In a post-COVID-9 environment emphasis on social distancing and limits on large gatherings are posing significant challenges for the hospitality and entertainment industries.

While event planners and marketing professionals in these industries are coordinating closely with state and local health officials, additional assistance is needed to ensure social distancing guidelines are being met during events to preserve public health and safety.

For many promoters, live events are transforming to virtual venues for contactless entertainment, driving the need for competent IT support to ensure seamless integration across platforms for a positive attendee experience.

With these virtual events up a whopping 1000% since the beginning of the pandemic, companies are scrambling to find the right technologies to make the transition to virtual venues as smooth as possible for creative teams, hosts, and attendees.

And, to minimize crowds waiting for event tickets, contactless ticketing is being deployed at new levels, for everything from virtual venues and live events to hotel check-ins and restaurant seating reservations.

Handling Social Distancing Events in the Post-Pandemic Environment

Organizers of events from concerts to baseball games are under increasing pressure to provide contactless entertainment and ticket sales to comply with CDC guidelines.

If events are hosted live, there are typically seating restrictions, with venues operating at a limited capacity. For entertainment planners, this means correctly calculating allowable audience size and deploying software that can assign seating at a percentage of capacity.

Managed IT allows for seamless integration of necessary ticketing software with other applications for smooth deployment that decreases the possibility of errors that could frustrate staff — and attendees. Ensuring the right network architecture to support contactless ticketing and virtual events is critical for event success and customer satisfaction.

For hospitality providers such as hotels and conference centers, using managed IT to provide an easy way for guests to reserve hotel amenities at the appropriate density to meet social distancing guidelines is critical.

For example, using contactless ticketing technology can help guests find time slots for the pool and gym that allow them to work out or swim while observing CDC recommended protocols.

Digital check-ins are becoming the norm, with digital room keys replacing the standard-issue key cards, part of how hotels are finding ways to ensure lobbies and common areas aren’t overcrowded. In some areas, guests get customized digital dashboards to perform tasks in a contactless manner, such as requesting room service, laundry service, or manage dining-in reservations.

Of course, adopting these new ground rules means a heavy reliance on technology, which can overburden hospitality and entertainment-focused IT departments. With managed IT, these industries can rely on up-to-date expert knowledge that allows their in-house IT to focus on the many mission-critical tasks necessary to keep these interaction-heavy industries moving forward.

Managed IT also provided enhanced security for digitally processed data, keeping guests, and attendees’ privacy and data as secure as possible. This is particularly important for industries or events that must comply with federal or local data privacy regulations.

Let Blue Technologies Assist Your Industry with All of Your Virtual Event Needs

Contactless entertainment and ticketing and personal digital dashboards are here to stay in the post-COVID environment. As entertainment venues and hotels and restaurants struggle to keep up with the fast-paced changes brought about by the current pandemic, our managed IT professionals are standing by to assist.

Our team can expertly assess your current infrastructure considering the current challenges and changes and develop a custom-tailored IT program that will meet your business needs and goals. From contactless technologies to scheduling, reservations, and more, managed IT can bring you the right mix of technology to get the job done within the current guidelines and parameters.

And, since cybersecurity is an enormous focus right now, our managed IT team brings a wealth of security know-how to the table. From remote monitoring of suspicious activity and automated backups to data redundancies and an ironclad disaster recovery plan, we have the tools to keep your — and your clients’ — data protected.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the changes brought about by COVID-19. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant today to learn how our Managed IT solutions can help you manage your business better in a post-COVID world.