11 dec 2025
Introduction Week UvA: Successful Integration of Access Control and Cashless Payments
Event type
Introduction
Visitors
4.000
Duration
5 days
Services
Tactile eco-system
Through its collaboration with Tactile, the Introduction Week of the University of Amsterdam, a large-scale event with over 4,000 students, has been able to optimize event management and communication using advanced access control and cashless payments. This has not only improved operational efficiency but also significantly enhanced the visitor experience.
Amber Kusters, former Head of Internal Affairs at the Introduction Week of the University of Amsterdam, emphasizes the importance of a cashless payment system and well-designed access control. Thanks to a long-term partnership with Tactile, the event organizers have benefited from an integrated online ticketing system and an advanced CRM dashboard.
Amber Kusters
Head of Internal Affairs
Insight and Effective Crowd Management
Thanks to Tactile’s cashless payment system, the Introduction Week gains detailed insights into the number of visitors at each event. This data is valuable for the organization, especially due to strict municipal regulations regarding maximum capacity.
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​“With Tactile’s crowd management tools, we can monitor attendance in real time, which is crucial for complying with permit requirements,” Kusters explains.
In addition, detailed revenue insights per location are essential for future planning, ticketing strategies, and procurement decisions.
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“Thanks to detailed revenue data, we understand which sub-events are most popular and where visitors spend the most using their wristbands. For example, if rosé sales are low, we adjust our purchasing strategy the following year. This data helps us decide which events we repeat and where additional marketing efforts are needed.”
Direct Communication: The Power of Push Notifications
Among Tactile’s communication tools, push notifications have proven to be especially valuable.
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Kusters shares practical examples:
“If a location became too crowded, we could immediately send a message saying: ‘Please don’t come to this location, it’s too busy.’”
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On the other hand, when a lunch location was too quiet, the organization sent a push notification informing participants where they could collect their lunch.
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​“The ability to communicate directly with thousands of participants has significantly improved the smooth execution of the Introduction Week.”
In addition to push notifications, Tactile also offers SMS and email communication. Although SMS has not yet been used by the Introduction Week, it remains a valuable option. These multiple channels allow organizers to reach participants in the most effective way.
Flexible Ticketing System for Introduction Week Amsterdam
For the Introduction Week, selling out events is essential. If ticket sales are slow, marketing efforts are intensified through additional social media campaigns.
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​Thanks to Tactile’s flexible ticketing system, organizers can immediately see spikes in ticket sales after marketing actions, allowing them to measure effectiveness in real time.
The system also supports different ticket types, such as:
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Regular tickets
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Late bird tickets
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Tickets including accommodation
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This makes the event more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.
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All this data is seamlessly combined in one clear dashboard. This enables organizers to target specific groups of ticket buyers directly.
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​“For example, participants with accommodation tickets receive specific emails or push notifications with details on what to bring. Thanks to Tactile, we can communicate in a much more targeted way. It’s much easier and less error-prone than manually sending emails from an Excel sheet,” says Kusters.
Overall Experience with Tactile
Kusters highlights the benefits of Tactile’s all-in-one system, which integrates cashless payments, access control, and communication tools.
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“The ease of having everything centralized, from crowd management to wristband payments and direct communication, greatly improves the experience for both organizers and participants.”
From Client Relationship to Partnership: Introduction Week UvA & Tactile
The relationship between the Introduction Week and Tactile goes far beyond a standard business collaboration. Through shared experiences and aligned goals, they work closely as partners.
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​“Our post-event evaluations with the Introduction Week are more than just feedback sessions. They help us continuously adapt our product to the needs of the event,” says Tim Leunissen, co-founder of Tactile.
This partnership reflects a strong level of involvement from the Introduction Week in the development of the system. Seeing real improvements based on their feedback strengthens mutual trust.
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​It’s not just a client-supplier relationship, it’s a partnership built on shared commitment to success.
The bond between Tactile and the Introduction Week is strengthened by personal experience. Tactile’s founders Tim Leunissen, Alexander van Someren, and Job van Gerwen all participated in the Introduction Week during their first year of study and later returned as mentors.
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“We know the Introduction Week from the inside. That helps us deliver exactly what’s needed for a successful event,” says van Someren.
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​This personal connection motivates the Tactile team to continuously improve together with the Introduction Week.
The Introduction Week’s mission to warmly welcome students to their new city is strengthened by Tactile’s innovative solutions. Together, they create not only a well-organized introduction but an unforgettable experience that students will remember for the rest of their lives.
