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You’ve locked in speakers, sponsors, agenda, catering, décor, and yet the first thing your attendees will judge is none of that. It’s the line at the door.
In your head, it sounds like: “Do we have enough stations?” “Will the scanners read every ticket type?” “What if the Wi-Fi drops?” “Why does everyone crowd one line and ignore the others?”
Meanwhile, your attendees are thinking: “I hope this doesn’t take forever.” “Which line am I supposed to be in?” “Why is that line moving faster than mine?”
That tiny window between the entrance and the moment their badge is printed is where you either confirm, “This is going to be a great event,” or trigger frustration before they’ve even stepped into the main hall.
What measures can you take to make it as smooth as possible? This guide breaks it down. From pre-event to during it, and afterwards, we’ve broken everything down for you. Let’s dig in!
Inefficient crowd flow leads to confusion, misdirected guests, and slowdowns at check-in. If your attendees are unsure where to go or if multiple lines converge in the same space, it creates bottlenecks that impact the entire event’s timing.
This clear, intuitive layout minimises confusion, reduces unnecessary crowding, and lets your team focus on efficiently checking in guests rather than managing chaos. Your attendees will feel more confident, and your staff will execute the process with ease, leading to a calmer, faster check-in experience.
Predicting when and how many attendees will arrive allows you to staff check-in stations properly, set up technology, and reduce wait times. Without this data, you’re left reacting to unexpected surges, leading to frustration and delays.
Use data to predict when and how attendees will arrive.
To understand how experienced planners approach this, we spoke with Andrew Roby, a well-known corporate event planner who has worked with hundreds of events. He walked us through the key data points that drive his check-in strategy.
When you have all this data with you, you can accurately match staffing, technology, and entry pathways to real demand. This prevents overwhelming surges, reduces wait times, and ensures your check-in system always stays ahead of the crowd.
The wrong tech is worse than no tech. Slow apps, manual spreadsheets, or untested QR tools can freeze your staff and irritate attendees. Technology should accelerate the process, not add friction.
First, understand the main types of check-in technology and what they solve.
The right check-in tech depends on your audience. Tech-hesitant crowds work best with staff-assisted QR scanning. Tech-savvy attendees prefer self-serve kiosks. For premium experiences, facial recognition delivers a wow factor (just ensure your audience is comfortable with it and local regulations allow it).
We asked Phoebe Cherry, Director of Strive, about the right way to go about check-in tech. Her take is pretty apt:
When you choose the right tech, you get faster lines, instant verification, fewer errors, and the ability to handle peak volumes without breaking down.
Confused about whether investing in check-in tech is worth it? Read how Aviagen cut check-in time by 50% using check-in software, setting a precedent in the poultry industry events.
The number of check-in stations you need depends on the number of people arriving at once and the time each check-in takes. Guessing often leads to understaffing during peak times.
Is there a quick formula to know how many check-in stations you should have? Well, to make it easier for you, we asked Salman, director of Product at vFairs. He has been helping planners identify this for years. Here’s his take:
A simple way to think about it is: stations ≈ (attendees arriving in 30 minutes × average check-in time in seconds) ÷ 1800.
Use this as a starting point, then adjust for your audience’s tech comfort, ticket types, and venue constraints.
You can also use this table to estimate the number of stations you’ll need:
This table is a helpful guide, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all rule. As Valentina Ruffoni, Founder of People in Events, told us in a recent conversation:
Once your event is over, review what worked and what didn’t, so every event becomes smoother than the last.
You avoid bottlenecks by matching staffing and stations to real demand instead of assumptions.
Facial recognition can speed up check-in dramatically, but it is not universally allowed or appropriate.
Check regulations in your region, review consent requirements, assess comfort levels of your audience, and ensure your tech provider complies with the necessary standards.
When used within the right context, it delivers a quick and touch-free check-in experience. Event planners use it to deliver a cutting-edge experience to attendees that speaks luxury from the get-go.
Some countries restrict biometric data use. Some audiences do not feel comfortable with it. In these cases, use fast scanning or RFID as alternatives.
Even the best tech does not help if staff are unsure how to use it. Hesitation at the scanner slows everything.
Hands-on training is non-negotiable. Andrew Roby walked us through his proven training approach that gets staff confident and ready:
The goal is to help attendees with issues without disrupting the flow for everyone else.
A confident team keeps the line moving smoothly and can adapt quickly when issues arise.
No system is immune to WiFi drops, device glitches, or printer issues. A backup plan avoids panic.
The best way to handle tech failures is to prevent them before they happen. Here’s the approach Valentina shared with us to deal with such problems:
Even if something breaks, the line never stops. Attendees barely notice the switch.
Attendees walk in with different expectations and levels of preparedness. Some have their QR code ready. Others start digging for emails the moment they reach the scanner. This inconsistency slows everyone down.
Send a simple pre-event email that shows exactly where to go, what to have ready, and how the scanning process works. Include visual cues or a short video if possible.
Prepared attendees move quickly through the line. Unprepared attendees know what to expect and are less likely to freeze at the front.
Once you have planned your flow and chosen the right technology, the next step is setting up the physical environment where everything comes together.
On-site setup determines how easily guests understand where to go, how quickly lines move, and how confidently your staff operates. A good setup removes hesitation, which is the biggest reason lines slow down.
People move faster when they know exactly where they belong. Without clear instructions, they stop, ask questions, or join the wrong line, all of which slow down everyone behind them.
Place visible signs at the entrance and throughout the waiting area. Use simple labels like “Printed Tickets,” “Phone Tickets,” “Walk Ins,” “VIP,” or “Self Check In.” Add arrows or floor markers so people keep moving in the right direction.
