Conferences are often the highlights of the year for busy professionals. A great experience can spark joy that carries over into the rest of the year for dedicated workers in education, healthcare, and tech, as well as gatherings of Trekkies and Star Wars fanatics who just want to immerse themselves for a few days in their favorite alternate universe. These events can host tens of thousands of participants who attend workshops, lectures, vendor booths, and presentations, and all of it has to be coordinated with housing, dining, parking, and traffic flow throughout the venue.
Managing a conference is extremely complex, and checking attendees in is one of the most expensive and staff-heavy parts of the experience. The ticketing process is the first contact people have on site, and it sets the tone for the entire event. Each participant must be issued a badge that grants them access to specific areas of the conference at particular times without hampering their ability to customize their experience or interfering with the sense of freedom to explore.
Of course, once inside, an attendee’s badge becomes their passport to accessing special events, and it may also serve as a keycard for dining, lodging, and entertainment. All that information is unique to each attendee, and a faceless ID means it takes a lot of employee resources to keep track of who’s who in a sea of people.
Fortunately, conference ticketing software using facial authentication is making it easier than ever to manage a wide range of on-site challenges. By linking all information to their biometric profile, check-in and access can be fast, accurate, and as easy as putting on a smile. Here’s how facial authentication is making conference ticketing a snap—and saving event hosts thousands of dollars along the way.
The Challenge of Conference Ticketing
Traditionally, when attendees arrive at a conference, they need to make their way to a check-in booth or table where they are greeted by one of dozens of staff members who are in charge of issuing badges and answering any questions they may have. It usually takes several minutes per person—they have to check ID, verify ticketing through either paper or electronic records, badges have to be printed, and event itineraries must be confirmed.
These processes are usually slow and cumbersome, especially if thousands of people all show up at once. It can make for long lines and frustrated faces, and at the end of it all, the only link anyone has to this information for the rest of the conference is a tiny badge with a name printed on it. If it’s misplaced, left at the hotel, or passed off to a friend, the entire system breaks down and it results in more time and resources lost on managing the problem.
There are also internal staff issues that have to be accounted for too, like staging and backstage access to prepare for key events. And what about the VIPs? Conferences often feature speakers and appearances by global celebrities and international experts who need to be afforded the comfort and security their status commands. There’s nothing more embarrassing than unaware employees obstructing and irritating the most important people at your event!
There are several solutions to these challenges on the market today, but only facial authentication delivers the speed, reliability, and ease of user experience that makes conferences a breeze for attendees and streamlined for operators.
Streamlining Conference Ticketing with Facial Authentication
By linking all of an attendee’s information to a facial profile, conference ticketing software and hardware systems can accelerate and elevate every aspect of the experience. When participants register for an event, they create a facial profile through a simple online portal. All their conference information is then linked to that facial signature, so when they arrive at the event all they have to do is scan their face.
These express lanes use a tablet and conference ticketing software that delivers all of an attendee’s information to staff in a matter of seconds, not minutes. It can automatically capture attendee information to begin the badge printing process and identify VIPs so employees can make a great first impression every time.
Additionally, by using conference ticketing software systems at access points throughout the event, there’s no need for large staff tables and fumbling with paperwork to confirm an attendee’s credentials. Plus, because facial conference ticketing software matches a name to a face, staff will always be able to ensure badges are being used by the right person.
The Benefits of Conference Ticketing Software
Facial authentication technology is redefining event experiences for conference coordinators. Here are some of the top ways conference ticketing software is delighting participants while cutting costs for organizers.
1. Accelerating Check-In Processes
By using facial conference ticketing software, conferences can take care of all check-in processes up to 4x faster than with traditional entry lanes. Not only can these solutions process facial data in as little as 300 milliseconds, but they also keep all relevant information in one place.
2. High Accuracy and Performance
Facial authentication technology sets a remarkable standard for performance. The best developers can deliver an accuracy of 99.7% with a 0% reported error rate. That means attendees never have to worry about having their important data mishandled when buying into the process—and organizers don’t have to worry about the wrong people getting in.
3. Versatile Credentialing
Of course, the value of speed, accuracy, and simplicity follow participants everywhere they go at a conference. Facial conference ticketing software can be used for a wide range of applications at an event like staff and participant access control, VIP management, and even age verification. Depending on your needs, payment information can also be linked to a user’s profile so they can buy meals and pay for merchandise anywhere the system is deployed.
4. Enhances Accountability and Security
Traditional badge-based systems are prone to issues like badge sharing and loss, which can compromise security and attendee accountability. By using a facial signature as a form of two-factor authentication, issues of access and improper use of credentials are drastically reduced, and staff can be redeployed to more critical areas. Moreover, the system also has a timestamp for session attendance, which provides organizers with accurate data for accreditation purposes.
5. Exceptional Attendee Satisfaction
Finally, facial check-in systems boast an extraordinary 99% satisfaction rating, highlighting their ability to provide an easy and user-friendly entry process for live events. It’s fun and fast for participants and lets them know up front that this conference is going to be all about having an extraordinary experience from start to finish.
Elevating the Conference Experience with Wicket
Wicket’s facial authentication platform is leading the way for maximizing resources and minimizing hassles at these people-heavy events. Our conference ticketing software boasts the highest standards of accuracy and speed in the industry and is delighting attendees and coordinators alike with its simple and friendly interface.
Designed to be easy to deploy, Wicket’s software can be used with off-the-shelf hardware that makes onboarding a snap, and it can be easily implemented and ready for any conference application in as little as 30 days. Each conference ticketing software lane using Wicket can save organizers thousands of dollars in overhead while delivering a fast and hassle-free experience for attendees from start to finish.
Contact us to set up a demo of Wicket’s software, and start transforming your attendees’ experience with facial authentication today.
