Sports Software: The Lesser-Known Benefits of Online Registration For Organizers and Participants

Gone are the days of long registration lines and paper forms to sign up for a sports activity. An increasing number of sports organizations throughout North America are embracing online registration services as an added-value for participants, as well as staff and volunteers. Online registration not only improves efficiencies and eliminates unnecessary paperwork, it also improves marketing capabilities and maximizes participation by allowing athletes to sign up when and where it's most convenient for them from any Internet-enabled computer.
There are also lesser-known, but equally important benefits of offering an online sports registration program:

For Organizers

1. Custom waiver and registration forms. Collect pertinent data with program-specific forms, questions and custom fields and adjust team criteria for age groups or division naming.

2. Flexible registration periods and pricing. Through an online registration program, you can set up early bird discounts or apply late fees that will automatically go into effect for registrations processed in a certain time frame.

3. Easy identification and background checks on volunteers. Improve risk management by collecting volunteer disclosure questionnaires online and performing background checks with your vendor of choice directly through your sports registration program.

4. Fundraising and donation options. Collect donations, track donor information and sell fundraising merchandise online during the sports registration process to maximize donations and awareness of your fundraiser.

5. Security and reliability. Eliminate lost files, missing payments, or incorrect amounts by automating the entire sports registration process online through a trusted provider.

6. Eliminate labor-intensive, paper-based processes. Save staff members and participants time by eliminating paper-based registration and waiver forms and transition documents to electronic versions for quicker sign-ups and automatic data storage and security.

For Participants

1. Save time. Participants can sign up online when and where it's most convenient for them in just minutes without having to drive to a registration site, stand in line or manually complete paper forms.

2. Securely and conveniently pay online. Instead of writing a check or counting cash at the front of the line, participants can simply enter their credit card information online to securely complete their payment transaction in seconds.

3. Receive automated confirmation receipt. Once the payment is processed, participants will then receive a receipt confirming they are signed up for their desired program(s) and their payment has been securely processed and accepted.

4. Professional, accessible customer service support. Your online sports registration provider will be a professional, accessible customer service support agent for participants who may have questions or need assistance completing their transactions. Your participants will receive support when and where they need it, without having to take up your staff members' time for technical questions.

5. Access to early bird pricing. With flexible pricing options, you can now incentivize and reward participants if they sign up before a specific date.

As you're evaluating online sports registration providers, you'll want to ensure that they can make these added benefits available to you as part of your online registration program. Perhaps most important to your evaluations is to understand the security measures each online registration provider employs. Make sure the companies utilize the strictest security settings, technologies and firewalls to ensure your participants' personal information is always protected.