TapNGo™
Enhancing Customer Experience with Cashless RFID Solutions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless payments became so much more than convenience and speed. By the time normalcy resumed, touch-free represented the majority of transactions.

TapNGo™ was two steps ahead of the competition at this juncture. It already had a market-ready product after acquiring a software vendor to complement its RFID-enabled solutions.

“We took a leap of faith during uncertain times and introduced a contactless way of doing transactions,” says Shara Pathak, president.

Founded by Price Chopper Wristbands, TapNGo™ began as a company focused on crafting ID wristbands and cards and quickly shifted to RFID technology after realizing its potential. Clients requesting integrated software solutions to complement their hardware prompted collaboration with a software partner. After two-and-a-half years, TapNGo™ bought the business.

It was the beginning of a new chapter for TapNGo™, just as the world was about to shut down. A blessing in disguise, it gave the company the time and space to refine its newly acquired platform by adding features and enhancing its capabilities.

Post-pandemic, TapNGo™ deployed and tested the solution in state fairs to demonstrate the broader benefits, like more accurate reporting, cost reduction and reduced paper use. The company quickly gained traction, securing approximately 20 percent share of the transactions at state fair markets in the U.S. within three years. It has also quadrupled its presence in the Mexican market, signing on a fifth client in less than a year.

Connectivity Issues? Not with TapNGo™

One of the platform's key differentiators is its ability to operate without a Wi-Fi or internet connection. This feature is particularly important in large-scale events like state fairs and music festivals, where connectivity can be unreliable due to the sheer number of attendees. Even in environments where significant investments have been made in infrastructure, like the Florida State Fair, internet outages are common. The TapNGo™ platform, however, operates flawlessly, creating a smooth experience for event organizers and attendees.

A proprietary MESH network ensures all devices used during an event communicate with each other, even without internet connectivity. This eliminates potential loopholes for fraud, like duplicate ticket use. Once scanned, a ticket cannot be reused at another entry point.

Traditionally, state fairs relied on paper tickets, which were inefficient and difficult to manage. Introducing an RFID card or wristband that stored all of a patron's credits streamlined the ticketing process and provided state fairs with valuable data. Event organizers could now track which rides were most popular, when they were busiest and how visitors interacted with the fair's various attractions.

TapNGo™’s software can also load permissions for different access points and manage multiple ticket types. It can store currency and credit on the same card and provide detailed reports on patron behavior. The collected data is invaluable for event organizers, offering insights that can attract sponsors and improve future events.

For example, a state fair patron might load their card with both ride credits and currency. The ride credits would be used to access attractions, while the currency could be spent on food, games and merchandise. Every transaction is recorded under the card or wristband’s unique ID, providing event organizers with precise data on spending patterns and peak activity times.

TapNGo™ offers color-coded credentials that can be deactivated at midnight for multi-day events, adding an extra layer of security to prevent visitors from re-entering with a used card or wristband. This data can be invaluable for securing sponsorships, as event organizers can present sponsors with accurate, granular data on how their products were purchased and consumed during the event. It also partners with kiosk manufacturers to create standalone units that allow patrons to purchase wristbands, load credits and check balances independently. This setup reduces the need for staff, addresses labor shortages, reduces payroll, and ensures smoother operations.

We took a leap of faith during uncertain times and introduced a contactless way of doing transactions

In an instance, TapNGo™ was instrumental in helping Reithoffer Shows, which was seeking a replacement for the archaic paper ticketing and the reliance on ticket sellers. A proprietary kiosk integrated with their systems created a ticketless, self-service customer experience. Personnel were transferred from sales to customer service roles to improve efficiency.

A Strong Foundation of Collaboration and Creativity

Behind TapNGo™’s success is a culture emphasizing collaboration, creativity and continuous learning. The leadership team believes in recognizing talent at all levels of the organization, cultivating a strong sense of ownership and dedication among employees that drives the company’s vision forward.

This inclusive culture extends to its developers, who participate in client demos and meetings. By empowering its developers to actively shape the platform, the company ensures its solutions are technically sound and closely aligned with client needs.

TapNGo™ has set its ambitions to expand beyond state fair markets into food and wine festivals. For example, it managed the digital processes at the 2024 Trinidad and Tobago Carnival—the first time the event had gone fully digital.

Its innovative approach and rapid growth have not gone unnoticed. Grow Florida, a prestigious program that recognizes emerging businesses with significant growth potential, shortlisted TapNGo™ as one of the 95 Companies to Watch.

The success of the MESH network, the introduction of new features and the company's ability to adapt to the changing landscape of contactless RFID solutions all point to a promising future. TapNGo™ is a name synonymous with redefining the space and carving new standards for what is possible.