What exactly is accreditation? And how do you manage it most effectively for your events? We invited event management platform In2event to tell us exactly what works and what doesn’t. In this guide, we’ll dive into the world of event accreditation and teach you everything there is to know to get started.
Planning a successful event involves incredible attention to detail. Event accreditation plays a huge role in ensuring that every aspect, from catering to crew attire and guest list management, is handled with the utmost efficiency.
In short; Accreditation management is the process of making sure the right people have the right access and items when they need them. In this article, we’ll go over all the details of what that means exactly.
When done right, accurate accreditation management will help you with:
Access control;
Security;
Crowd management;
Safety;
Resource management.
In essence, access accreditation is a way of managing the attendees at an event, ensuring that only those with proper authorisation can enter specific areas beyond what's accessible to the general public.
This accreditation often involves the issuance of wristbands, badges, or tickets. This not only confirms the individual's right to attend but also grants access to certain areas or activities within the event that are restricted to the general public. At In2event, we simply call these ‘Access Zones’. An example to clarify: On a festival site, you will have an area dedicated to artists. Let’s call it the Artist Village. You only want artists, backstage crew, tour managers, caterers, etc., to have access to that area. Artist Village access would be a granted accreditation item for those people. You don’t want random guests acting as groupies in that area. Therefore, they won’t be assigned with the Artist Village accreditation.
Working with access zones greatly improves the safety of your event. As an organiser, you determine exactly who’s allowed to roam where. Everyone will be able to go exactly where they need to be, but there and there only.
Access accreditation is one of the most important forms of accreditation. Some organisations stop there, but there are so many more possibilities.
Catering accreditation is another fundamental aspect of event organisation. It involves thoughtful planning to ensure that everyone at your event is well-fed and satisfied. We all know that a well-fed crew is a happy crew. Catering accreditation also allows you to focus on VIP guests, offering them a curated selection of snacks and drinks to enhance their overall experience. This also provides an opportunity to gather information about dietary preferences, allowing for a more personalised and accommodating catering service.
One key advantage of securing catering accreditation in advance is the reduction of waste during the event. By knowing in advance who will be attending and requiring meals, you can streamline the catering process, minimising unnecessary excess and optimising resources. Being less wasteful will make your events more sustainable.
Parking accreditation is another crucial facet of event planning, focusing on the convenience and logistics of attendees' transportation. Ensuring a smooth and organised parking process contributes significantly to the overall success of an event. This accreditation involves strategically managing parking spaces, and providing designated areas for different groups such as VIPs, staff, and general attendees.
By implementing parking accreditation in advance, event organisers can anticipate the number of vehicles and efficiently allocate parking spaces, minimising congestion and streamlining the arrival and departure experience for all participants. This proactive approach not only enhances the overall flow of the event but also contributes to a positive and stress-free experience for attendees.
Did you know you could also send parking tickets to your guests via our integration with In2event? This way, you'll know exactly how many vehicles to expect!
At a lot of events, the crew will be wearing branded shirts or uniforms. Often, there will be several types of attire to distinguish crew members. This enables you to easily identify and manage staff during setup, teardown, and throughout the event. But who gets what shirt? And how many? Which sizes? By managing this beforehand, the hand-out of these outfits will be swift and smooth and everyone will be able to get to work in an instant.
Besides that, equipment accreditation plays a pivotal role in event logistics. Whether it's sound and lighting crews, technical support, or stage management, ensuring that the right individuals have access to the necessary equipment is paramount. With In2event, you’ll be able to register all sorts of equipment. Track who has what and when it’s been returned. Managing your inventory like that not only prevents loss of equipment but also streamlines the workflow, contributing to the overall efficiency of the event.
When it comes to organising events, the significance of a well-executed accreditation management strategy cannot be overstated. A successful approach to accreditation is not just about meticulous planning; it is the cornerstone upon which the entire event experience is built.
Utilising efficient tools, such as a software platform like In2event, is instrumental in managing event accreditations seamlessly. Our platform allows you to add all necessary items in advance, assign them to individuals, or enable self-request options for attendees, streamlining the approval process. By automating these procedures, you not only work more efficiently but also save valuable time.
In addition to software, incorporating access accreditation tools into your event is crucial. Wristbands or badges play a significant role in this regard, providing at-a-glance information about access zones and an individual's permissions. This proves especially handy for security personnel at entrances. Another option is to set up turnstiles at various entry points. Utilising a QR code on a wristband or badge enables individuals to move throughout the event premises via a self-check system, enhancing the overall accessibility and convenience of the event.
