“Business as usual.” Business is as usual. This is a statement that certainly did not apply to the events sector in 2020 and 2021. What will 2022 bring us? On January 26, 2022, the Dutch government announced the latest Corona rules for events. Things are going to change. Relaxing temporary rules is only one side of the (festival) coin. Returning to the previous situation is not a future-proof strategy. Looking ahead and anticipating what may come is all the more so. PIN payments during events can provide the solution for the live entertainment sector. And we will explain how this works.
What are the Corona rules for events in 2022?
On January 26, 2022, the latest Corona rules for events were announced. This is the last one at the time of publication, changes will probably follow later. We do not want to anticipate the facts, it does seem that we are heading towards a period of further relaxation. In addition to the relatively low impact of the Omikron variant, we have seen in recent years that fewer COVID-19 infections occur in the summer months. This will partly have to do with the climate. When the weather is better, doors open more often for better ventilation. People are more often outdoors where viruses can spread less easily. These are important characteristics for the events sector. What is an event according to the central government? Here is a list:
- Performances
- Performances
- Festivals
- Parties
- Fairs
- Village festivals
- Fairs
- Congresses
That’s quite a list of events. This means building stages, selling tickets and paying for drinks. At Moneycomb we supply cash register systems that enable digital payments during events, making us part of the events sector. The new Corona rules for 2022 are encouraging for the sector. What is allowed from January 26?
- Events may take place between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.
- A distance of 1.5 meters is mandatory.
- The number of visitors is limited to 1250 people indoors, outside 1 person per 5 square meters applies.
- A limit of 1 person per 5 square meters applies at flow-through locations with a maximum of 1250 visitors per room.
- A Corona admission ticket is mandatory.
- A fixed seat is mandatory with the exception of trade fairs and congresses.
- Staff, artists, volunteers and visitors are requested to perform a self-test 5 days after the activity.
- Children from 6 to 12 years old are requested to perform a self-test before the activity.
- Sports competitions may take place after 10 p.m. The public is not allowed to stay after 10 pm and must sit in a fixed seat.
We are very aware that there is a group of people who cannot (fully) participate yet, we also know that there is a lot of discussion about what the best solution is now. We will not go into that further on this page. Digital payment and mobile pin are topics that are important to everyone and can bring us to complete freedom faster. We are not virologists, we do know about cash register systems and events!
Which events are not allowed from 26 January?
There are currently still a few categories within the event sector that are not possible. Events without fixed seating such as festivals or multi-day events with overnight stays. A significant part of the Moneycomb clientele falls within this group, we hope that these events will soon be possible again. Not only for us, but certainly also for all professionals, volunteers, visitors and artists who benefit from this.
Why mobile pinning is important in 2022
Moneycomb started out of frustration about festival tokens. Carrying tokens, coupons and cash around at events and festivals was simply outdated. Most visitors walk around with a ‘mobile bank’ in their pocket, in their hand or on their wrist. It can be easier and better, both for the organisation and for the visitors. That is why we have developed hardware, software and especially tailor-made services to make mobile pinning possible. When we started with this, hygiene was already a checkbox on our to-do list. Bar staff, service staff and other people who come into contact with food no longer have to work with physical money or tokens. Then 2020 came and we suddenly found ourselves in a ‘one and a half meter society’. Some entrepreneurs were able to adapt to this, but events and festivals were different.
In 2020, the outlook for 2021 seemed moderately positive. Unfortunately, the virus and the measures continued. However, this does not mean that the events sector has stood still, on the contrary. Many initiatives have been taken to ensure safety for all involved. Based on new methods and technologies, events can be organised better, more efficiently, more safely and more fun. Mobile payment is part of the new wave of innovations that will make events, festivals and catering better than ever. Why is mobile payment so interesting? Consider, for example:
- It is no longer necessary to manage cash registers with large amounts of money. This increases the safety of staff and/or volunteers.
- Visitors do not have to walk around with cash. This discourages pickpockets and prevents loss of money.
- Transactions are faster because change and other actions are no longer necessary. Waiting times can be significantly reduced.
- The threshold for making a payment is lower for guests. This can increase turnover for commercial providers during a festival or event.
- All transactions are registered and automatically processed in the administrative software. This provides more insight into cash flows with the option for real-time monitoring.
- In terms of hygiene, contactless payment with distance is the best payment method. A card, smartphone or smart watch with NFC chip can be read at a short distance.
Is contactless payment safe?
A group of consumers still has a certain amount of distrust compared to contactless payment. When information is ‘through the air’, there seems to be an increased risk of data interception. Hackers could steal digital money with special hardware and software. Is that the case? No, contactless payment is perhaps the most secure method of payment. A distinction can be made between mobile devices and chip cards.
Contactless payment with chip cards
Bank cards or special bracelets during events are equipped with anNFC chip. This stands for Near Field Communication. A payment device makes a request, you hold the chip near the reader and the requested balance is debited. An important reason to use NFC chips instead of anRFID tag is precisely that short distance. This makes stealing information or money virtually impossible.
Contactless payment with mobile devices
Most smartphones and an increasing number of smartwatches are equipped with an NFC chip. In contrast to contactless payment with bank cards, the limit is higher. You can withdraw the same amounts mobile that is normally only possible with aphysical card in a payment device. The reason for this is the extra layer of security. Or rather, multiple layers. The payment device sends out a request for payment. The customer will first have to perform an action to authorize the payment, the payment provider will then perform the action with verification. The process is secured with multiple layers from start to finish. Think of a key that only fits one lock.
Contact the Moneycomb specialists for more information about safe contactless payments in any environment.
How do I arrange wireless pinning during my event?
The advantages of mobile payments may be clear, there are still some technical aspects that need to be arranged. Reliable internet is not guaranteed during an event or festival. By using mobile transmission masts, transmitters and receivers, Moneycomb can establish a reliable connection at any location in the Netherlands. In addition to an active wireless connection on location, communication with the payment provider must also work without interference. We do this by working with not one but two payment providers. If for whatever reason the connection with the primary provider is lost, the system switches seamlessly to the backup system. In this way we can minimize the risk of downtime. In this way we ensure safe mobile payments and carefree wireless PIN during every event or festival.
Are we going to have a good time again this summer?
Of course, it’s not going fast enough for us. We’re all hoping for big festivals this summer to forget the malaise of the last few years. We see that the catering industry has been allowed to open again since January 26, sports canteens and coffee shops are allowed to receive guests again. There are a number of situations in which a Corona admission ticket is no longer required, such as stands for the sale or distribution of food or drinks, including the collection of food products. Event organizations can anticipate upcoming developments and draw up plans for a safe and responsible gathering during events and festivals. Just as every plan must provide for matters such as first aid, parking or nuisance to the environment, payment options and a standard plan for financial transactions are also among the standard points of attention. The Moneycomb team is happy to think along with you and take the work off your hands. This way, you as an organization can get started with organizing dazzling events and festivals!