In the midst of the summer season, there are already many who are planning their long-awaited getaway after two atypical summers due to the health pandemic that put the holding of massive events in check. One of the sectors that ‘cools’ these hot months is events and festivals tourism. And it is that summer is synonymous with festival, events that gain prominence every year attracting thousands of music and party lovers willing to live a memorable vacation.
And how can that experience become an even more permanent memory? One of the key factors is to guarantee, from the beginning to the end of the event, the comfort and well-being of the attendee. To this, new technologies become the perfect ally, as they offer the user multiple improvements to live a ’10’ experience.
Below, we list the main keys and tools to achieve complete user satisfaction at massive events, such as festivals:
1. Cashless payments:
It is about a system that uses NFC (near field communication) or RFID (radio frequency identification) technology through a physical medium, whether it is a bracelet or another wearable, to make payments inside the premises. An example of this, is Gofun, our cashless payment and access control solution for events, festivals and stadiums that offers attendees the convenience of using any payment method at the event by using a bracelet or card, as well as cashless payments. with a smart POS (bank card, NFC payments and even cash) and through QR codes. Thus, the digitization of payment guarantees the reduction of queues and waiting times and provides greater security and control, which translates into an improvement in the attendee’s experience.
2. Customization:
Connecting individually with each attendee, sharing information of interest and even conducting surveys to find out their tastes and preferences is an essential strategy to improve their experience at the event. And all this is possible thanks to the ‘explosion’ of social networks, through which the organizer can publish a huge amount of relevant information about the event. Likewise, conducting surveys, newsletters or personalized emails are other tools to achieve this.
3. Safety and crowd control:
Safety is another priority, and more so if we are talking about massive events, such as music festivals or sporting events, in which crowds can often occur, causing inconvenience to the attendee. That is why having a good crowd control system becomes a fundamental point when organizing an event of these characteristics. The use of NFC technology (through wearables such as bracelets), cameras, lasers or manual applications are of great help for counting attendees with the aim of increasing security and reducing annoying waiting times.
4. Streamed content:
The various digital platforms that we have within our reach currently allow a given event to reach many more attendees than a few years ago. And the organizers of Coachella know it well, since its creation in 1999 it has risen as one of the most important and oldest music festivals in the United States. One of its great allies since 2011 is YouTube, a platform that has helped improve the experience of its attendees, because in addition to content generated with the artists and experiences only available online for its users, it allows fans to connect with their preferred artists, even if they cannot physically be at the event.
5. Access control:
In a society in which (almost) everything is done through a single click, speed is what prevails in our day to day. It is not surprising that in events such as a music festival, the queues to access the venue or certain stages are eternal, which generates discomfort in the attendees. That is why having access control technology is essential to ensure fast entrances and exits, without waiting or queuing.
6. Wearable design:
The design and format of the wearable that serves as an entrance to festivals and events is an essential aesthetic part. And it is that, in the case of music festivals, there are many attendees who, after concluding the event, carry that bracelet with them or keep it as a souvenir of that unforgettable experience. That is why you must take into account your ‘target’ to create unique, striking and creative designs, since the user will ‘exhibit’ them both inside the venue and outside. And if you also want to involve the ‘fans’ in the design, you can hold contests or votes. A way for them to participate in the festival’s hallmark.
7. Exclusive experiences:
Holding raffles or promoting discounts is also a good strategy for attendees to start generating their experience with the event days or weeks before it starts. As is the programming of exclusive activities for those attendees who live the event in streaming, such as previous parties through digital platforms, live chats or the opportunity to purchase online merchandising, among others.
8. Metaverse:
And if we still want to go further, the enormous potential of the metaverse opens new paths that help completely transform the event attendee experience. How? Offering the user the possibility to experiment with NFts technology by acquiring unique digital assets or attending the event through augmented reality.
All these are strategies that provide added value to your event through a safe and quality bet (with digitization as the flag) that places the attendee in the central ‘focus’. All this with the firm purpose of satisfying the user’s needs, thus improving their experience and prolonging it over time. And it is that every detail, no matter its size, counts.
