When an event is organized, everything that can directly affect the satisfaction of both organizers and attendees must be taken into account. Therefore, establishing a good access control system is essential for the day to be a success from the first moment.
If access control systems for people have always been important both in face-to-face events and in hybrids, with the presence of Covid-19 in our lives it becomes even more necessary to control who has attended an event.
Technology advances faster and faster and is present daily at events to facilitate many processes. Thanks to the professional technological system that we implement in Meetmaps, access is easier, faster and safer.
Why is access control important at an event?
Access control is the first contact between attendees and the event. It is necessary that the mechanism used allows a quick and easy verification and guarantees, at the same time, that only those who are accredited will enter the act.
The access control serves two purposes. On the one hand, it is a security measure and, on the other, it facilitates the work of the organizers.
With this system we can control the influx of the public and proceed with its distribution throughout the space in a much more calm and safe way. In addition, in times of Covid-19, this allows adequate compliance with security measures (hand disinfection, temperature measurement, maintenance of a safety distance, etc.)
Thanks to the access control, this traceability can be applied to follow the route of people and to communicate individually with them, in case it is necessary according to the COVID protocol.
The better the entrance to the event is organized, the less crowding problems will be generated and the greater satisfaction of the attendees by feeling well cared for at all times.
Every time we control a person’s access to an event, be it of any kind, we are validating information that we have previously accessed or that we have even helped to generate. In other words, we consult that information we have and manage it for the benefit of the organization of the event. In this way, we add value by answering questions that our client needs at the most opportune time and manner.
Therefore, the main attitude that an access control company must have is active listening. If we understand well what the organization needs each time an attendee accesses the event, we will be able to propose the technological solution and technical equipment that best suits your needs. Consequently, there are no bad or good access control systems, but some are more convenient than others depending on the circumstances in which an event is framed.
Types of technology to control access
If technology can help us measure the success of an event, it can also help make the event a success right from the start if we use it properly to control access.
As a software company for events we are aware of the importance of technology when we want to control who accesses our event or congress and of the importance of choosing the most suitable for each occasion.
We can opt for access control by scanning the QR code, NFC wireless technology, quick access wristbands with the RFID system and manual check-in App.
At Meetmaps we also allocate resources to research. Biometric readers, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, among others. These are technological opportunities for which we will very soon be in a position to add value.
QR code scanning system
QR comes from Quick Response, rapid response and is a BiDi, two-dimensional encryption method.
How does this system work?
It is, today, the most widely used method since the information contained in the code is much greater than that contained in linear codes, also called barcodes.
The ease of generating them as well as the information capacity they contain and the minimum cost of obtaining them make this system the most used for institutional and business events with a large number of users.
The operation is very easy: the user registers on a web page and receives an email with their personal QR code. This must print the mail or show it on your mobile to be scanned on the day of the event.
NFC, short-range wireless technology
NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It is a wireless technology designed for the transmission of large amounts of instantaneous data, that is, identification and validation of people at the moment.
How does the system work?
As for events, we can easily apply this technology, since the attendee only has to bring their mobile or card with an NFC chip to a reading device and they will automatically be given access.
This option is not always an advantage since the NFC card is read by proximity (just 2 centimeters) to the reader, which takes longer than if the reading is performed by a QR scanner that allows readings of up to 40 centimeters.
RFID, quick access wristbands
RFID or “cashless” technology in access controls is a system in which only by bringing the bracelet close to the reader, the user is identified and given access to the event.
How does this system work?
There are 2 types of RFID readings, those that use “passive” receivers, that is, the RFID antenna that emits the wave frequency is external and therefore, the bracelet must be brought closer to the antenna and the one that uses active chips. That is to say, they emit electromagnetic pulses constantly and the external antenna receives them.
The former are inexpensive but less reliable because the reading distance is shorter. The second, very effective but much more expensive. Both are used when the access flow is very large and individual visual control is not required.
In addition, this system allows to have control of the capacity and the schedule of the entrances and exits of personnel with great precision and, obviously, with the possibility of denying or allowing access to the premises.
Access control app
There is also the possibility of carrying out an access control by searching for the name of the attendee and validating their entry in the event’s database. For events with few attendees, it is a fast system that does not need a lot of technological complexity to do it.
Meetmaps’s sytem
At Meetmaps we offer a quick and easy system to use for both attendees and organizers.
Attendees can register online and onsite and print the accreditation at home or even at the event site through the autoprinting system. The accreditation is hung and it is scanned with the check-in app to enter. If all the entrances and exits of the room are scanned, the organizers can see in real time what the capacity of the room is.
Controlling access to events continues to be a priority and, thanks to the development of new technologies, ticket management becomes much easier for organizers, while speeding up waiting times and improving the satisfaction of those who have purchased a ticket for the event in question.
Now that you know a little more about access to events, contact a complete platform such as Meetmaps that will make your life easier so that the experience of the attendees is as positive as possible. Request a demo for more information.