At EventPay, consistency invariably comes first. Reliability and user-friendliness are not empty words, but are at the heart of their payment solutions. In addition, they not only want to improve the payment process itself, but also contribute to the positive image of the entire industry.
"We always put the experience of both the visitor, and the organizer first," Wim continues. "We want organizers, who really take sustainability and ease of use to heart, to get a distinguished name again." This makes EventPay much more than a payment provider: they are a reliable partner for both festivals and permanent venues. During Festivak, they share their insights in several lectures and you can meet them live at the booth. Below they already share their vision on some common pain points in the festival sector.
A nightmare for every organizer: a breakdown during peak hours
Events are getting bigger and more complex. This makes a reliable payment system indispensable. At the same time, the expectations and needs of visitors are also changing: more and more people want to pay by card only, a trend that has blown over from the Netherlands. This also brings risks. As the organizer of a large festival on a remote site, you'll suddenly have to deal with a power or Internet failure. "We make sure there are always several safety nets ready, so that events never grind to a halt," Wim says. "Therefore, we don't settle for one backup plan. We always provide a plan B and a plan C, even for worst-case scenarios."
According to Wim, EventPay's system is often compared to classic receipts: "If you have ten receipts in your pocket, the Internet may go down, but you can still get drinks. We aim for that same peace of mind for organizers, but with the added benefits of digitization."
Unburdening is the way to go
EventPay develops everything completely in-house, allowing them to respond at lightning speed to feedback from the field. Two years ago, organizers asked for a solution to charge 100 mobile terminals simultaneously. "We then designed special charging cases ourselves," says Wim Walravens. "That made it a lot easier and clearer for the organizer."
Unburdening is an important spearhead for EventPay. Among other things, they offer organizers 24/7 service. "We always keep our finger on the pulse with organizers," Wim explains. "And if we can, we also go into the field with them ourselves. That's not a punishment, of course, because it allows us to be at the most beautiful events in Belgium ourselves."
Technology against misuse
Although more and more visitors only want to use debit cards, there must of course still be room for cash, if desired. This is why EventPay offers hybrid systems that combine both possibilities. In addition, they support both open loop payment systems for PIN transactions using the widely known debit cards, and closed loop systems for NFC payments using personalized payment cards, QR codes or wristbands.
The changing needs of visitors also provide new functionalities. For example, you can easily have a remaining balance returned to your bank account. This increases user convenience, but is also susceptible to fraud. "That's why we built technology behind this that prevents abuse and allows organizers to work safely," says Wim.
Sustainability is also playing an increasing role within the industry, for example through the guarantee on reusable cups. "With EventPay, we provide all those payment solutions so that organizers can fully rely on them," Wim concludes.
We'd rather spend 100 hours of development on analysis and stability than on fancy gadgets."
Future: data-driven decisions for events
"The event sector in Belgium and the Netherlands is now going through a tremendous development. Organizers are working more consciously with margins, planning more tightly and specializing more and more," said Wim. "Thanks to our tools, they can make the most of this growth and take events to an even higher level."
Data plays an increasingly important role in this. Thanks to real-time analytics and predictions, organizers can better anticipate: for example, by predicting sales figures so that summer bars or festivals can smartly schedule their staff.
And it goes beyond that. By looking at things like weather forecasts or what other festivals are taking place nearby, organizers can anticipate visitor flows even better. Data also adds value in terms of security. "We would rather spend 100 hours of development on analysis and stability than on fancy gadgets. This allows us to respond better to the needs of our customers. Think of the return pin option, where e.g. credit for cups is refunded directly to the account of visitors via bank card: because we have that data at our disposal, we can detect suspicious patterns faster and indicate a red flag," Wim explains.
Thus, EventPay not only helps organizers with a smooth payment process, but also with smart, data-driven choices for an even more successful event. 
EventPay x Festivak
EventPay is currently continuing to build a central platform that integrates seamlessly with ticketing, accreditation, inventory management, invoicing and email marketing tools such as Mailchimp. "We want to build an ecosystem with all possible links, in which everything comes together so that we can relieve customers from A to Z," Wim explains.
During Festivak, EventPay is not only ready to meet new customers, but also to showcase their innovations and catch up with the industry, in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. "Festivak is the exhibition for Belgium and the Netherlands. It would really be a loss if we were not there," says Wim. "It is the ideal time to have a quiet beer with customers and partners, without immediate deadlines."
Visit EventPay during Festivak at booth 276 or attend one of their fascinating lectures, for example Jannick's on sustainability during the Ghent Festivities or on the cup ecosystem during Campo Solar.
