What is RFID technology and how does it work?
What do Coachella, the Super Bowl, the World Cup Finals, and the Olympics have in common?
Apart from the fact that they showcase some of the world’s most incredible talents in sports and arts (hello, Beychella), these events employ a specific type of technology to manage logistics, ticketing, and access control: RFID technology.
Okay, so what is RFID?
RFID simply means radio frequency identification. It works through the use of radio waves which communicate between an RFID-enabled tag and a reader when tapped against it. RFID tags are embedded in wristbands, cards, badges, lanyards, and other types of wearable technology. These tags serve as a unique identifier and can be scanned electronically using a scanning device or most smartphones.
What can be done with RFID?
With an RFID system set up at your event, you can:
- Save time in attendees admissions and reduce long queues for faster and efficient entry.
- Eliminate counterfeit ticketing and illegal sale of tickets.
- Collect cashless payments for the purchase of merchandise and refreshments.
- Collect data about attendees behaviour.
- Keep your event contactless and COVID19 compliant.
What is the difference between RFID tags and regular wristbands?
Unlike regular wristbands, RFID tags have added logistic values and more functionality. For one, RFID tags are a more secure approach to ticketing. Unlike regular wristbands that can be counterfeited, each RFID-enabled object has its own unique code, making it very hard to duplicate. If fraudulent behavior is suspected (or if a tag is lost), it can be easily be voided and a new one given. Also, RFID technology works offline, so you do not have to worry about network failures or epileptic internet connections.
Let’s talk a little more about cashless payments.
RFID technology transforms the object in which it is embedded into a digital wallet that attendees can use to pay for refreshments and merchandise. Attendees top up these wallets with some amount of money to be used for purchases. Vendors will be given a device to scan attendees wristbands and charge them for what they are buying. No cash exchange, so you don’t have to worry about theft, no POS downtime, no looking for change. And it all runs offline, so you do not have to worry about a slow internet connection.
When attendees run out of money in their wallets, they can easily top up their wristbands with more money at any of the top-up stations at the event. This convenient payment system results in increased spend by attendees!
And its robust data collection possibilities.
Another advantage of using RFID technology for events is the data collection possibilities. With RFID, you can capture attendee behaviour and transaction data more accurately than traditional methods. You can identify high performing vendors, find out what demographic of attendees went to which vendor, the number of items sold by each vendor, and lots more!
tix.africa offers RFID solutions for event organizers. If you think RFID technology might be right for your large scale event, contact us to get started.
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