At the time of the initial venue tour, the event organizer should identify
the doors through which guests will enter and the logical registration
area. If the venue does not have a floor plan of the area, the event
planner will need to create one; it should have an accurately measured
rendition of the area’s shape and include any support columns,
fountains, or other sight or flow barriers.
The event planner can use this diagram to map out the arrival and registration
flow. Items to consider include the coat check, registration tables
and chairs, event kit or gift bag storage and hand-out, where signs
will be placed, washrooms, pathways to the event’s room(s), electrical
outlets, phone lines, lighting, et cetera.
The number of staff, volunteers or self-registration computers required
for the registration process will depend on the type of event. If guests
are arriving with tickets or invitations and need only hand them over
as they enter, it should take about 20 seconds per guest. If the event
has a precise start time, as for a concert, wedding, feature speaker
or seminar, then more staff will be needed to take tickets, as most
of the guests will arrive within a fifteen minute period. If the event
is a conference and registrants need to sign in, be issued a name tag
and registration package, it can take several minutes per guest (and
more, if the guests are also paying as they register). By rehearsing
the entry process to see how long it takes for a guest to register,
the event planner can then use the expected attendance numbers to determine
the appropriate number of registration stations and staffing levels.
The set up and take down time, tables, chairs, linens, phone lines,
power cords, lighting, access routes for freight, and access routes
for guests should all be planned well in advance (many of these items
will also impact on the event’s budget and should be included
right from the start).
It is important to do an equipment check and registration dry run early
enough to take care of any problems before guests begin to arrive. The
training for the registration staff can be initiated online, but time
will be needed to train them in the actual location, too.
| Ottawa Conventions.com
Event Planning 101
Chapter 7: Registration & Arrival
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