Success Stories

How Terrapinn increased engagement by +20% and achieved an NPS of +32

Solution

Networking & Engagement

Organizer Type

Trade Shows & Exhibitions

Location

Global

Event Size

420,000

Introduction

Terrapinn is a major global events company organizing large-scale trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions in sectors including technology, innovation, healthcare, etc. Over time, like many event organizers, Terrapinn found that although registration numbers were strong but attendee satisfaction, networking, repeat attendance—was lagging. In particular, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) across their events showed room to improve.

Challenge

Ensuring consistent levels of participant engagement across multiple events proved to be a significant challenge. Engagement varied widely between locations and event types, creating inconsistencies in the overall attendee experience.

Internal adoption also emerged as a key obstacle. Staff found it difficult to fully understand and utilize the platform’s capabilities, limiting its effectiveness and contributing to uneven execution across teams and events.

Data management and tracking further complicated operations. Frequent API failures, duplicate entries, and data integrity issues made it difficult to obtain reliable insights. Without clear visibility into engagement metrics, teams lacked the information needed to assess performance and make informed improvements.

The app setup process added another layer of complexity. Limited technical support led to configuration errors and incomplete implementations, resulting in additional frustration among both staff and customers.

These challenges created a domino effect—technical and operational inefficiencies led to disengaged audiences, diminished satisfaction, and barriers to achieving broader event objectives.

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Solution

Terrapinn addressed these challenges by consolidating its technology stack and implementing data-driven engagement strategies supported by a single, flexible platform.

Data consolidation and streamlined communication: The team unified fragmented data sources into a single customer view, eliminating duplicates and improving data integrity. This integration not only reduced internal frustration but also enabled more accurate performance tracking. With a clear understanding of engagement metrics and customer behavior, Terrapinn achieved a +32-point increase in NPS and a consistent upward trend in participant engagement across events.

Improved platform usability and technical support: Swapcard’s intuitive design simplified adoption across teams and events. Automated password retrieval and stabilized APIs improved reliability and reduced the need for manual intervention. Improved technical support ensured smoother event setup and reduced operational bottlenecks.

Enhanced onboarding and exhibitor engagement: Webinars and training sessions were introduced to help exhibitors and partners fully leverage digital tools such as lead scanning and matchmaking. This not only improved exhibitor satisfaction but also contributed to measurable business outcomes and repeat participation.

App-only ticketing and community focus: By managing ticketing exclusively through the event app, Terrapinn increased app adoption and created a seamless attendee journey—from registration to networking. Post-event, engagement continued within branded communities supported by Swapcard’s multi-language capabilities, including Arabic, Thai, and Bahasa, enabling global reach.

"We're seeing I think Connected Britain had about 78% of all of our registered users were active on the app during the show days... we saw an increase in forty two percent [from previous year] on the number of meetings that people were organizing through the app."

Sharon Roessen

COO | Terrapinn

Key initiatives

Expanded use of the digital platform and app to all 70 events to streamline networking, session bookmarking, and attendee surveys.
Enabled exhibitors to connect digitally with attendees, with lead capture tools.
Used regular feedback during event days (e.g., polling, quick digital check-ins) to measure issues and adapt (e.g., improving session flow, signage).
Ramped up NPS measurement: pre-, mid-, and post-event, and used that data for continuous improvement.

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Results

Total attendees across the 70 events reached ~ 420,000.
Achieved a Net Promoter Score of +32 across those events, indicating strong satisfaction, which was also reflected in an increase in repeat attendance.
Increased attendee engagement: more session participation, more networking interactions via digital tools.
Exhibitors and sponsors reported better leads and more meaningful interactions (qualitative feedback).

Emma Lomas from Swapcard and Sharon Roessen from Terrapinn speak on stage at the UFI Global Congress.

Conclusion

Terrapinn’s approach shows that with consistent investment in digital engagement, feedback systems, and community activation, event organizers can not only sustain high registration numbers, but also meaningfully lift engagement and satisfaction. The +32 NPS across so many events (and such a large audience) is proof that digital-first, participant-centric design yields measurable returns in loyalty, repeat attendance, and brand reputation.

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Published on

December 16, 2024