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3 things you should check before choosing the proper online event registration software

If you have already tested various online event registration systems for training courses or conferences and are considering choosing the best option, then before the final decision you should compare them at least in terms of the following three factors:

  • uptime of the system, in other words, system readiness for efficient work
  • information security (data backup, SSL protocol, used technologies)
  • technical support (speed of response to inquiries, readiness to solve problems, communication skills)

Each of the above-mentioned elements is extremely important for the security and smooth operation of your company or organization.

Application availability

The uptime of the system is measured as a percentage over a longer period of time. Generally, it should not be lower than 98%, which means that within 24 hours the downtime of the application shouldn’t be longer than 28 minutes. By comparison, Google’s browser is available in 99.99%. It is virtually impossible to reach availability time at 100% over a longer period of time.

Therefore, the online event registration software, which uptime is above 99%, can be considered suitable for your needs. Please note that unavailability usually doesn’t mean problems with the system itself, but results from planned technical breaks related to software updates or the implementation of new features.

Information safety

First of all, check how often system administrators backup data and how quickly they are able to restore the system’s operation in case of system failure. The frequency of backup is crucial in the context of the security of your data.

Make sure that the system uses SSL to encrypt the connection between the server and the web browser. It is simple: definitely reject a system that doesn’t have SSL implemented. You can check it easily: the web address in the browser should start with https://… and be preceded by a padlock icon. If you see http://… and no padlock icon – close the tab and forget about this application.

It is also worth asking what technologies the software developers use and how often they update them. They shouldn’t have anything to hide in this regard since you’re going to pay for using their platform. Ask for the application programming language (eg Ruby, Python) and the type of database. You can easily check what version the developers use, and therefore how safe and modern the software is. The older the version of the technology used, the greater the threat of hacker’s attack. A modern and constantly developed system will be based on current, safe and proven technologies.

Support

The last point of this list, but just as important as the previous two. When you start learning about new software, it’s not uncommon that you have questions or you just stuck somewhere in the app. You can take a phone call, or – if the software provider doesn’t provide this form of contact – you write an e-mail asking for help, hoping for a quick solution to the problem.

Some people like the feeling that there are “real” people “behind the system” (not just a cold machine) and prefer a phone call rather than asynchronous contact (chat, e-mail). The lack of such a possibility shouldn’t discourage you, though. This is a global tendency, some companies deliberately give up the telephone support. In any case, both the reaction time of the support staff and the effectiveness of dealing with the case are crucial.

A quick and effective solution to your request proves that the company cares about its clients and you can count on support during further cooperation. Delayed response, and in the worst case scenario, lack of response or ineffective solution to your request should give you a warning sign. There is no point in establishing a cooperation with such a company.

In business, as well as in life, it is worth relying on solid partners. Here is a quick and useful review of available online event management software.