Check-in hardware needs a manual lane even when the demo works

I helped with a conference check-in setup that looked perfect during the vendor demo. The tablet scanned test QR codes, the badge printer was fast, and the Wi-Fi signal at the desk looked strong. On event morning, the problem was not one broken device. It was the mix of guest Wi-Fi latency, printer sleep mode, and a few attendees whose registration names had special characters that printed…