10 Event tech nightmares that haunt every event planner (and how to banish them)

It’s that spooky time of year again – pumpkins glow, cobwebs hang thick, and Starbucks want you to give them ten bucks for something called a Vampire Frappuccino. Scary stuff indeed.

But while Halloween brings its fair share of thrills and chills for everyone, event planners know there are more terrifying things lurking out there all year long.

We’re talking about event tech nightmares.

Those bone-chilling moments when your Wi-Fi dies, your registration line stretches into the next postcode, or your event app just suddenly disappears, like when Sandra Bullock walks into that gas station in The Vanishing.

But fear not! With the right event technology partner by your side, you can ward off even the most terrifying tech terrors and keep your events running smoother than the silk lining of a witch’s cape.

So, light your jack-o’-lanterns, grab a handful of candy (and your laptop), and join us as we confront the 10 scariest event tech nightmares – and the simple spells you can use to defeat them.

1 The queue from the black lagoon: endless check-in lines

We’ve all woken up in a cold sweat to this one. A long, snaking queue of frustrated attendees, each checking their watches, sighing, and glaring at your staff. The check-in tablets freeze. The printers refuse to print badges. Panic creeps up your spine like a cold draft in a haunted house.

Long check-in lines create a dreadful first impression, kill the buzz before the event even begins, and can quickly spiral into chaos if your system isn’t fast, stable, and user-friendly.

How to break the curse

Choose an event tech platform with lightning-fast check-in apps, offline functionality, and QR scanning that works seamlessly. Make sure your provider offers excellent support with real humans ready to swoop in and help. And always, always, ALWAYS test your hardware and badge printers before the day of the event. A little preparation can save you from a horror story in the lobby.

If you’re registering more than, say, 400 participants, it’s usually faster to print badges on demand (ie have the badge print as you check the attendee in). This is because modern systems can print a badge in a couple of seconds vs the 10 or so seconds it takes to find someone’s pre-printed badge on a table.

Most modern check-in and badging systems will require internet connectivity in order to communicate with the cloud. And this gives some event managers the heebie jeebies. But what’s important is how the system connects with the cloud, how much data it needs to send and what the fallbacks are.

Lots of legacy systems require you to set up your own Local Area Network (LAN) using a router, so that the tablets, laptops or whatever you’re using to check people in can talk to the badge printers. This has plenty of potential to go wrong on the day, especially if you don’t have an IT professional on your staff.

For AttendZen’s check-in app we elected to use more modern technology, whereby each tablet or check-in device communicates directly with the cloud in real-time – meaning fewer moving parts to go wrong and a much easier set-up.

If the venue Wi-Fi fails for some reason, you can still check people in as usual using a mobile hotspot or even a tethered phone. Our system is sending and receiving such tiny amounts of data from the cloud that we’ve used a single 4G cellular connection to check in 700 people with 4 iPads and 2 printers.

Of course, if Wi-Fi fails, and the cellular network isn’t available, you can still check attendees in and print badges without any connection to the cloud. Once you’re back on-line, the check-in app will update the backend servers so that your reporting and analytics make sense.

Which brings us neatly to our next point.

2 The phantom Wi-Fi: when the internet vanishes into thin air

Modern events depend on connectivity not just for check-in, but for engagement apps, live polling, streaming, and lead capture. Many of our customers no longer print hard copies of the programme, so if there’s no connectivity there’s no agenda. Suddenly you have guests walking around like the living dead, staring at a blank screen, unsure of what to do except maybe turn on you and try to eat your brain.

How to break the curse

First off, consider bringing your own 5G mobile hotspot with you. These devices are cheap and easy to set up. If the venue Wi-Fi quits on you, you have a back-up which can (at a minimum) run your check-in and badging.

Second, make sure your event tech partner understands event infrastructure, not just software. They should offer fallback plans and provide offline modes that keep check-in and data capture working even without a signal.

If you’re using an attendee app, think about the data requirements and how to minimise those on-site.

For example, we use Progressive Web App (PWA) technology to serve our attendee app. This allows us to cache key content (like the agenda) so it’s available to your attendees offline. At the same time, it’s much lighter and faster to install, since each attendee doesn’t need to download a chunk of software (as you do with traditional native apps).

The more you can do to encourage attendees to install the app before they arrive at your venue, the better shape you’ll be in if the worst does happen, and you need to lean on 5G.

And while we’re on the subject of apps …

3 Giving up the ghost: when nobody downloads your app

Speaking of apps, a recurring nightmare for organisers is that attendees are increasingly reluctant to download them.

Organisers (rightly) want to go paperless and lean on the attendee app to serve the latest version of the content, improve the networking experience and save some trees at the same time.

The trouble is, people already have too many ‘zombie’ apps cluttering up their phone – apps they needed once but never used again – all taking up valuable storage space and asking to be updated.

Some organisers report spending $15k on an app that only a dozen people download. That’s a genuine horror show.

