The conference or tradeshow experience begins the moment people register. Attendees' first impressions are formed during the registration process, whether it is online, onsite, or by mail. The registration process is one of the most critical and complex components of an event and must provide a user-friendly experience to attendees, backend data and metrics to event organizers, and flawless functionality. This tedious process leaves no margin of error as attendees demand perfection but only give feedback should something go wrong. How do show planners define success criteria and decide what type of registration system will meet event requirements?

During the registration RFP process, event management is challenged to research the more than one hundred vendors in the market. Many of these vendors offer a wide variety of services and all claim to run their business "just a little bit different." To better facilitate the RFP process, MeetingTechOnline provides an overview of the registration market and identifies some specific needs based on the type and size of events.

The Registration Market

The spectrum of the registration market varies, but registration solutions generally fall into two categories: online suppliers and full service suppliers. Online suppliers provide online registration software that offers integration with travel and membership databases and generates reports based on data collected about attendees. When employing an online supplier, event managers leave it to their own organization to operate and staff onsite registration, oversee badge printing and distribution, and handle any attendee customer service needs.

Full service suppliers provide online registration software that offers integrated travel arrangements, membership databases, lead retrieval and floor mapping tools, and generates reports based on attendee data. In addition, some full service suppliers will manage the onsite staff and IT infrastructure, print and distribute badges, and handle all attendee customer service needs.

The figure below shows the market position of some of the major registration suppliers in the meetings industry and the segment that is served by their tools.

Making the Right Decision

Choosing between an online and full service supplier depends on the onsite needs of the event. If an event merely needs to offer its attendees online registration and can operate with its own staff and onsite infrastructure, an online supplier can provide great service at a low cost. If in the past an event has had lines with hundreds of people wanting to register onsite or if it offers lead retrieval and attendance tracking services, a full service provider could more easily manage the proper staff and IT infrastructure required to administrate these high volumes of people and information.

In a perfect world, event managers' only constraints would be the needs of their events. Unfortunately, tight budgets often force managers to cut corners with essential event functions and jeopardize their success. Managers considering the move to full service suppliers should not dismiss them solely because of their price tag. While full service solutions cost more, they deliver a greater ROI. Outsourcing online and onsite registration as well as lead retrieval puts responsibility for these complex and essential services in the hands of specialists and creates time for event staff to attend to duties within their core areas of competency.

Registration Features

Both online and full service registration vendors provide critical functions that events cannot do without. Below is a list of important features to consider when selecting a registration vendor.

Attendee Marketing and Communication - A good registration system should include a robust database which allows for easy communication to current and potential attendees. Attendees seek instant confirmation of their registration as well as exclusive information about the event. Potential attendees who put off their registration require reminders and additional promotions. A registration solution should include features which simplify this process.

Data Quality - The quality of the reports your registration system generates about attendees will be limited by the quality of data initially gathered during registration. A good registration system will pre-populate data from existing membership databases and provide fully customizable forms to gather new attendee information.

Financials - All registration solutions should include reliable and secure transaction processing and financial tracking software with thorough back-end accounting processes. It is best to include support for as many methods of transaction (online, by phone, by mail, etc.) as possible.

Ease of Use/Functionality - Above all else, working with a registration system should be easy for both attendees and event management. The registration tool must record and recall information accurately and quickly, and all involved software and hardware should have backup and/or redundant systems in place.

Integration - A successful registration solution must be able to integrate with all other relevant event management systems such as membership databases, floor mapping tools, lead management systems, or any other software and databases employed by the event.

Return On Investment - Event managers employ registration vendors to save money and save time for event staff. In addition, registration vendors provide solutions with features that are otherwise inaccessible to many in-house registration systems. Employing a registration vendor should generate a significant ROI for your event through lower costs and increased attendance.

Security - As with all online transactions, security during the registration process is essential. Make sure any registration vendor you are considering has employed the latest security measures including SSL encryption or PCI compliance. Also, make sure the internet connection at the event location is secure as well as with any other internal networks.