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Both serve the same purpose in the world of events: individually identifying participants and visitors.

QR Code

The QR code is a type of barcode that can be read with a camera. It can be easily printed on a credential and it is exactly that ease and low cost that has allowed its dissemination in events throughout the world.

Smart badge

A smart badge is nothing more than an update of the traditional badge that is achieved by adding a small chip in its construction. This chip is unique and offers greater speed and security.

 
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
Smart badge 
Simple and quick usage Security Plug & play Versatility and compatibility Additional marginal cost per attendee
Qr Code
Cost Convenience Easy to print Difficult usage Requires ideal reading conditions Slowness and inaccuracy of reading (depending on the readers)

beamian is a made in Portugal event management platform that combines a powerful SaaS with the ability to manage multiple devices and physical identifiers, in real time, through IoT technology during all phases of an event. The beamian system is compatible with both technologies, QR codes and smart badges.

What changes with the introduction of smart badges?

1) Security - the first modification that allows the whole experience to change.

With beamian, the pre-registration and purchase of tickets is preferably done online (before the event), but at the time of check-in the first disruptive changes are introduced, which cause the main alterations to the visit and participation experience (for attendees, brands, exhibitors and the organizer). How? With the introduction of smart badges (which can replace or complement QR codes), security increases and counterfeiting is nullified. beamian smart badges use contactless technology, just like the one used in bank cards. Each badge contains a unique unrepeatable chip. There is therefore greater security, thanks to the reduced possibility of copying tickets which guarantees the uniqueness of each credential, and the possibility of introducing different authentication technologies (in addition to the QR code).

2) Speed: what’s the impact on access times?

Reading a smart badge is done with a quick touch (~ 3 seconds) while reading a QR code requires a repetitive process of reading the credential (~ 9 seconds on average). With this change alone, we potentially reduce waiting times by more than three times. And this phenomenon is extensible and multiplied by all the mini-events and registrations that populate each event, it’s faster, and it offers a better user experience.

3) Higher productivity: better memorization of the contacts collected at the event

Events, by their very nature, provide moments of personal contact that occur quickly, repeatedly and in large volume. What happens when we walk around a venue and visit 30, 40, 50 companies/exhibitors in two hours? Wouldn’t it be great to simply record in a timeline all of the projects/companies/brands that we visited, without having to add an email or a note on our phone? At beamian, we believe there is a more efficient way than a folder full of brochures😊. By simply placing a small device on the stand of each exhibitor (company/startup/brand), we are defining a contact collection point. Whenever someone wants to mark that project as “interesting”, they just touch it with their smart badge and that’s it. Having more time for building bonds = getting the best out of each event (while guaranteeing a simple way of collecting contacts). To make it even better, each project could add a presentation on beamian during their early registration in the event, and that presentation would later be placed on the timeline of everyone who was interested – all of this integrated with the applications of each event. And for the exhibitors? = increase in the rate of collection of qualified leads How to remember the hundreds of people that visited your stand? And remember the most interesting? beamian facilitates this process by digitally recording all interactions, which in turn opens up new possibilities for follow ups after the event, in a simple and practical way, without scanning. At the end of the event, everyone can have access to the chronological record of interactions with the notes and records of the preferred projects/companies, which gives them the possibility of getting in touch again and doing a follow up on all the ideas that they liked the most.

4) Greater ability to generate actions of engagement and brand activation

In a situation where all the participants are equipped with a smart badge, multiple branding mechanics can be implemented, from raffles to campaign implementation, all at the touch of their smart badge. The organization can offer all exhibitors new tools for the collection and treatment of business contacts in a way that complies with legal requirements, distribute brand activation tools and ensure that all contribute to a better experience. Advantages:

  • Creation of on-demand dashboards which can be available in the digital signage and explore rankings of interactions (for example: most visited Exhibitor/Brand by section).
  • Data centralization, greater control over the use of personal data and much more analytical information available to the organization so that better events can be organized and monetized = More income.

5) Data & Analytics = better return on investment?

Each participant’s smart badge can be associated to an event wallet, thus making payments easier and increasing consumption as well as the perception of innovation during the event. Staff and guests can access special areas, have pre-charged consumptions, etc. Again, the introduction of smart badges would open a series of possibilities, making processes easier, recording and improving the whole experience, ultimately resulting in more income for the organizer and less stress for the participants.

6) Data & Analytics = better return on investment?

When all interactions are registered, a lot of information and conclusions can be generated so that the ROI of the event is better evaluated by everyone, both for the participants (who have a better record of their presence in the event – with session notes, attendance, interactions and preferred companies/projects), as well as for companies (who can know how many people they attracted and gain tools for an eventual follow-up) and for the organizer who, by increasing global interaction and registering more participants, improves their sales pitch for upcoming events.

In summary, ensuring the digital identification of all participants through physical devices and centralizing event information in beamian allows:

beamian’s impact on the event

Potential outcome

Reduction of counterfeiting situations A higher revenue and level of confidence
Increased security, guaranteed by the uniqueness of each credential Improved comfort and perceived safety
Shorter waiting times Faster check-in and accesses
More interaction Increased return on investment for all participants
Centralized equipment management and a single platform for the management of participants, brands and exhibitors Less stress, greater number of management features and real-time knowledge
New tools for exhibitors and brands Higher revenue (sales of lead engagement and brand activation tools by the organization)
Cashless payments Greater simplicity. More income. Better user experience
Integrated session management Greater control of the activities in the event. More features for visitors, better ROI
Greater privacy control Visitors have increased control over the data exchange permissions given during the event

More revenue for the event, better return on investment for the exhibitors, better experience for the participants, and all of this with made in Portugal technology. And might this be futurology? The answer is: clearly not. Multiple events of different sizes and from different verticals – from corporate events and professional fairs to wine events, festivals and job fairs – already explore these possibilities to the fullest, digitizing and measuring interactions, improving lead capture in events, allowing each participant to fully enjoy the experience of each event and having the necessary tools to increase their memory, improving their return on investment of participating in each event. Want to know more about beamian? Visit beamian.com and talk to our team to find out what we can do for the success of your event.

Our goal is to make your events exceptional. Talk to us and get to know the best solutions for your event!

    Sergio Pinto

    With more than 15 years of experience in IT and telecom industry has passed the last years investigating and developing tech solutions for the events industry.