EXPERIENCE WORTH SPREADING

SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN

THE OVERALL PICTURE

In June 2015, TEDxVicenza was held for the first time in Vicenza, Italy; the theme was “Planting the seeds”. The event took place at the Palladian Teatro Olimpico in front of 470 guests from 11 am until 6 pm.

The aim of this document is to share with the TEDx community how we managed the check-in process of 430 guests in 46 minutes with a venue constraint of only 3 entrance desks. On average, we checked-in in less than 19 seconds per guest.

The result was achieved thanks to a four step process:

PLAN -> INNOVATE -> TRAIN -> EXECUTE

2SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN

SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: PLAN

Planning is the key element of a well organized TEDx event. The issue is, it is not easy to plan, when you are too much focused about doing rather than thinking.

✴Define check-in process before start selling tickets. We identified the check-in logistic constraints, the venue layout and any possible issues before defining the category and the quantity of tickets.

✴ Study the venue seats map. We studied the venue seating map to decide where to allocate each ticket category to avoid confusion and doubt.

✴ Issue as few tickets as possible with reserved seating. We believed reserved seating could generate requests for different accommodation from our guests, so we limited the reserved seating only for the institutional ones.

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SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: INNOVATE

Do not be afraid to innovate at TEDx. Why still using paper for the whole ticketing process? Try to transfer the whole experience in the digital world.

✴Digital ticketing. When our guests purchased the ticket through our site, we clearly asked not to print the ticket, as far as it was possible. Instead we kindly requested them to come to the event with the ticket saved in their smartphone (typically the pdf ticket included in the confirmation mail).

✴Check-in devices. The main web ticketing platforms typically support the usage of mobile devices (phone/tablet) to manage the check-in. In our 3 entrance desk we were equipped with one tablet per desk, each one running an app capable of reading the

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QR-code printed on the ticket, even through the screen of the mobile device.

SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: TRAIN

Simulating the activity to perform during the day of the event and training on those actions really helps to overcome the hidden threats.

✴Visualize the whole guest check-in experience. When designing and organizing the check-in desks and processes, try to visualize how the guests will act. We asked ourselves: from which side of the venue will guests arrive? how will they form the queues? who can support them outside the venue for general information? are the indication sufficiently clear inside/outside the venue? when/how/to whom the guests will have to show their tickets? where the guests have to go once they have got the entrance badge?

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SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: TRAIN

✴ Simulate the check-in process. Train the check-in operators, through simulation, one week, one day and one hour before opening the gates. Our simulations included how to welcome guests; how to ask them for ticket; what actions to perform to register; how to say goodbye to the guest giving direction to enter.

✴What-if analysis. Define what to do in case of non-standard episodes during check-in, like device failures, guests without tickets, guests arriving with trolleys, late arrivals, early exiting.

✴Write down your shopping list. Few days before the event, remember to make a list of useful tools & accessories you might need during the check-in. Our list included: pens, adhesive tape, white sheets, scissors, sticky notes.

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SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: EXECUTE

The day had come! We planned the process, we innovated as far as possible, we trained our staff. Everything was up and running and that’s how we executed it.

✴Outside queue formation. Three staff members remained outside the venue to monitor and to manage the queue formation in two different lanes. At the same time they offered support for general information and asked guests to get the QR-code on their ticket visible for the scanner.

✴ Inside queue management. Two staff members managed the flow of people just inside the venue toward the 3 desks, avoiding over/under utilization.

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#PlantingTheSeeds #TEDxVicenza

27 Giugno 2015 / Teatro Olimpico

tedxvicenza.com

Planting the seeds

SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: EXECUTE

✴Check-in desk. One staff member per desk repeated the same actions at least 150 times: welcome greetings; request to place the ticket (device or printed) on the red X on the desk (so that his tablet could read the QR-code easily); pronounce the category of ticket; hand the same category badge over the guest; indicate the guest where to go; goodbye greetings.

✴Operating team. We also placed one ticketing supervisor standing next to the check-in desks to intervene in case of troubles/questions so that the desks could continue operating with no interruptions.

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SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: RESULTS

The result of the process described in this document was to check-in 430 guests in 46 minutes having only 3 desks available.

✴ Some analytics. The first guest, allowed in the venue, checked-in at 10.17 am, while the last one in queue checked-in 46 minutes later ad 11.03 am. We managed more than 3 guests per minute per desk (19 seconds per guest on average for greetings, scanning the ticket, giving the badge, giving indication and saying goodbye). We recorded a peak of 15 seconds per guest for a short period. The graph displays the % of guests checked-in during time (including staff & speakers pre-opening registration and late arrivals).

✴Device uptime. During the check-in the mobile devices, used to scan tickets, recorded full usage in 94% of time. In 6% of time we experienced technical issues such as scanning errors or guests requesting for information.

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9:30 9:45 10:00 10:15 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:15 11:30

SPEED UP YOUR CHECK-IN: RESOURCES

✴ Internet ticketing platform: eventbrite.com

✴Devices at the check-in: 3 tablets (+2 as back-up), 1 portable computer. All of them with the app Eventbrite Neon installed and configured. All the devices were connected to internet via a wi-fi connection.

✴Check-in staff: 9 people. 5 people for queue formation (3 outside the venue + 2 just inside); 3 people at the check-in desks; 1 supervisor.

✴ Ticket category: 3 selling category (Romeo: 25€, Silvestro: 40€, Duchessa:100€). 3 non-selling category (Staff; Press; Partner).

✴Plantable paper badges: For our badges we used a biodegradable eco-paper embedded with seeds, in line with our theme!!!

✴ Selling channel: Online at the www.TEDxVicenza.com website.

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www.tedxvicenza.com – info@tedxvicenza.com

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