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Nine points to
consider before developing your own online registration
system.
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contact us if
you would like to discuss this article or our services.
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Creating your own
online registration
system may be tempting. Mostly because what you see looks
fairly simple; an online form linked to a database with a
way for the event planner to access the information. It
sounds simple enough, but let�s take a closer look at some
things you should consider before choosing to develop your
own system.1. Development Time � Designing, programming, and
testing an online registration system will take several
months and likely a lot more. An online registration
provider can get your custom online form ready to accept
registrations in less than a week.2. Labour � Programmers and consultants will cost
between $50 and $150 per hour. Initial programming for a
basic registration system can easily be in the hundreds of
hours at a minimum and add many more for testing and
troubleshooting.More labour is required to figure out exactly how you want
the system to work, come up with a project plan and to find,
interview and hire programmers, graphic designers and other
professionals to help you.3. Database design � The structure of the database is
critical to the success of your project. It must be well
thought out and properly designed so it is reliable and
scaleable. A poorly designed database can cause your data to
become corrupt and not allow you to make additions for
future needs.4. User Interface � Your online forms and backend
reports need to have an easy to use, intuitive layout or
people won�t use your system. It is best to consult with a
professional here. What works on paper doesn�t always work
on screen especially since people are using many different
screen sizes, browsers and operating systems. Also many
professional online registration systems do much more than
just show you the data, they actually allow you to manage
and manipulate it as if it was on your own computer.5. Security � How will you protect the data,
process
credit card transactions and limit access to the collected
data? People must feel safe using your system and you will
need to purchase proper security certificates and be on top
of the latest patches and alert to new viruses.6. Computer Hardware and Software � Hardware and
software for your registration system can easily be several
thousand dollars for the minimum requirements. Plus there
will be monthly charges to keep the equipment in a proper
climate controlled server room with back up generator power
and a reliable connection to the internet.Once you have a system there are still more costs.
7. Changes, Upgrades and Maintenance � Since no two
events are the same, there will always be something you need
to add, change or improve with your system. Each of these
changes will require more programming and testing time.
Regular maintenance will also be required to keep your
system running without problems. These costs will always be
present as long as you have your own system.8. Back ups � You need to constantly back up data and
the software you have designed in case there is ever a
problem. You should plan to have hourly, daily and monthly
back ups and keep copies of the information in more than one
location.9. 24/7 Availability � Any online registration system
needs to be online all the time. This means you need someone
who can respond quickly in case any problems arise. This
person(s) needs to know how to deal with a wide range of
problems: software, hardware, networking, security. If this
person is sick, on vacation or leaves your company you may
be put in a situation that jeopardizes your business. Even
if the system is well programmed and documented it can take
days for a new programmer to get it all sorted out, which
will be costly in terms of labour and your reputation..Any system you develop must be well thought out, properly
programmed and carefully managed. A poor system will not get
used by your event participants or your staff making the
time and money you invested a waste. Even worse, a poor
system can cause a lot of frustration, lose data and
ultimately result in more work.A professional online registration service will save you
from having to worry about most of the above issues and you
will only pay for what you use. Plus you will be free to
adapt new technologies as they are developed without feeling
that you haven�t gotten your money out of they system you
developed.While this article may sound a little biased as we are an
online registration company, all of the points above are
real costs to consider. Having gone through the experience
of developing an online registration system and operating it
for more than two years, we firmly believe that the vast
majority of people planning events are far better off to
hire an online registration company than to invest in their
own system.
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