No matter how much information you put up on your event website, your attendees will still have some queries. Your website might even have an extensive FAQ section, but that isn’t always enough. Even in today’s digital world, your attendees aren’t afraid to pick up the phone to get their questions answered.
Attendee support can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of an event if you’re relying on your team to answer every attendee question. Even worse, most questions come up as the event gets closer and closer — right when you’re entering crunch time. So, what do attendees typically wonder about? And more importantly, how do you cut down on the time spent answering attendee questions?
With Cvent CONNECT Europe 2018 just around the corner, we’re getting a lot of questions from attendees — some were easy to answer, some difficult, and a few that caught us completely off-guard. We’ve gathered the most common attendee questions to give you a better idea of what people want to know. Use these questions to better understand what your own attendees may ask before a big event.
Top Ten Questions from Attendees:
- I am unable to attend. What should I do next? Will I be refunded?
- I am unable to register with the provided link or unable to book my hotel.
- The session I am looking for is no longer available. Can I cancel my registration now?
- What would be the dress code for the event?
- I applied the wrong discount code. How can I apply again?
- Can I get a list of all the people who will be coming to the event?
- I need to pay by check as our company does not use a credit card for event registration. How do I proceed?
- How do I add or remove sessions from my agenda?
- I am an exhibitor. When registering for the event it’s asking me to pay. But our company has already paid. Please help!
- My name on the mobile app is wrong. How can I fix it?
How to Cut Down on the Time You Spend Answering Attendee Questions
Think Ahead
Take the time to research commonly asked questions before events, review questions attendees asked at your last event, and walk through the event as if you were attending. Make a list of questions that come up. Then, ask someone else to walk through the same exercise. You won’t come up with every question that attendees could ask, but you’ll be able to identify the main ones.
Create an FAQ Section on Your Website and Mobile Event App
Even if your website is laid out clearly, even if you answer everything in the web copy, it’s still a great idea to include an FAQ section on your event website. It directs attendees to one location with key information instead of forcing them to look through pages of web copy to find an answer. In most cases, if they can’t find an answer quickly, they’ll reach out to you.
Another fantastic place for an FAQ section? Your mobile event app. Attendees will have their phones in their hands the entire event, so putting those questions in an easily accessible place will cut down on questions.
Send Emails with FAQ
As questions roll in before the event, keep track of them. If the same question is asked multiple times, it means that information hasn’t been communicated clearly. Include the question on your website and in your ‘Know Before You Go’ emails leading up to the event.
Utilise Attendee Support Options
One of the easiest ways to diminish time spent on attendee questions is to invest in an attendee support option. Have a dedicated attendee support (who’re NOT the planners!) to answer phone calls leading up to the event. If you can save yourself from hours on the phone with attendees, answering the same questions over and over, wouldn’t you?
Finally, Stay Engaged
In the end, it’s all about engagement. You answer questions, provide call centres, and create FAQs and more, so that attendees arrive at the event stress-free. Never let communication with your attendees lapse. You’re their direct line to information. Remember that communication can play a big role in how an attendee will experience the event.
