As a database manager, the success of your role requires constant attention to detail. It's your responsibility to get the right people in the right places at the right time. Yet nearly 50% of credential and database managers are still operating live events with spreadsheets. 😱
When it comes to investing a new system to streamlining credential management, the search can be overwhelming and we get a lot of questions about what to look for in platform. To help you in your search, we’ve compiled the top six questions anyone investing in a system should ask when evaluating accreditation management solutions. Let's dive in!
Question 1. Can we manage requests?
Clear and constant communication is essential for any credential manager, and the platform you choose needs to have the ability to intake and aggregate new requests in an orderly and timely manner. A comprehensive platform can eliminate email, team chat tools, spreadsheets and SMS and consolidate it all under one system of record to keep everything organized.
Question 2. What does the approval process look like?
Make sure you have a system that helps you visualize the map the flow of the event with dashboards that aggregate all submissions and track approvals in one central location. You need to ensure the system allows for different levels of permissions to be set across your users. This helps safeguard the process and gives your team visibility into who makes changes and when.
Question 3. Can we fulfill and issue in the system?
Finding a system that both fulfills and issues credentials will save you countless hours during the often overwhelming process of issuance and pickup. Rather than tracking multiple tabs of spreadsheets, a credential management system can help you set statuses as issued or picked up and give visibility across the entire event.
Question 4. Can we design and print custom badges?
Badge creation and printing is by far one of the biggest pain points for anyone in the credential management space. The need for a flexible system that allows for custom design with simple drag and drop functionality is essential. Finding a provider that allows you to design, manage and print under one roof is critical, so make sure to ask about integrations upfront to save a headache in the long run.
Question 5. Do we have built in email and communication?
Anyone in credentialing knows timely and accurate communication is key for success. The right platform should provide email and SMS tools that allow for automation so you can save time shuffling through inboxes, emails threads and team chats with outdated information. These real-time channels ensure you have crystal-clear communication across your people and groups.
Question 6. What does the reporting look like?
Credential managers are used to operating with data blind spots as a result of fragmented technology and data. The right credential management software will have data insights built in to give managers data points to help them more effectively do their jobs. At a minimum you need a system that has the ability to report on the following data points on your event credentials:
- What was issued?
- What has been fulfilled?
- What’s been approved?
- What is outstanding?
Lennd—the Leader in Accreditation Management for Sports Events
The future of accreditation is coming and the old days operating across multiple systems, disjointed data and outdated spreadsheets will soon be a thing of the past. By investing in one centralized credential management system you can double down on security while providing your people one seamless experience that helps you stay organized and makes them self sufficient.
