ON POINT ARTICLES
TURNING COVID SAFETY MEASURES INTO ATTENDEE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Author: Casey Gale, Associate Editor, Convene Antigen rapid testing was key to ensuring the two-day,
event that requires rapid testing:
300-person, PCMA Convening Leaders 2021 event in
Make the environment welcoming. “Many event profession-
Singapore, could take place safely during the COVID-19
als are frequent fliers and will be familiar with airport lounges,”
pandemic. But with additional safety measures came a longer
Pang commented. “What if the waiting areas could look and
check-in process; attendees needed to wait 20-30 minutes
feel like that? Instead of a line of sterile chairs, have sofas, work
in designated holding areas at the event’s venue, Marina Bay
pods, drinks, plants, light music, etc., that immediately
Sands, for their rapid test results to be confirmed.
changes one’s experience of what a waiting area can look like.”
Philip Pang, PCMA’s Singapore-based manager of marketing
Add entertainment. “There could be an exclusive
and events, realised that the holding areas and waiting
performance that can only be watched or experienced at the
period need not be empty downtime - they could be turned
waiting area. I’m thinking, instead of merely moving into a
into opportunities to enhance participants’ overall
separate waiting area, attendees are treated to the tunes
event experience.
of a musician or better still, be allowed to select songs like a jukebox,” Pang suggested. “Perhaps the problem now
Jaga-Me, the rapid testing provider, rightly prioritised attendee
becomes getting attendees to move out of the waiting
care making sure safety guidelines were adhered to, however,
area once their test results are delivered!”
Pang felt there were ways to strike a balance between safety and serving the needs of attendees. “We talk about customer
Turn the rapid testing process into an educational
centricity at our events,” he said, which in his mind means
moment. “It’s a first for many attendees to take the antigen
working within the safety guidelines while seeking “creative
rapid test,” Pang said. “Could we invite them to understand
solutions around registration and rapid testing”.
what went behind the test, critique the experience first-hand and how they would improve it, so that their event partici-
Pang asked himself how event organisers might be able to
pants would ultimately benefit?”
make the waiting experience more comfortable in the future and “flip things around making the antigen rapid test part of
Pang sees this as prime time in the participant journey, a way
the programme - or even better, to become something to look
to warm them up for the positive experience that is just ahead
forward to”. Using HaiDiLao Hotpot - a restaurant chain that
of them — once they get the negative COVID result.
offers diners snacks, drinks, and manicures while they wait to be seated - as his inspiration, Pang brainstormed three forms of attendee engagement that organisers could add to any
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| April 2021
This article ran in Convene
