As meeting planners, our jobs often rely on successful first impressions. When introducing ourselves to a new client, we shake hands, make eye contact, wear a suit—whatever it takes to make a client feel at ease. It’s said that people make up their minds about something in the first 7 seconds of being introduced to it. We know the value of making it right the first time.

When planning an event, shouldn’t first impressions matter then, too? Often, the first point-of-contact an attendee has when entering a venue is the check-in process. Sometimes disorganized, oftentimes clunky, the check-in experience can set a negative tone for the overall event if it’s not a streamlined process. How can we ensure guests get through check-in quickly and efficiently?

One answer might be facial recognition software. Using AI-integrated technology, some companies are adopting biometric sign-in as the standard for updating the check-in process. We can bring our event into the 21^st Century from the moment the guest walks in the door.

The process is easy: just upload the guest list and headshots of attendees into the AI system. Then, when guests walk into the venue, they stand briefly in front of designated kiosks with a webcam attached. The AI takes it from there. In a matter of milliseconds, your guest is checked-in and any additional materials can be printed for your guests’ needs. Instantly, planners get real-time updates on check-in flow throughout the evening.

Simple, unobtrusive, and impressively-designed, a process like this could allow guests to seamlessly transition from their shuttle to the venue without any interruptions.

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