What is the best barcode ticket reader for your venue?
Assessing the event staff's technical levels is an important consideration when determining which barcode ticket reader is right for your theater, music venue, or festival.
There are various shapes, sizes, and level of difficulty in operation for a barcode ticket reader. The simplest is a USB scanner that plugs directly into your laptop or computer. With no buttons to push, no small screens to view, and virtually hands-free operation when sitting in its cradle, a USB scanner offers supreme ease of use.
On the other end of the spectrum are rugged, portable units with multiple connection options (WiFi, cell enabled) and full website browser and phone call capabilities. With the increased functionality comes a greater level of difficulty that may pose challenges for some staff.
To help assess the level of technical expertise of your staff, ask yourself the following:
Does your staff consist of mostly volunteers?
The best choice is a USB wired barcode reader. Volunteers are an important part of many organizations and saddling them with learning how equipment works should not be part of their efforts.
How comfortable is your staff with technical gadgets?
If your staff eschews smart phones or struggles with navigating the web, avoid wireless bar code readers with browser functionality.
Consider the age of your staff.
We don't like to admit it, but our ability to read small screens or buttons begins to falter when we hit our forties. Many screens offer easy enlargements and some units offer larger keys, so do your staff a favor and steer clear of the smallest handhelds.
Do you have regular staff or rotating employees?
The wireless bar code readers offer more functionality but a slightly higher learning curve. Having a regular staff at the gate minimizes time spent instructing on how to use the barcode scanners and provides a more efficient check in and reduces patron wait times. If your staff rotates out frequently, the wired bar code scanners may be your best choice for a barcode ticket reader.
We offer complete barcode ticket reader solutions for your event with commercial grade barcode ticket scanning, handheld scanner rentals and upgrade purchases, plus the software to connect it all together. If you have questions, please contact us, we’d love to help you!
For more information on barcode reader equipment for ticket scanning, check out our other guides.
- Ticket Scanner Guide - Review the 9 points for choosing the best scanner equipment based on cost, physical layout, optional accessories, and wireless access.
- Wireless Ticket Scanner Systems - Beyond the hand held bar code reader, this guide provides the factors that may influence your choice in best barcode scanner systems.
- Barcode Ticket Scanner - How do barcode ticket scanners work?
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