below about your experiences with RegOnline onsite. We always love hearing from you.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky