The global live event industry is continually growing and event producers are always on the lookout for new ways to improve the fan experience. Sometimes it's vital to not only look for what fans like but also what they dislike and what really frustrates them. In our State of Live Report, that's exactly what we looked at. The report has everything you’re looking for. Below are some insights from the data we collected so you really know what gets your fans’ blood boiling.
The Biggest Frustrations
Fans get frustrated with a lot of things at events, but there’s one thing that really gets to them - prices. Of all the fans we surveyed, 60.1% said high prices were their biggest frustrations at events. They felt that attending festivals or any major event was too expensive.
“Drink prices have to change,” said one fan survey respondent, “$15-$18 for a drink?! Are you kidding me? Are they literally trying not to make money?”
On top of high drink prices, fans also voiced that they were frustrated with the high price of tickets to events. Big spenders are” with “Interestingly enough, the ‘Big Spenders’ (those who spend over $100 a day at events) are especially aggravated with expensive tickets with 69%saying they would attend more events if tickets were cheaper.
That’s a big deal. Why? The ‘Big Spenders’ are usually the first ones to buy tickets when lineups are announced. But they are also extremely sensitive to ticket prices and wait times at the bar (big surprise). So make sure to keep them happy because you can always count on them to be loyal to your event and spend big if you give them what they want. That’s why it’s vital to keep this group of fans happy at all costs.
Trailing closely behind live events being too expensive, fans feel that long wait times are their biggest frustration - specifically at the bar. “Lines for bars can be a real pain. Sometimes they are so long that I’ve gotten lost and can’t find my friends afterwards,” said Where’s My Tent? Blogger, Jessi.
Long lines at the bar chip away at your bottom line and makes it difficult for event producers to lower prices to a level that works for both them and the fans. Merely adding more people behind the bar isn’t enough, maximizing efficiency is the top priority not beefing up your staff.
The Solution
The best way to combat these problems is cashless payments. Using an RFID solution can drop the average transaction time from 90 seconds to 15 seconds, this also can deliver up to a 30% higher spend per guest. Event producers can slash wait times, increase revenue and pass on the savings back to the fans.
Other Frustrations
Although fans are mostly irritated with high prices and long lines and wait times, there are a few other things that push their buttons. 52% of survey respondents said that getting to and from the event were among their top frustrations at events. Event producers should incorporate ride sharing and other forms of transportation into their event’s app or website to make the fans transition to and from the event easier. Consider partnering with Uber or Lyft to offer vouchers or discounts with the purchase of their tickets to help alleviate some of their frustrations!
The organization of the event was also among the top frustrations. Setting up the event to be fan-friendly is key. Try creating a sitemap of your event and posting it on your social media, website, app and at the event to help with this issue. Fans also don’t want to carry their personal items with them all day; offering lockers or a coat check are great ways to give the fans what they want.
Fans also have a hard time keeping track of their friends at events. They get separated, their phones die or they just don’t have service, create locations at your events where attendees can designate a meeting spot for their group if they get lost.
This data only scratches the surface of the insights from our research. To learn more, download the full ebook here.
