For a safe and responsible restart, SLC Management has teamed up with TÜV Rheinland to develop an extended "Back-to-Business Monitoring" certification offering specifically for the sports event market. The "Back-to-Business" extension module ensures a safe restart and target-oriented optimization for sports clubs, event organizers, stadiums and arenas and provides the perfect basis for optimal utilization of sports events while minimizing existing risks. With this monitoring, they document to visitors and fans that the event is subject to demand- and hygiene-oriented monitoring as well as dynamic optimization.

The upcoming openings for spectators and fans bring with them the challenges and goals of utilizing the permitted capacities as well and as spectator-oriented as possible, while keeping any risks as low as possible and being able to permanently optimize implementation costs.

In order to support a sustainably successful re-admission within the framework of these hygiene concepts, the following factors must be taken into account when opening: Acceptance of the measures/restrictions by spectators/visitors as well as their expectations and conditions for a visit, monitoring of the concept implementation, and a dynamic analysis of the concept implementation from an economic, technical, and medical perspective.

The Corona vaccination campaign is progressing throughout Germany. "Nevertheless, a hygiene concept with goal-oriented monitoring simply gives viewers a better feeling. It contributes to a positive overall experience," explains Olaf Seiche, tourism expert at TÜV Rheinland. For 1.5 years now, we (SLC Management) have been investigating fans' conditions for returning to the stadium. In the latest wave of the survey (May 2021), which was conducted among 5,409 sports fans and potential stadium visitors, over 82% of respondents would like to see regular checks on compliance with hygiene concepts and requirements. In addition, over 72% tie the visit to certain conditions. "It is important for clubs and organizers to take these conditions into account - because this goes hand in hand with satisfied visitors and the utilization of the permitted capacity," explains Maximilian Madeja, Managing Director of SLC Management.

Service Quality Sport, with a focus on back-to-business monitoring, relies on three main stages consisting of expectation analysis, on-site monitoring, and reporting with optimization approaches, specifically focused on technical-hygienic and economic aspects.

The process uses data-based expectation analysis, conducted in advance through target group-specific market research, in conjunction with on-site monitoring as a comprehensive basis for reporting. Along the visitor journey with all relevant customer contact points, visitor experiences are recorded and analyzed by satisfaction surveys and TÜV auditors. The process thus provides informative results on weak points and optimization potential, which sports clubs and event organizers can use to work on improving their hygiene concept. The analysis results additionally support the development of effective measures that reduce the risk of infection while also being accepted by fans and visitors, thus achieving the highest possible occupancy rates.

As part of this procedure, all aspects are examined from three different perspectives: thus, consulting and market research experts from SLC Management, specially trained auditors TÜV Rheinland, and a medical competence team work hand in hand to provide a holistic picture as part of back-to-business monitoring. The procedure basically provides for regular audits so that clubs, stadiums and arenas can meet the specifications in the long term and eliminate any deficits.

In addition to the proof of service quality sports - back-to-business monitoring, sports clubs and event organizers have the opportunity to receive the "Hygiene and Infection Prevention Management" certificate as part of the procedure and upon successful audit. The audit catalog of the standard is based on the requirements of the SARS-CoV-2 occupational health and safety regulation, the SARS-CoV-2- occupational health and safety rule as well as recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

Both the analysis in the run-up to the audit process and the testing of the hygiene concept itself have the definitive goal of increasing infection protection and thus the safety of guests and employees. "But stadiums and sports clubs also benefit economically from monitoring and additional certification of their hygiene concept. "The recurring, independent examinations enable permanent optimizations. This also promotes spectator confidence and thus occupancy. This naturally has a positive effect on sales and profits," explains Maximilian Madeja.

"Since the topic of "hygiene" is a component of the "Tested Service Quality - Sport" standard anyway, sports clubs with back-to-business monitoring are only a small step away from having their overall service quality and fan experience tested and certified in the future," explains Olaf Seiche.