Did you know that you can create dedicated guest tickets within the event settings of your event in our dashboard? This way, you can easily keep track of who you have invited, who is a paid guest and who is a ‘free’ guest.
If using one tool is good; using two tools is great! Leveraging the synergy between Eventix and In2event proves to be a game-changer. It will significantly ease your workload and enhance overall proficiency. The existing API facilitates seamless integration of Eventix tickets into the In2event platform, enhancing your convenience and functionality regarding accreditation management.
Most guests won’t need to wander around backstage. They’ll only have a general entrance accreditation. With the integration between In2event and Eventix, it’s possible to create guestlists in In2event, invite them through the platform, but attach Eventix tickets to their briefing. This will enable them to enter the event through the main entrance instead of a crew entrance.
Did you know you can send out Eventix tickets via In2event when you have set up our integration with In2event in our App Library? Your invited guests will show up with an Eventix ticket, so there is no need to run around with different scan devices. All valid entrance tickets will be scannable by the Eventix scanners, and this is how you will know exactly how many people (and who) you currently have on-site!
Thorough preparation for accreditation management is the key to a seamless event. Take the time to set everything up properly, as resolving issues in this area later in the event requires significantly more effort than taking a moment to plan initially.
It is crucial to carefully consider which items to accredit, how to categorise them, and what the limits are for each specific item. By thinking through these aspects beforehand, you establish a solid foundation for a streamlined accreditation process. This not only facilitates participant registration but also minimises potential complications during the event, significantly enhancing the overall experience for both organisers and attendees.
The investment of time and attention in the early stages pays off later in a successful and smooth-running event.
When it comes to event accreditation, there are several mistakes that organisers should avoid to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
First and foremost, overlooking technical integration can lead to manual errors and delays. Implementing a platform can enhance efficiency, provide real-time data, and streamline the entire accreditation process.
Queue management is another critical aspect that should not be overlooked. A fast and well-organised system is crucial, and it's beneficial to designate check-in locations accordingly. The entrance sets the first impression for attendees, so it's essential to make it a positive one. Ensure an adequate number of counters and staff to avoid long queues and delays.
Flexibility is key in event accreditation. Be prepared for unexpected changes, such as a company sending a different employee, a change in shirt size, or failing to communicate dietary preferences. Adjustments like these should be accommodated without causing chaos. Training staff at the desks to handle such situations is equally important.
For an interesting example of complex accreditation management, we have spoken to Bart van de Klundert. The IT manager at This Is Live Group manages, amongst other things, the accreditation settings for Paaspop. Let’s find out how they use accreditation management to their advantage.
The accreditation process for Paaspop is closely tied to various visitor groups and the logistical flows stemming from them. They have specific check-in points for the North, South, and the Camping area to ensure efficient guidance for visitors, based on their origin.
Paaspop attendees come from different parts of the country, and keeping the location in mind, this makes for a challenging logistics project. By assigning North and South accreditations to everyone, they start managing the logistics early on. If someone has to check in at the North entrance, they will also have a North parking pass, and all of their meals will be served at the North catering stands. Linking the check-in location to these other facilities reduces the distance to be walked and splits up the big groups of attendees.
The accreditation points are also divided based on the nature of visitor groups. The Northern entrance is designated for regular crew members, while the South is reserved for artists and guests, and the Camping area is for crew members working only on the campsite. This careful division is necessary due to the size of the venue and is aimed at crowd management to handle traffic flows and congestion at the counters.
After so many successful editions of Paaspop, the organisation now knows: There will always be last-minute changes in people and their accreditations. To prepare for them, Paasop established a WhatsApp group where the organisation stays in contact with check-in counters and members of the project team. They established clear rules on what needs to be communicated for a quick solution.
Within the In2event platform, they create a production request per day for last-minute additions and new individuals entering the festival. This way, everything is easily documented.
Another valuable lesson Bart wants to share: Make sure everyone on your team is well-informed about the platform you're using. Everyone should know how to navigate through the system and solve easy problems themselves.
In summary, a well-documented and structured accreditation system is essential for the smooth execution of Paaspop.
In closing, our comprehensive guide on event accreditation, mastering event accreditation is an art that blends meticulous planning, strategic execution, and effective tool utilisation. Whether managing access, catering, parking, or crew logistics, each element contributes to a seamless and unforgettable event. As demonstrated by Paaspop, a well-organised accreditation system is the key to ensuring the smooth execution of any event, leaving organisers, crew, and attendees with an experience that surpasses expectations.
If you ever have any questions, please feel free to book an appointment with the Customer Support team of In2event. We’ll walk you right through everything you need to know.