How to break the curse

Consider an event platform that uses the latest PWA technology. PWAs give you all the functionality of a native event app (agendas, push notifications, badge scanning, content caching, offline-working etc) but without the drawbacks (like having to visit two different app stores, downloading a big bunch of code that sits on your device forever, needing constant software updates etc).

Instead, PWAs utilise the phone’s existing software to run the app. Attendees can install your app in seconds, just by scanning a QR code or clicking a button in your joining instruction email. This helps overcome ‘app fatigue’ and takes a huge strain off your venue Wi-Fi.

You can fully brand everything for every event, including the app tile (no more tacky container apps), and because all the content is served from the same code-base as the event platform itself – you don’t have to build the app – it essentially builds itself.

Better yet, PWAs are far cheaper to execute because you don’t have to pay developers to build something from scratch, then pay again to get it into the Apple app store and the Google app store, and then keep updating it … In fact, at AttendZen we give our customers as many attendee apps as they want. For free.

4 The zombie email list: poor deliverability that won’t die

Some nightmares begin long before event day itself. One of the scariest is having a chunk of your marketing emails and invites simply disappear into the abyss.

You’ve crafted the perfect pre-event campaign. The design sparkles. The copy sings. You hit ‘send’ … only for a sizeable chunk of your messages to vanish into a thousand spam folders, never to be seen again.

Low email deliverability means fewer registrations, lower engagement, and wasted marketing effort. Like zombies, undelivered emails keep coming back to haunt your metrics.

How to break the curse

Email deliverability is complex subject (which we talk about in some detail in this lovely webinar). But basically, it depends on four main factors:

Sender reputation The IP address of the server used to send out your emails
Sender authority Whether that server is strictly authorised to send emails from that domain
List quality How you clean your email lists for out-dated addresses, opt-outs and especially hard-bounces
Content Whether you use spammy language or use all images instead of text

Now, for the most part, you’re going to want your event platform to send emails (marketing mails, RSVP invitations and – necessarily – transactional mails – like confirmations etc) on your behalf. This is simpler, more efficient and more robust than sending event-related mails yourself from another system.

But here’s the thing: your event platform is not you! If your customers start receiving mails from [email protected] (or whatever your platform’s called) there’s a fair chance those messages are either getting ignored – or worse – going to spam.

For the best results, you want your event tech partner to send your emails using YOUR domain (which your customers already know and trust) and this means they need to be able to authenticate outbound mail through DMARC, DKIM, and SPF protocols to stop spoofing and ensure deliverability.

Before signing with any event platform, ask them what they do to optimise deliverability. How do they maintain sender reputation and prohibit spammy behaviour? How do they monitor for bounces and prevent re-sends to those addresses? What list hygiene tools are in place to remove invalid or inactive addresses?
Bonus points if they integrate directly with your CRM to keep audience data alive and accurate. Because you need your emails to be opened – not buried.

5 The cybersecurity spectre: data breaches from the beyond

It turns out the scariest monsters don’t hide under the bed. They hide in their bedroom at their mum’s house and they ‘vant to drink your data!’ To be fair, I did say there would be some shocking puns in this post.

But let’s be real. A single vulnerability can allow hackers to steal attendee information, payment details, and sensitive corporate data.

A security breach won’t just ruin your event – it’ll haunt your reputation long after the people have gone home. GDPR fines and brand damage can blow a hole in your budget bigger than a shotgun to a zombie’s forehead.

How to break the curse

Make sure you ask your event tech provider exactly what measures they have in place to keep your data secure.

At an absolute minimum they need to be using end-to-end encryption of all your data (in transit, and at rest). And they should handle DDoS protection for all your web pages and registration forms.

Expect Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) which let you assign granular permissions to different users based on the access they actually need (least privilege). And insist on MFA (sometimes known as 2FA) which adds a second layer of authentication (such as a mobile app code or security key) that protects organiser accounts even if a password gets compromised.

APIs connecting the platform to other services can be a point of weakness, so make sure they authenticate all API calls with instantly revokable tokens, apply strict rate limits, and routinely monitor for abnormal activity.

They should regularly test for vulnerabilities. Ask for transparency about where data is stored and how it’s handled. The right event tech partner will have fortress-like security measures in place – from firewalls to continuous threat monitoring.

6 Vampire vendors: hidden costs that bleed you dry

Tell me if this one’s familiar. You shop around for an event platform. You find one you like. You agree what (you think) is the price. Then the invoices start flocking in like bats in an abandoned castle. And not the cute kind of bats either. No, it turns out you’re on the hook for extra fees for things like ‘removing the vendor’s logo from your event’, ‘using your own custom domain’, ‘data exports’, ‘premium support’ and per-attendee costs that multiply like gremlins in water.

Budget surprises like these can cancel your ROI and sour relationships with stakeholders. They also make it impossible to plan accurately for future events.

