The cultural and leisure sector has experienced a kind of renaissance after the long period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost two years of slowdown in activity, which, far from stagnating technological development, has only boosted it. The digital transformation process in which this sector was already immersed had to be accelerated due to the need to offer maximum security and hygiene. Así, la tecnología contactless se ha vuelto indispensable para digitalizar procesos que eviten el contacto físico.
In recent years, contactless technology, and in particular contactless cards, have also made it possible to digitize the customer experience during the event itself. This is the case of tools with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which allows data to be exchanged between two devices in close proximity to each other. This technology is present in wristbands and contactless cards. But what is it? What is its application in events, concerts and festivals? What are its advantages? We tell you all about it in this post, let’s get started!
What are contactless cards?
Contactless cards make it possible to establish a connection between electronic devices without physical contact, i.e. without touching them. This is achieved thanks to the integrated NFC chip.
The NFC system provides convenience, agility and efficiency for organizers, workers and event attendees. The Covid-19 crisis accelerated this digital transition to cashless and paperless in order to guarantee maximum security and hygiene measures. Cash and paper tickets, like boarding passes at airports, are on their way to extinction.
Contactless payment and access control makes for a much more convenient and streamlined customer experience by reducing queues, eliminating fraud and increasing security. In addition, it allows you to collect information and data to anticipate problems, adapt to specific needs and have control of everything that happens during your event.
How do they work?
At events, along with NFC wristbands, the contactless card is one of the most demanded solutions. Also called wallet cards or NFC cards, it is the payment tool par excellence at festivals and concerts. The NFC chip integrated in the card contains all the necessary information and data and works as follows:
- Pre-charge the contactless card through the event website or at the recharge points set up at the venue (staffed or automatic).
- Fast payments by simply bringing the card close to the points of sale.
- Possibility of recovering the remaining balance online or onsite.
- Pre-charge the contactless card through the event website or at the recharge points set up at the venue (staffed or automatic).Fast payments by simply bringing the card close to the points of sale.Possibility of recovering the remaining balance online or onsite.
The advantages of contactless technology at events
As we have already mentioned, during the post-covid “new normal”, contactless cards were key to keeping a safe distance and avoiding people-to-people contact. But this is not the only reason why contactless technology is here to stay. We tell you all about its advantages:
- It automatizes and digitalizes many processes that, without this technology, were carried out manually. This allows to act more efficiently to reduce costs and improve the customer experience.
- It reduces queuing times and simplifies processes. NFC cashless cards can also be recharged from a cell phone and facilitate payment at the counter, thus avoiding crowds and reducing queuing times. Simply hold the card close to the electronic payment device.
- It allows organizers to have real-time statistics and management analysis. The information and data are online, documenting all processes in a transparent, secure and accurate manner. This also helps to gain an even better understanding of customer consumption habits and thus improve the customer experience.
- Enables greater control of the total capacity of the site through real-time statistics of access flows.
- Allows to increase sales in less time. Turnover can increase by up to 30%.
In short
Digital transformation is here to stay in the cultural and leisure sector. In particular, contactless cards are almost mandatory in the celebration of events, concerts and festivals. A contactless technology that, in addition to ensuring the safety of attendees and improving their experience by shortening waiting times and queues, has allowed promoters to have greater control to make the best decisions.
In this way, the improvement of the event attendees’ experience is continuous, since promoters have valuable information that allows them to adapt to their audience as much as possible. Undoubtedly, a competitive advantage that must be aligned with the needs of the company and the event.
