Typical charity fundraising events which include NGOs, International Schools and all events involving silent auction & pledging, etc. We can tailor make the system to fit all requirements.
What regions does The Unity House operate in?
Our office located in Hong Kong and mainly provides system services to Hong Kong, Macau & China. We can also provide services worldwide as there is no restrictions on hardware support (guests use their mobile phones to bid & pledge only) and our team can provide on-site support at any event per request.
How does The Unity House make my job as an event organiser easier?
We understand the importance of pre-event handling, will focus on the system preparation with our program technician and the auction platform will be tested before each event. Our event manager commits to reply all the Calls/ WhatsApp &WeChat messages /Emails within 24 hours in order not to cause any delay and misunderstandings.
We know organizing fundraising events can be very stressful, so everything we do at The Unity House is aimed at taking the burden off you so you can concentrate on other parts of your event.
How long does it take to set up?
Usually, the system set-up takes approximately 2 weeks after we have received all the materials and on-site set up would take around 2-hour depending on the requirements.
About the System
Why The Unity House relies on smart phones to use the system?
Nowadays most people have at least one or more smart phones, therefore using it for charity fundraising is the most efficient and cost saving method; the clients don’t have to invest extra cost for other devices for their guests to participate in the bidding and pledging.
Why The Unity House platform needs to verify the guest identity by sending the OTP “One-time-password”?
The procedure will ensure that the guest is bidding / pledging by his / her real identity to avoid any disputes after the system closes by claiming that the bids are not placed by themselves and refuse to settle payments. It is a means to protect fundraising party and to collect the payment more smoothly.
Can a guest remain anonymous?
Yes. Every time a guest places a silent auction bid they have the option of remaining anonymous. Or create a nick name for displaying at the projector screen; this is all subject to the guest’s decision.
If the 4G and Wi-Fi network at the venue is not good, how The Unity House can help to ensure smooth running of the system?
In order to make sure our system can run smooth, we will not rely solely on the 4G or Wi-Fi network provided by the venue; we can help rent a Wi-Fi service which is suitable for use in the venue without charging the customer extra fee.
About the People
Will there be The Unity House staff at my event?
Yes. We will supply at least one technician to set the system up and monitor it throughout and one event manager to act as your first port of call, assists guests when needed and introduces the system to them if requested. We can also provide helpers to the events too.
Do you take credit card details from every guest?
No. We provide help to link up the payment system such as PayPal or Stripes and the client accounts directly. The Unity House won’t collect any information from the credit card of the participating guests.
I may have few times adjustment on the system before it goes live, is it okay to do that?
Yes. Our system is designed to be as flexible as possible. We understand the nature of live events where no matter how much planning and preparation are done, something always pops up on the night. Our technician will provide full support before event and solve all the problems on system before the system goes live.
How long does The Unity House keep the information of the registered guests?
Once the report has been sent out client, The Unity House will keep the information within 1-year time and will totally delete them if no further requests come from clients. To conform with the code of privacy protection, The Unity House WILL NOT provide any information to the 3rd parties and also MUST NOT sell the information to any party.
About Cost
How much does it cost for using The Unity House system?
The pricing structure of The Unity House system is flexible because we let clients choose the services they want. Apart from the using our bidding system, we can also provide auction lot items, helpers, pre-open or extend the system service duration, etc. All these are options that clients can choose. If you would like an accurate quote for your event, then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What return on investment can I expect by using The Unity House rather than the convention ‘pen and paper’?
Hard to say as it depends on the nature of the event. However, with The Unity House silent auction system, more guests will participate in bidding the items and they will be notified by SMS whether the bids they place are good enough to win the items they desire. This mechanism will help push the prices upwards. Moreover, using our system means not only the attending guests can join the bidding, but supporters not at the venue can also participate in the bidding because there is no territory restriction in using the system once it goes live. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that the total amount raised will be higher than pen and paper.
Does The Unity House take a percentage of the proceeds raised during the fundraising event?
Absolutely not! The system fee is always a one off upfront cost and the charity keeps 100% of money raised on the night. The Unity House is designed to help charities raise money only.
How does it cost if we choose The Unity House silent auction items?
We will offer auction items at Reserve Prices which are much lower than current market values of these items. And no matter how much the winning prices turn to be (100% higher or even 300% higher), the fundraising organizer will only need to pay the Reserve Prices for those items to The Unity House. We aim at providing more options for your supporters to bid so that you will have higher chances of selling your items. Our goal is to design a system to help charities to raise more money, not to distract them from it.
