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Event organizers, conference planners, and corporate event managers often get bogged down by the complexities of event registration—a tangled web of forms, payments, and data management. It’s time-consuming and prone to errors, distracting from the core mission of delivering a stellar event experience.
Contracting this function to a business process outsourcing (BPO) provider offers a powerful solution. It leverages specialized expertise and technology to streamline registration, reduce errors, and free up internal resources.
Keep reading to explore the advantages of outsourcing event registration and tips for selecting the right provider and managing delegated event registration processes effectively.
Benefits of outsourcing event registration
Statista states that 57% of business-to-business (B2B) marketers worldwide prefer in-person events over virtual gatherings. This preference drives the growth of the global event and exhibition market, which will increase from $44.02 billion in 2023 to $58.96 billion by 2032. Outsourcing helps businesses keep up with this expansion.
But what is BPO? It refers to delegating specific tasks to a third-party organization. The service provider can manage all relevant processes in event registration, from form creation to post-registration communication.
Outsourcing event registration to a qualified BPO company can be a game-changer. This strategy frees you from administrative burdens and offers numerous benefits, including:
- Efficiency. A competent BPO provider automates registration forms and payments and manages inquiries from registrants. As such, your team is free for other essential tasks, such as securing speakers and building excitement.
- Cost savings. Outsourcing is a cost-effective solution. It limits extra spending on staff, training, and registration software. You can access all these resources while paying only for the BPO services you need, resulting in significant savings.
- Expertise and scalability. Providers have enough experience handling event registration and its best approaches. They can easily manage large conferences and changes in the number of registrants.
- Technology integration. Most BPO companies have advanced event management tools that integrate easily with your current systems. These platforms feature real-time data management, online registration options, and badge printing.
- Customer support. BPO providers offer exclusive customer support services. Through outsourcing, participants receive first-rate assistance for registration problems or other issues.
Strategies for adopting outsourcing services for event registration
The advantages of strategic outsourcing for event registration are undeniable; however, effective integration is vital to capitalizing on these benefits.
Discover practical strategies for adopting BPO services below:
Identify key registration requirements
First, understand your needs to yield the best results from your event registration outsourcing initiative. Consider event size and details, desired registration services (e.g., free registration, paid ticketing options, merchandise sales), and customer service. Knowing your goals narrows down your choices for the right service provider.
Research and select the right service provider
Research BPO vendors that specialize in event registration and badging services and have a proven track record in the industry. To do this, check providers’ client testimonials, client data safety protocols, and software improvement policies.
Establish clear communication channels
Regular communication builds trust and positive working relationships. Ensure your BPO partner assigns dedicated account managers to answer your questions and address concerns. It must also deploy agents who can maintain professionalism and clarity in participant interactions.
Customize registration solutions
Discuss with your BPO partner how to customize the registration to suit your event. Change forms to fit certain information types, integrate your brand identity to create a consistent experience, and configure the data fields to collect relevant attendee information for future events.
Integrate advanced technology for seamless registration
Contemporary BPO service providers offer a seamless registration process through technology integration. Your partner must provide tools with the following features:
- Online registration provides a user-friendly portal accessible on any device at any time of the day.
- Payment processing offers a safe means for accepting money for registrations, such as credit cards, electronic wallets, and invoicing services.
- Event management system (EMS) integration synchronizes data with your existing EMS software for centralized data management and automated data entry.
Ensure robust data security and privacy measures
Securing registration data is necessary for regulatory adherence, customer trust, and brand reputation. Collaborate with your BPO partner to implement industry-standard encryption and comply with data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
Train staff and volunteers
Proper training on the BPO registration system helps internal staff and volunteers effectively respond to all questions and challenges involving the attendees’ registration, providing a smooth experience.
Monitor and optimize continuously
Consistently examine the registration statistics and attendees’ testimonials. Review the data to identify your weaknesses and collaborate with your chosen BPO partner to improve the process for the next event. Being proactive and data-driven can optimize registration.
Use analytics to improve attendee experience
You can use the data analytics offered by the BPO firm to understand the event attendees’ demographics and registration behavior. You learn more about the audience and enhance their experiences during subsequent events through targeted communication and offerings.
Success stories in event registration outsourcing
Read on and examine case studies of successful event registration outsourcing. Learn how BPO providers enhanced attendee experiences, streamlined registration, and generated valuable insights to support client organizations.
HR Technology Conference
The HR Technology Conference attracts 10,000 attendees and hundreds of exhibitors each year. Basic online registration processes for such large crowds are cumbersome, with manual data entry leading to errors, frustration, and time-consuming report generation. Thus, the organizers partnered with an event registration service provider to address these issues.
The service provider implemented a cloud-based registration platform featuring intuitive online forms, mobile app integration, and secure payment processing, which resulted in:
- Increased efficiency. Automated tasks significantly reduced manual data entry and processing time.
- Boosted accuracy. Automation minimized errors and maintained data integrity.
- Enhanced scalability. The cloud-based platform efficiently handled registration surges without technical issues.
- Real-time reporting. The platform provided real-time data and insightful reports, aiding informed decision-making.
- Improved attendee experience. The user-friendly online form and mobile app offered a smooth registration process.
Outsourcing transformed the conference registration from a logistical challenge into a streamlined process, allowing organizers to focus on delivering a world-class tech trade show.
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland, Belgium’s largest electronic dance music festival, returned in 2022 after a pandemic hiatus, drawing 600,000 attendees from 200 countries. To manage the event’s complex registration needs, organizers partnered with a global provider that implemented a multilingual, multi-currency platform for a seamless registration experience.
This resulted in:
- Global reach. The multilingual platform simplified registration for international attendees.
- Streamlined ticketing. Attendees could easily choose from different ticket options, such as basic one-day or full-madness passes (three-day festival access). They could also decide on packages with accommodation, tours, and airfare.
- Enhanced security. Robust security features safeguarded attendee data and transactions.
- Reduced administrative burden. Automated features and streamlined processes significantly reduced the organizers’ administrative workload.
- Improved marketing potential. The platform provided valuable attendee demographics and preferred data, enabling targeted event marketing campaigns.
As the music events market revenue is projected to reach $37.22 billion by 2028, efficient registration processes become increasingly critical for success.
The bottom line
Outsourcing allows you to achieve a smooth, secure, and efficient event registration process every time. This strategy frees your team to focus on delivering a truly exceptional attendee experience.
Are you looking for a reliable BPO partner to streamline your event registration process? Let’s connect to discuss your needs and demonstrate how our BPO solutions can give you a competitive advantage.
