As venues begin to slowly reopen with limited capacity, guests will be more ready than ever to get out in the outdoors and enjoy their experience. In these challenging and unprecedented times, the “new normal” will require venues and event organizers to take a look at their current procedures, and innovate and reinvent new strategies to protect and reassure guests’ health, safety, and peace of mind.
Throughout this pandemic, stores and vendors have encouraged and even mandated the use of contactless payment options to reduce the transfer of contaminated cash between customers and staff. This rising trend will likely carry over to public venues and live events as they make plans to reopen. We are already seeing a major rise in the interest and adoption of RFID cashless payment applications , and it will likely become part of the “new normal” in the post-COVID-19 world. Implementing RFID cashless solutions will help to reassure your fans of their health and safety by reinforcing social distancing, reducing contact with humans and surfaces, and also boost your brand and revenue. Below, we will discuss 4 benefits venues can expect when employing RFID cashless point-of-sale applications.
RFID technology allows fans to make cashless payments on the spot, by simply waving their wristband within a few inches of a terminal equipped with a RFID reader. This picks up a signal from the device, communicates with the individual’s account, and processes the payment quickly and accurately, requiring little-to-no contact with staff or guests. PDC Smart® RFID wristbands are popularly used and trusted by leading festivals, amusement parks, waterparks, and resorts around the world, to purchase food, drinks, souvenirs, and other retail items.
RFID cashless payments require no physical handling of cash, credit cards, or paper tickets. There’s no need for PIN terminals and the contamination risks they carry as well. A quick scan of a fan’s RFID wristband allows them to pay for their purchases quickly, without any actual contact. A study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that Coronavirus can live on cash and other surfaces for days, so cashless applications improve hygiene and helps reduce the risk of transmission for attendees and staff alike.
Social distancing has proven to be one of the most effective methods of slowing COVID-19 transmission, according to research by the CDC . It is very likely the world is going to be living with some form of distancing for the foreseeable future. Since RFID-enabled cashless payments are almost 50% faster than cash or card transactions, it ensures guests spend less time in line within close proximity of others for added peace of mind. Guests can quickly make a purchase, and spend more time enjoying your attraction or event. In conjunction with RFID wristbands, you may want to consider investing in safety floor markers . They are designed to be placed 6 feet apart to provide guests with a visual indication of social distancing in areas where lines may form.
The easier it is for guests to spend money and the shorter the lines, the more revenue you’re likely to generate. On average, RFID cashless payment options increase guest spending by 15 - 30% , enabling operational efficiencies and boosting a venue’s bottom line and profits. As venues start to reopen, they will be anxious to start recouping much of the revenue lost during the pandemic. RFID cashless point-of-sale applications also provide significant cost savings from minimizing shrinkage, to eliminating cash transportation, security, and reconciliation expenses.
COVID-19 has put incredible social and financial pressure on the event and attractions industries. To ensure the safety, health, and peace of mind of your guests, it is crucial that venues introduce new measures like RFID cashless-point-of-sale applications that minimize person-to-person and surface contact, and reinforce social distancing throughout their attraction or event. The benefits of going cashless are numerous, including, ease of implementation, reducing contamination, ensuring faster transactions and shorter lines to help with social distancing, and boosting revenue. Reassure your guests and the public that you are doing everything you can to ensure your venue is as safe and risk-free as possible, and give your venue a big “WOW” factor as your gates reopen to the public.