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3 Inventory Tracking Issues that Can Ruin Large Events

Summer Event Logistics Challenges: Tracking Equipment and Inventory at Sporting Events, Outdoor Concerts and Festivals For many, summer is synonymous with big outdoor events like concerts, festivals and sports games. These events, although fun, present their own unique logistic challenges depending on a variety of factors, including location and attendance. Here are a few common challenges presented by outdoor events, and how asset tracking can help overcome them:

Challenge #1: Multi-purpose Venues

In many cases, it is impractical for large venues to exclusively hold one kind of event. For instance, Madison Square Garden in New York City is not only the oldest arena in the National Hockey League. It’s also the second oldest venue in the National Basketball Association, and hosts various musical events. The Staples Center in Los Angeles is shared by two NBA teams, hosts major concert tours and was even the site of a public memorial for Michael Jackson in 2009. The University of Phoenix Stadium is no different. The multi-purpose venue hosts 10 or more Arizona Cardinal football games annually, plus 100-200 additional sports, entertainment and trade show events each year. Sometimes there are multiple events taking place on a single day. With multi-purpose venues like The University of Phoenix Stadium, it’s important to be able to anticipate where equipment will be needed each day. With some items having limited availability, planning ahead and potentially renting additional equipment can help improve a team’s ability to produce all events within their scope of work.  They implemented asset tracking software to better track the up to $100,000 of equipment in production.  These large venues require hundreds if not thousands of pieces of equipment that needs to be unpacked, set up and then put back away.  If all of those assets are currently being tracked within a single Excel workbook, it will be limited to one individual accessing and updating at a time.  Since first implementing inventory tracking software two years ago, the scoreboard production crew has gained an accurate depiction of their assets. They are now able to accurately track their assets at various events both on and offsite. Using Wasp has decreased the possibility of theft of their products as well.  Doing so not only helped the team save as many as 1,000 labor hours each year, it resulted in 100% production accuracy. With hundreds of employees assisting in the set up and tear down process having one person logging assets would be an extremely slow process.  Another problem with manual tracking is human error.  Even a skilled operator averages one error in every 300 keystrokes. These mistakes add up quickly and in the case of tracking assets, loosing assets is the same as loosing money. “The reliability and accuracy of the product is key. It always works and there is no need for constant software upgrades. Wasp’s barcoding and asset tracking system is a must have item for any major sports team or large production venue,” said Heller.

"Wasp’s barcoding and asset tracking system is a must have item for any major sports team or large production venue,” said Heller."

Challenge #2: Tour Stops at Multiple Venues

Live concerts continue to post rising grosses, with major artists looking at touring as the most lucrative market for engaging with fans. In many ways, tour managers are the unsung heroes of these major events. A tour manager must keep track of dozens of different types of physical items, ranging from tickets and posters to guitars and speakers. Standardized labels, software, and barcode management ensures everything is tracked as it travels from venue to venue. An asset management solution, which includes a handheld computer and portable printer; features wireless Internet connectivity; and is small enough to fit into a suitcase or computer bag is a good option for tour managers looking to manage equipment, like speakers and instruments, and other assets on the road.

Related Article: Why is Asset Tracking Important?

In addition to equipment needed to preform the concert, a tour manager may also be responsible for keeping track of merchandise being sold at the concert. From t-shirts to posters, this inventory needs to be tracked to prevent shrinkage. An effective inventory management system helps to keep track of inventory costs, sales and locations.

Challenge #3: Ticketing

Event tickets are nothing new, they’ve been around since there have been places to use them. However, technology has changed many of the ways tickets are used and purchased. Today, most tickets include barcodes, which make it possible for an event employee to scan the ticket and verify its validity in real-time. Some events tend to yield a higher number of fraudulent tickets. In this case, retail-time scanning offers security and guards against ticket duplication. Mobile is also an increasingly prominent part of ticketing. Today there are apps that allow patrons to buy and display tickets on their smartphone; there are also apps that make it easy for those managing events to scan tickets using a smartphone. With some venues holding hundreds of thousands of patrons, having an efficient system for validating tickets is important both to preserve profits, and to avoid customer service issues brought about by bottlenecks. How would an asset management system help you?