Hospitality should be the heartbeat of every event.
Not the hotel-lobby kind, but the human kind. We all know it when we feel it. The kind that recognizes, “you chose to spend your day with us, and we don’t take that lightly.” It shows up in the details that make attendees feel seen, appreciated, and genuinely happy they came. And without happy attendees, you can wave goodbye to growth, retention, and pipeline.
When hospitality is your north star, there’s no better (or more necessary) place to start than check-in.
Dive into this crucial, often overlooked opportunity for connection with your attendees, and use the following tactics to make them feel like VIPs from the minute they enter your event.
First Impressions Start at Check-In
Check-in is your guests’ first in-person interaction with your event. It sets the tone, vibe, and expectation for what’s to come. Done well, your check-in experience can surprise and delight. Done poorly, it can feel like a soul-crushing crawl through airport security that, frankly, leaves a bad taste in attendees’ mouths.
Unfortunately, that still happens much too often today, at massive and tiny events alike.
Too many companies treat event check-in like a necessary evil rather than an opportunity to show thoughtfulness and care, which seems — excuse our French, downright ~inhospitable~ — when the tools and tech exist to make it seamless, personalized, and even (gasp) enjoyable.
Sure, check-in might not seem like the flashiest part of your event. But what if it was?
What if it felt exciting? Energizing? A little bit magical?
It’s your first, best chance to make that happen.
5 Ways to Turn Check-In Into a Hospitality Win
1. Set the tone from the jump
Event check-in is your chance to set the tone and kick off momentum for the day. Make it count.
At Swoogo, we like to host a “reg-ception” (registration 🤝 reception), where you turn your reg and check-in moment into an actually fun experience. Our CTO is DJing (yes, really), guests are mingling while checking in, and we have an activation. There’s music, there’s energy, it feels like you’ve finally arrived at the party. The best part is we’re just getting started.
When people have traveled and gotten up early to make it through the door, start by making them smile.
2. Offer a personalized check-in experience
Attendees want to be welcomed, not processed. From the moment they walk up, make it clear you’re happy they’re there.
Position your check-in station so the flow feels intuitive, with staff or signage at the entrance (for that warm welcome) and a clear path into the event space. A couple tips here:
- Consider having one staff member or volunteer per 40 to 50 expected attendees at peak check-in times.
- Keep your most personable team members front-and-center. They set the tone for the entire event.
When it comes to actually checking in, it’s important to give attendees options on how to do so. Let them personalize the experience by offering the following:
- Have a QR code option ready for lightning-fast entry.
- Allow guests to simply give their name to staff for check-in.
- Offer a self-service option for attendees who prefer to check themselves in.
- As mentioned, always station friendly, visible staff to greet guests, help with check-in, or troubleshoot.
Make it personal, too. Encourage staff to use attendee names right away. A simple “Welcome, Maria!” goes a long way. Greeters can have a quick, friendly conversation-starter ready too (like “How was your trip in?” or “First time at this event?”).
Make sure your team knows when a VIP is walking through the door. This is where the right event solutions can help. For instance, Swoogo’s native check-in app, Go Onsite, allows you to auto-trigger an email to specific team members whenever a VIP checks in — either to the event or to a specific session — through the Check-In Planner Alerts feature, available with Go Onsite Pro. Now you can have your CMO personally greet your biggest customer, or your sales lead welcome an awaited prospect.Â
Now that’s hospitality.
3. Allow guests to update their info right away
Life happens. Names change. Job titles shift. Make sure you’re always up to speed on your attendees’ info. Let check-in be the time to reconfirm or update any changes.
Go Onsite allows attendees to verify their registration info or request any edits at check-in, whether your staff is checking guests in using the mobile app, or the Kiosk Mode feature with self-serve tablets.
These details might seem trivial, but think about the attendee who finally got a promotion that they’ve been working towards for months, or the attendee who recently made the decision to change their name because of a life event. These small moments of control can make a big difference in making people feel seen.
4. Avoid surprises
Don’t assume people are cool with their faces showing up in your highlight reel, or their info being shared with sponsors, or…just anything. Use check-in to gather the info (and consent!) you need upfront to protect everyone involved. It’s a moment of clarity that builds trust.
This is where it’s gold to have check-in tech that allows you to easily ask and capture custom insights. Protect your guests and your team with custom check-in questions like:
- Do you consent to be photographed for marketing materials?
- Do you agree to our event’s code of conduct?
- Can we share your info with sponsors?
- Want to receive emails about future events?
5. Capture valuable session data
Session check-ins are where hospitality meets attendee intelligence. Knowing who showed up (and who didn’t) is crucial for understanding guests’ interests and engagement. It also makes sure you actually know how attendees engaged throughout the event that day, and that your personalization efforts and follow-up communication are accurate.
Position staff at the session entrance who can easily greet people as they check into the room, as well as add any walk-in registrants to the list. Go Onsite makes session check-in seamless, while equipping you with real-time data. You can:
- See how many people are already in the room
- Turn folks away if a session is full
- Avoid sending “thanks for attending!” emails to no-shows (getting secondhand embarrassment just thinking about it 🤦‍♀️)
Check-In Isn’t Just Logistics, It’s a Promise
At its best, check-in is a warm welcome and mood-setter. It’s your chance to show guests they matter with the right event tech and all those amazing little details. Event check-in apps like Go Onsite make it easier than ever to treat your guests like VIPs from the moment they arrive. Prioritize hospitality at check-in to show guests that they made the right choice in spending their time (and money) with you.
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