Making Allowances for Technophobic Festival-Goers at Music Festivals.

Rapid adoption of new technology by music festival entities has driven most related processes into the digital sphere. The benefits of using the latest technology include reduced costs, increased efficiency and contributions to sustainably objectives. The digital solutions used will require festival-goers to possess a smartphone but how can organisers handle those without one.

Festival organisers use technology for ticketing, access and payments and for the majority of festival-goers these processes work great and enhance the overall user experience. However, not every festival-goer is comfortable with new technology and will not own a smartphone which is essential for the operation of most festival processes. In an effort to be inclusive a festival organiser should at least make allowances for the technophobic festival-goer when making provisions for ticketing and payments for example.

Smartphone Penetration. 
A study conducted in 2022 by the Pew Research Center concluded that overall adult penetration of smartphone ownership in 18 countries across Europe and North America was a median of 85%. It is likely that this level of penetration will be mirrored in the festival-goer population leaving about 15% without the ability to utilise the technology being used by organisers. The level pf penetration will probably differ by age groups so different music festival genres may produce varying results. Jazz and folk festivals generally attract older audiences where it is more likely that smartphone penetration is lower compared to an EDM or mixed genre festival that attracts a significantly younger audience who are eager adopters of new technology. 

Ticketing. 
Most festival organisers now issue electronic tickets usually in the form or a QR code or bar code sent to an email address or mobile device. Entry gates scan these to verify the ticket purchase is genuine, simply by presenting the appropriate code on their device for scanning. For those without the ability to store a scannable code on a smartphone organisers need to send a printable QR Code or bar code that ticket buyers can physically print and hold for scanning on entry. Ticketing issuers need to provide this option at purchase to allow for purchases by non-smartphone users. 

Payments. 
Many music festivals have moved to completely cashless and using RFID wristbands which can contain data for ticketing, access, and cash. Although a wristband account can be uploaded with funds prior to an event they can be topped up on a festival site by using a smartphone device. This can be challenging for technophobic festival-goers who may not be confident with funds held on an RFID wristband. Fortunately many organisers insist that vendors accept tap and pay functionality for the scanning of bank cards for payment. Even non-smartphone owners now commonly use tap and pay due to the payment systems implemented by the banking sector in western countries. Use of cash and having ATM machines on a festival site is now the exception for most events. 

Communications. 
Information about a festival site, artist scheduling and other important notifications are now managed by organisers using a dedicated festival App and their social media channels. If festival-goers do not have access to these because they do not possess a smartphone they need to rely on physical maps and noticeboards. Printed site maps and artist programme guides are still commonplace at music festivals although they are gradually being replaced by the festival App. Notice boards, Tannoy systems and information booths can provide updates and information regarding weather warnings and other essential information and are still a key part of the communication process for most festivals. 

Making provisions for technophobic festival-goers who do not own a smartphone will still be a key consideration for the planning of music festivals. In addition to the 15% who do not own a smartphone there are also a significant number of festival-goers who rely on these physical attributes because they either lost their smartphone or it has a drained battery. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Vika_Glitter via Pixabay

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