With all the technology advertised to manage and enhance today’s events, event planning in 2019 has only grown more complex. One of the most talked-about and trending technologies for 2020 are RFID wristbands. But like many event technologies on the market, RFID wristband technology may seem complicated and some professionals may even fear incorporating the technology into their events.

To help meeting and event professionals overcome their fears of RFID technology, we’ve compiled the top five solutions for 2020 and beyond. Check it out.

What is RFID Technology?

RFID (Radio-frequency identification) technology is a tiny chip that holds unique ticket information or information about an attendee and is placed inside a wearable, like a wristband. RFID wristbands are typically used at events as an attendee’s entry, event ticket, VIP pass, and payment processor during an event.

Common Fears of Implementing RFID

“It's complicated and off-putting.”

Solution: Research RFID technology by downloading free guides from thought leaders or getting client case studies from RFID providers before making buying decisions. 

RFID technology, like other event technologies, sounds highly technical and complex. The thought of spending hours learning a new technology and how to incorporate it into an event can be off-putting for some event planners. That’s why it’s important for planners to do their research before time. There are many free guides planners can download that walk through the basics of RFID technology, how to incorporate the tech into events, free product demos, and more. When talking with your provider, you can also ask them for case studies on how past clients have used it at their events.

No matter where planners find their information, it’s important for planners to understand the basics before making any decisions.

“It's expensive!”

Solution: Ask your provider for the benefits of their RFID technology and how incorporating it into your event will increase your overall event ROI.

Back in 2018, 61 percent of event professionals reported that event technology was off-putting because it was so expensive and 71 percent reported pricing as the main reason they would not choose a supplier. In 2019, event professionals reported the most frustrating thing about event technology is that it is too expensive. Before turning away from event technology all-together because of its price tag, planners should ask providers for a break down of the key benefits. For instance, ask your provider:

• How will RFID technology increase attendee satisfaction?
• How will RFID technology increase my overall event ROI?
• How will RFID technology help my bottom line?

The answers to these questions will help planners weigh the costs vs. benefits of incorporating the technology into their event.

“We’ve never used this technology before.”

Solution: Gain confidence in your RFID technology by asking your provider for statistics that prove their RFID’s track record.

A lot of planners are fearful of integrating technology into their event that they haven’t used before. Can you blame them? Event professionals don’t have time to invest and integrate something into their event that won’t work or won’t provide them with ROI. To overcome this fear, planners should ask providers about their technology’s proven track record. For instance, at Intellix, our RFID solution has been used to enhance over 15,000,000 attendees’ experiences, all over the world, and has helped planners generate $250,000,000 on-site spending from cashless RFID wristband technology.

By learning statistics such as these, planners can gain comfort and confidence with their providers and their technology.

“But, will it work for all my needs?”

Solution: Understand your specific objectives and needs so you can outline why and how RFID tech will address those needs.

In order to overcome this fear, you’ll need to understand your specific company or event’s needs. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Why are you interested in this technology?
• Why do you need this technology?
• What problem is RFID technology fixing for you?
• How will this RFID technology help you achieve your event goals?

After you understand the answers to these questions, you’ll better be able to outline what you want from the technology and if it can address all your event needs. It’s never prudent to adopt technology just for technology’s sake. So understanding why you want this technology, researching the business benefits of adopting an RFID platform, and finding a provider that has data and case studies proving the track record of their technology is key in overcoming this fear.

“People can hack and access my data”

Solution: Choose an RFID system that has met the industry's highest security standards.

RFID technology has proven to be more secure and harder to hack than other identification technologies on the market, like barcodes, chip cards, and magnetic stripes. However, because an RFID wristband is supported by a whole system (e.g. user management, data management, and a server), its security is dependent on the overall system’s security. So planners need to research a provider's overall security. What happens if an attendee loses their wristband? Can a hacker hack into the wristband and steal their data and credit card information?

At Intelliex, our RFID platform, specifically our cashless payment solution, is the only system of its kind to achieve the EAL3+ Common Criteria Certification, meaning it has met the industry's highest security standards. So, for that attendee who lost their RFID wristband, their information and money are not at risk because no sensitive information is ever held on the actual wristband. IntellIitix’s RFID wristbands and overall platform ensure that hacking and theft are a thing of the past, so both you and your attendees can securely enjoy the event.

RFID wristband technology, like other event technology, is not as confusing and complex when it is broken down and explained. It holds the power to increase your event profits, attendee satisfaction, your event’s security, and so much more. That’s why at Intellitix, we offer free demos, a knowledge hub, and other downloadable resources curated by industry event tech experts for meeting and event professionals.

Have you overcome your fears of RFID technology? Still unsure? Are you ready to take the next step and learn how to integrate RFID technology into your event? Download our free eBook RFID guide or contact us today.