Last-minute on-site registration: Join with ease using a self-service solution

Why on-site registration is often unpopular

The mere mention of it is enough to make some organizers see red. People arriving at a conference and registering on the spot? An image immediately forms in the mind's eye: the bulky registration form that you have to print out first. The person on the other side of the counter filling it out by hand in slow motion. And then there is your staff, tasked with the thankless job of deciphering the handwriting. That might cause excitement at a cryptology conference, but otherwise, it is just plain annoying.

When it comes to typing that information into a system later, small errors creep in even with legible handwriting. Think of anything containing numbers—house numbers and zip codes—or surnames you don't encounter every day.

So why not let the process be digital from the start and delegate it entirely to the people who know the data best because it is their own? At the very least, this would result in significantly fewer errors.

As good as that may sound, organizers are often wary of digital on-site registration. More technology with complicated menus and far too many options that might scare off new visitors rather than get them excited about the event? That is not the case.

Much remains the same with on-site registration

If you have already switched to a self-service check-in, you can easily apply the same approach to on-site registration. Not much changes. The registration process does not differ significantly from standard online registration. You can use the same software with the same menus and the same steps.

From a technical perspective, the registration stations are equipped just like the check-in stations—with the difference that scanners are not required.

A few things are naturally a little different with on-site registration. This is essentially limited to the payment process. Immediately after registering, the new attendees enter their card details at the terminal to pay their participation fee.

How many new registrations will your conference have?

How many last-minute attendees will make the trip and show up at your conference spontaneously? Unfortunately, there is no formula for this. You can still do a bit of math, though. Ask yourself the following question: How many new attendees can your event still accommodate? From this, you can determine how many registration stations you need. Even with a low capacity, it is advisable to have more than one.

Regardless of the number of new registrations, there should always be separate areas—one for people who are not yet registered and one for those who have already done so in advance. The latter need less time because they only have to check in.

Don't keep them waiting

By far the biggest stumbling block upon arrival is the waiting time. The longer the queue, the faster the excitement for the conference fades.

Check-in is less of an issue. Once scanned, the name badge is printed, and the conference can begin. On-site registration involves more steps and takes more time. When filling out the registration, people spend several minutes completing the form. Screens with an attached keyboard make this easier and faster. With touchscreens without accessories, it often takes much longer.

It’s also more secure: entries via external keyboards can be made discreetly. With touchscreens, others can watch in real-time if they position themselves cleverly behind the person. Large screens are not easily shielded from prying eyes. You can ensure even more security with the help of markings. Similar to bank or post office counters, this creates privacy zones.

On-site registration should be simple above all else. Therefore, it is better not to ask for too much information. Perhaps the registration form for your conference is quite extensive. Think carefully about whether you really need all the details. Perhaps you can limit the on-site version and request only the most essential data.

A valuable aid is conference software with a user-friendly menu navigation. This shows people during on-site registration:

• the offers still available
• the number of spots still bookable on-site
• fully booked program items that no one can select anymore

Nothing works without staff

Everything is clear from a technical perspective now. However, not all questions have been ticked off yet. If people are allowed to register shortly before the start of the conference, everything must also be in order in terms of organization.

In principle: you need less staff if people register digitally. Nevertheless, you should never completely forgo a team that keeps an eye on on-site registration. Technology doesn't always cause problems that require human intervention, but there will always be visitors who have never registered this way before. Sometimes, despite good menu navigation, a little help is necessary. Or people may have questions about program items and bookable offers.

So that staff can provide helpful advice, everyone should have worked with the software before. You can organize such an introduction as part of a team training session. Plan at least two hours for this and combine the explanations of hardware and software with a general briefing where organizational matters are discussed.

It might prove helpful later if the staff can also answer general questions about the conference schedule. Perhaps the "weakness" of the software will be revealed precisely during registration if it causes absolutely no problems. In that case, there might not be much for the staff to do. Standing around without a task can be a bit monotonous, though. But because there are always participants with questions, boredom won't be an issue.

What does on-site registration cost?

Regarding financial expenditure, the devices and software used are certainly the two items that cause the most costs for on-site registration. At the same time, however, these are also the two factors that—when used correctly—take the most work off the organizers' hands, which is why the investment pays off.

There is potential for savings in both personnel and equipment, as you can rent the required devices if needed. If you host conferences and congresses several times a year, purchasing the hardware is likely more cost-effective. In that case, make sure to use scalable software that doesn't feel overloaded for smaller seminars or overwhelmed by many participants. Flexible systems remain configurable and adaptable, because not every solution works for every type of event. Good software also scores points with its support and won't leave you alone if you have questions.