Margaret Reeves explains how event organisers can use badges to deliver a truly personalised delegate experience. As Managing Director of RefTech – a specialist event technology company trusted for its reliable registration, badging, and scanning solutions – she has seen first-hand how smart personalisation can transform the attendee journey.
Delegate personalisation is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s an expectation. Attendees don’t want to feel like just another name on a lanyard; they want an experience that reflects who they are, why they’re there, and most importantly, what they really need from your event. The badge, often overlooked as a simple piece of card, is actually one of the most powerful tools you have to deliver this.
At RefTech, we’ve spent more than two decades refining registration and badging systems to make personalisation practical, seamless, and scalable. Our Neo-powered PrintPods do far more than print names on badges, they allow organisers to tailor an entire delegate journey.
Why Personalisation Matters
A badge isn’t just a form of identification. It’s a fantastic tool. When used well, it can:
- Enhance security and access control: Different badge types can restrict entry to specific days, ticket categories, or VIP areas.
- Streamline delegate experience: A printed agenda on the reverse of the badge can guide a delegate through their personalised programme.
- Support engagement: Exhibitors can capture leads directly linked to delegate profiles, providing more meaningful follow-up.
This level of tailoring is functional, not cosmetic. It shapes how delegates interact with your event from start to finish.
How to Achieve It in Practice
At the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2025, for example, RefTech managed over 25 different badge types across more than 2,000 delegates. Each badge carried unique permissions – some delegates could only attend on certain days, others required exhibitor privileges, while internal staff needed pre-event approvals. The PrintPods handled this complexity instantly, producing fully personalised badges on arrival, while the ScanPods enforced the access rules in real time.
Nearly 1,000 delegates arrived in the first two hours of the conference, but thanks to RefTech’s registration system, peak times were managed smoothly and queues remained short. Delegates left the registration desk with badges that carried their name, role, days of attendance, and even their agenda – small details that made a big difference to their event experience.
Integration Is Key
Personalisation doesn’t happen in isolation. The badge must connect with your wider event tech ecosystem. RefTech’s Neo software integrates with CRMs, payment systems, and event apps such as VenuIQ. At Diabetes UK, this meant delegates could plan agendas, receive real-time updates, and access sessions seamlessly – all linked to their badge.
Getting Personalisation Right
The lesson is simple: if you want to personalise your event, start with the badge, but don’t stop there. Personalisation should run throughout the delegate journey – from registration and approvals to access and engagement. The badge is just the visible marker of a system working behind the scenes to make every delegate feel recognised, valued, and supported.
Done well, this isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about delivering reliability, efficiency, and a smoother experience for organisers and delegates alike.
At RefTech, we believe that personalisation only works when it genuinely improves the delegate journey. That’s why we design solutions that “just work” – before, during, and after the event.