Guests instantly understand where to stand, which reduces confusion and keeps the flow smooth and predictable.
Even with great technology, a poorly arranged check-in area creates congestion. The physical layout decides whether people move freely or get stuck in crossing paths.
Set up scanning stations with enough space between them. Position badge printers in a way that prevents people from crowding. Place kiosks slightly away from staff-operated lines so both can operate independently. Ensure each station has power, stable devices, and a clear path for guests to exit.
Your check-in area feels organised, connected, and efficient, allowing both staff and attendees to move without friction.
Different guests arrive with different levels of readiness. Mixing them in one line slows down the entire group.
Create separate lines for printed tickets, mobile tickets, and people who lost or cannot find their ticket. Each line moves at a different speed, so separation prevents fast-moving guests from getting stuck behind slower processes.
Guests who are ready move quickly, and guests who need help receive it without holding others back.
Attendees naturally flock to the first line they see, and certain ticket categories can swell unexpectedly. Without intervention, this creates uneven distribution and unnecessary bottlenecks, leaving some staff overwhelmed while others stand idle.
Assign a dedicated “traffic controller” at the entry point to guide guests evenly across all stations. This staff member should not only direct initial flow but also monitor the lines (visually or via check-in analytics). If one line stagnates or grows too long, they must make quick decisions to redirect guests to emptier stations or open backup lanes.
Every station stays active, every scanner stays busy, and the entire check-in process moves faster overall.
Many people join the line without their QR code or printed ticket ready. They often remember only when they reach the front, which creates sudden stops.
Have roaming staff or volunteers remind guests to open their ticket, increase screen brightness, or pull out their printed pass while they wait. This tiny action saves significant time at the scanner.
More people arrive at the scanner fully prepared, which increases overall speed and reduces micro delays.
Momentum is everything during live check-in. Once the line slows or stops, frustration builds quickly.
Ensure scanners stay active at all times. If one station faces a delay, staff should redirect those behind the stalled guest to the next available scanner. Staff should also immediately move unprepared guests to the side area so they do not block the flow.
A constantly moving line reduces perceived wait time and creates a positive first impression for attendees.
One confused or unprepared attendee can slow down dozens of people behind them. The key is addressing issues without sacrificing flow.
Train staff to politely move stalled guests to the side, assist them, and return them to the line once ready. Use a designated help desk or support area for walk-ins, lost tickets, or mobile access problems.
You maintain a fast-moving line while still giving personal attention to guests who need help.
Once your event wraps up, your check-in strategy is not finished. The post-event stage is where you uncover what worked, what slowed things down, and what should be improved for next time.
Modern event technology gives you powerful analytics to understand attendee behaviour, peak times, and overall entry efficiency. Reviewing this data turns every event into a learning opportunity.
Data takes the guesswork out of check-in. Instead of relying on assumptions, you’ll clearly see what worked, what didn’t, and how efficiently your entry setup handled real attendee flow.
Here are all the key metrics you should be reviewing: • Check in speed: How fast were guests processed at different times and stations? • Peak entry times: When arrival surges happened, and whether your setup handled the volume. • Attendee satisfaction: Gather feedback through surveys to understand how guests felt about the entry experience.
You build a clear performance picture instead of relying on memory or assumptions.
Metrics tell you how your check-in performed, but they don’t always show how it felt for attendees. A line may move quickly, but if it looks long, it still creates frustration, and that emotional impression can shape how people remember the entire event.
The takeaway is simple: data is critical, but it becomes powerful only when paired with real attendee feedback. Balancing numbers with observation helps you understand the full story, not just how fast you checked people in, but how your arrival experience made them feel.
Insight only matters if it turns into action. Data and feedback show exactly what needs upgrading, adjusting, or rethinking.
Here’s how you can leverage data and attendee feedback to make informed decisions: • Continuous monitoring: Track data in real time during the event so you can open more lines or shift staff instantly. • Integrate systems: Connect ticketing, check-in, registration, and analytics so you get a complete view of attendee movement. • Compare across events: If your event repeats, use year-over-year or show-over-show comparisons to refine forecasting.
Each event becomes easier to plan, more predictable, and more efficient than the last.
Every event gives you clues about what your next check-in should look like. Use that insight to make better decisions and design a smoother entry flow.
Your entry process gets stronger every year, creating a consistently smooth and reliable check-in experience.
A smooth check-in experience does not happen by chance. It is the result of clear planning, the right technology, smart onsite setup, and confident live execution. When each part works together, your entrance becomes fast, predictable, and stress-free for both guests and staff.
If you want to experience how powerful the right technology can be for check-in, request a vFairs demo today and see how seamless your next event can become.
Base this on peak arrival volume, not total attendance. A good guideline is one staffed station for every 100 to 150 guests arriving within the same 30-minute window.
QR-code based check-in systems are the fastest. For most events, a combination of QR scanning and onsite badge printing offers the best balance of speed, flexibility, and ease of setup.
For smaller events, pre-printing can work. For medium or large events, onsite printing is significantly faster because it eliminates badge sorting and supports instant updates and walk-ins.
Use more staff-assisted stations and keep kiosks optional. Provide simple signage, easy instructions, and support for printed tickets. A dedicated help area for walk-ins or lost tickets prevents slowdowns at the main line.
Assign a line manager at the entrance to distribute people evenly. Most guests join the first line they see, so human guidance is essential for balanced traffic.
Choose a check-in system with an offline mode so scanning continues even without internet. Keep backup hotspots available and ensure one device stays synced for data recovery.
Fiza Fatima
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