How to break the curse

Transparency is key. Partner with an event tech company that provides clear, upfront pricing and modular packages so you only pay for what you need. Ask for a detailed quote with no hidden fees, and make sure all the support and reporting tools you need are included. The right partner won’t suck your budget dry – they’ll charge you a fair price for great software and support.

7 Helpdesk ghost town: when you need help … and no one answers

It’s showtime. Something goes wrong. You send a support ticket. Silence. You call the hotline. More silence. Somewhere, an automated bot cheerfully tells you your message is important.

In live events, every second counts. Lack of decent support can turn a minor glitch into a full-blown catastrophe. The absence of a responsive, expert human team can make even the bravest event planner run screaming into the woods. Where, of course, no-one hears them scream. Certainly not from that out-sourced call centre in The Philippines.

How to break the curse

Insist on a partner that offers live human support, delivered by experts who build and maintain the platform, have used it to deliver hundreds of live events themselves, and who know your event inside and out.

Check testimonials and service-level agreements (SLAs) before signing. True partners don’t disappear when things get scary – they’re right there with you, flashlight in hand.

8 The curse of complexity: when tech becomes too complicated to use

Here’s one we see a lot. You’ve invested in a powerful event platform. Theoretically, it’s capable of doing all kinds of cool and useful stuff. But in reality, it doesn’t – because your team can’t figure out how to use most of it. The interface feels like an ancient book of spells where the text is in some mystical language that doesn’t quite make sense. Training sessions never materialise, and frustration rises.

Complicated software wastes time, increases human error, and lowers adoption across your team and exhibitors. It’s one of the main reasons planners switch platforms.

How to break the curse

User experience matters. Choose an event tech solution designed for simplicity and speed, with intuitive interfaces, drag-and-drop tools, and highly configurable templates.

Look for a modern, cloud-native platform where everything has been engineered from a single codebase – not a messy spiders web of acquisitions where they bought an old app company here and a badging provider there …

Your partner should also provide plenty of training, documentation, and onboarding support – tailored to your individual needs – so your team can focus on magic, not manuals.

9 The analytics abyss: when post-event data disappears into darkness

The event ends. The lights fade. You open your reporting dashboard and see … nothing.

No engagement metrics. No attendance data. Just a void where your insights should be.

Without reliable data, you can’t measure success, prove ROI, or improve for next time. It’s like throwing a Halloween party and forgetting to count how many guests showed up.

How to break the curse

Make sure your event tech partner provides comprehensive analytics, real-time dashboards, and easy exports that integrate with your CRM and other marketing tools.

Look for deeply integrated contact management and lead scoring features that let you track and understand conversion data and engagement all the way through from the first email to post-event actions. Data is your silver bullet – use it wisely. By which I obviously don’t mean, shoot a werewolf with it. Although if you did meet a werewolf, probably deal with that first and worry about the data later.

10 The graveyard of integrations: when systems refuse to talk to each other

Here’s a nightmare someone shares with us at least once a week. Your registration tool doesn’t sync with your CRM. Your event app ignores your marketing automation platform. There are data silos everywhere – like a cemetery packed with digital tombstones.

Disconnected systems mean duplicate work, inconsistent data, mistakes and missed opportunities. They also make post-event follow-up a nightmare.

How to break the curse

Look for an event tech partner that offers open APIs, native integrations, and automated data syncs with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, or Slack.

Ideally, they should offer the option of native integrations (when you need something relatively nuanced and enterprise permissions come into play) or a no-code option like Zapier (when the actions are simple and you just need send data / triggers from one system to the other).

Either way, integrations can be tricky, and they are, by definition, business-critical. So be afraid, be very afraid, of a vendor who just gives you the docs and tells you to ‘have at it’.

Your tech partner should walk you through the options, configure everything for you, liaise with your IT and marketing ops people, test and then deploy your integration.

Once your systems speak the same language, your events will run like a perfectly executed spell – seamless, efficient, and perfectly in sync. Think Hermione, not Ron.

Bonus horror: the Frankenstein’s Monster of multiple vendors

Plenty of planners still piece together event tech from a dozen different providers – registration here, apps there, surveys somewhere else. Before you know it, you’ve created a monster.

Each tool has its own login, data structures, and support team. When something breaks, no one takes responsibility. It’s a patchwork creature that lurches forward on little more than luck and caffeine.

How to break the curse

Whenever possible, choose an integrated event tech ecosystem – one provider that can handle registration, apps, analytics, engagement, and communications in one unified platform. You’ll save time, reduce complexity, and sleep better at night.

Event technology doesn’t have to be frightening. In fact, the right tools can turn chaos into calm, and fear into flawless execution. The secret lies in choosing a partner who truly understands the event lifecycle – from pre-registration to post-event reporting.

When evaluating event tech providers, look for:

• Proven reliability (ask for uptime stats and case studies)
• Transparent pricing
• Robust security and compliance
• Excellent support and training
• Flexible integrations and scalability
• Modern intuitive UI and UX

Choose wisely, prepare thoroughly, and your next event will be more ‘treat’ than ‘trick.’