The Challenge
Cadence Travel was running into significant issues with attendee data in their event registration process. For one major event in 2023, they discovered that 78% of registrations had at least one discrepancy or error, resulting in a staggering 3,515 total items requiring follow up across approximately 4,000 attendees. Many planners also struggle with these same issues, including mismatched names across the attendee’s name, badge name and passenger name, ineligible emergency contact information, and discrepancies between requested flight and hotel dates.
Managing the data audit process involved exporting data from Cvent to Excel, running macros to identify issues and discrepancies, and then following up with registrants via email— which was time-consuming and labor-intensive for a team already entrusted to do so much. The macro was a huge improvement over a manual audit, but there had to be a better way.
Enter BW Events Tech and their event tech expertise.
The Solution
After meeting at Cvent Connect, Cadence Travel partnered with BW Events Tech to tackle the data validation challenges. BW Events Tech developed a custom front-end solution that conducted real-time data audits during the registration process. Specially crafted code snippets now seamlessly integrate into the Cvent registration website, catching potential errors and prompting users to correct them during the registration process.
Key Features of the Solution:
- Real-Time Data Auditing: The system automatically flags discrepancies such as mismatched names, duplicate or potentially fake phone numbers, identifies expired passports (US and Canada only) and duplicate emergency contact details.
- Automated Error Messaging: Users receive instant on-page feedback if their entries do not meet expected data standards, ensuring immediate corrections.
- Audit Trail for Discrepancies: For mismatched hotel and flight dates, the system prompts the attendee to either correct the date(s) or provide an explanation, maintaining a clear audit trail for future reference.
The Results
The implementation of the project yielded impressive and immediate results, significantly improving efficiency and accuracy in Cadence Travel’s registration process.
Quantifiable Impact:
The first event using the Real Time Data Audit solution was a 290 person corporate incentive trip that included guest registrations.
- Error Reduction: The error rate was reduced to 64%, a 14% reduction from the previous event. The remaining errors did not require follow up because Cadence Travel was able to trust that the attendee entered the correct information during registration.
- Time Savings: The automated system eliminated the need for at least 54 follow-up emails, saving approximately 4.5 hours in error follow-up and Cvent updates.
- Labor Efficiency: Overall, 6.75 labor hours (1.4 minutes per attendee) were saved on data audits for a single event, demonstrating substantial efficiency gains.
Ongoing Benefits:
- The team shifted from daily data audits to a single comprehensive review two weeks before each program operates.
- This streamlined process reduced the number of emails exchanged between Cadence Travel and attendees, giving both sides a more manageable inbox.
- The code snippets can be re-used for future events with the same fields, ensuring time saving and better data quality across Cadence’s event portfolio.
- Cadence Travel was able to reduce payroll costs while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
- Cadence Travel’s staff can respond to client or attendee requests faster and more efficiently now that they aren’t bogged down in the data audit process.
- In 2024 Cadence Travel’s registration team handled 17,289 individual registrations, if those numbers are repeated in 2025, the RTDA solution will save approximately 402 hours of labor!
Conclusion
Cadence Travel’s partnership with BW Events Tech showcases the transformative power of event technology and how Cvent can still be leveraged, even with more complex registration needs. The real-time data auditing tool not only minimized registration errors but also freed up significant time for the registration team, allowing them to focus on delivering an exceptional event experience.
This collaboration is a great example of how event tech solutions can be used to transform labor-intensive tasks into efficient, automated operations.
