The first impression of an event is formed at the entrance. A 20-minute queue spoils even the best programme. The good news: almost every queue can be prevented the day before.
Work out how many scanning points you need
A good scan takes 2–4 seconds, but an attendee holds the entrance for 8–12 seconds, including finding the ticket on their phone. That is about 300–400 people an hour per point.
Look at the arrival peak, not the total: at a conference, half the attendees arrive in the last 30 minutes before opening. For 600 people, that means at least three scanning points open during that window.
Do not rely on the venue’s internet
A full venue’s Wi-Fi gives out exactly when everybody walks in. Use a check-in system that verifies tickets locally on the device and syncs afterwards. That way a ticket scanned at one entrance does not pass at another, even if the network drops for a few minutes.
Send the ticket twice
Once at purchase and again the day before, with the access time and the address. People who find their ticket at the first try get through twice as fast.
Set up a point for special cases
The forgotten ticket, the misspelt name, the guest who is not on the list — all take longer than a scan. Handle them at a separate point, with someone who can search by name and register on the spot. The rest of the queue no longer waits for them.
Checklist for the day
- Scanning phones or tablets are charged and have tickets synced
- Every volunteer has a scanning-only account and knows what each message means
- There is a separate point for forgotten tickets and walk-ins
- Signage clearly says “Have your ticket ready”
- Someone watches check-ins live and moves volunteers to where the queue is