Walk-ins are individuals who have not registered in advance via the online portal, but instead sign up directly on the day of the event and, if applicable, pay on the spot. They place specific demands on the flexibility of the check-in and ticketing process.
Also known as: On-site registrations, spontaneous attendees
What are walk-ins?
Despite a well-thought-out online registration process, almost every event has walk-ins – spontaneous attendees who decided to come at the last minute, or individuals for whom the registration deadline had already passed. Depending on the type of event and the target audience, walk-ins can make up a significant portion of the actual attendance.
Depending on the experience with walk-ins at previous events, organizers should treat them as a planned process with its own dedicated infrastructure.
Challenges with walk-ins
- Capacity planning: How many walk-ins can realistically be expected? Historical data helps with estimation. Are there still spots available?
- Spontaneous data entry: Names, contact details, and, if necessary, billing information must be captured quickly – without blocking the regular check-in flow. Dedicated counters or self-service stations should be kept ready for these cases.
- Badge printing: Walk-in badges must be printed on-demand – a prerequisite for an on-demand printing process.
- Data quality: Data captured under time pressure is more prone to errors – plan for subsequent cleanup.
Best Practices
- Dedicated walk-in desk: Separate queue for walk-ins to keep the main entrance flowing for pre-registered attendees.
- Pricing: Walk-in price is typically the highest rate (no early-bird discount) – potentially with its own time threshold.
- Self-registration terminals: Provide the registration form in on-site mode on dedicated computers. This ensures data and payments are collected with the same quality as online registrations.
Walk-in management in Converia
Converia enables manual quick registration for walk-ins directly from the check-in app: capture data, assign a ticket, process payment, and print the badge immediately – all in one step, without switching systems.
Prepared for every attendee – even last-minute ones
Converia turns walk-ins into a seamless process – fast registration, instant badge, no queues.
- Check-in (digital) – On-site event operations
- Badge printing / name tags – On-site event operations
- Cancellation & rebooking – Ticketing & registration
Register walk-ins in seconds, assign a ticket, and print a badge – all from one app.