Selecting Ticketing Systems

The systems are likely to have interfaces to accounting and other software solutions, and possibly an Application Programming Interface (API) to enable tools to be written to link to other databases and/or software solutions.

So, similar to cars, there are significant differences of detail between systems and what they do. But now how they do it and how they charge for it mean there are different models to choose from, and these can have significant implications for costs, control and flexibility.

System Types: Platforms, 'Software-As-A-Service', or 'Out-of-the-Box' Systems?

Just to confuse you, many of the technical terms are applied quite loosely, with imprecise definitions:

Cost Factors

Suppliers want to offer a competitive supply solution, but the challenge for some arts organisations is affording an appropriate cost-effective solution in the first place, since there are few inexpensive systems which actually offer all the necessary functionality required, and the annual costs of pay-as-you-go can become prohibitively expensive.

Variety of Cost Models

Additional Costs to Consider

Most suppliers charge separately from the up-front purchase or licensing cost for everything from project management, through installation and commissioning, to training, usually by the person per day, plus expenses. And watch out for additional costs for peripherals such as ticket printers, credit card and barcode readers, cash drawers if you want them, and additional software for rapid addressing, credit card processing, and so on.

However, we all know that most purchase decisions are not entirely rational and have strong emotional elements when choices are being made. Suppliers are run by people and the sales and support staff can be seen as a key part of their 'offer'. The choices other, and especially similar, venues have made can seem re-assuring and confidence building; there can be a pursuit of the latest, up-to-date, most current sales and marketing techniques enabled by systems; the look and feel of the software and the screens staff will be accessing all day long is a qualitative factor; and value-for-money perceptions can be skewed by many intangible factors.

Functionality and Fitness-for-Purpose

The variety of business procedures for selling tickets and running a ticket sales operation is remarkable. It is therefore very important to identify what you do and how you do it, in order to assure that the system will meet your current needs. You then need to identify what you would like it to do, to 'future-proof' your choice.

A quick over-view of systems can lead you to think that most systems do everything. However, there are significant differences in important areas. Some examples:

• Speed of Sale: For venues with a large number of events on sale, the method of drilling down into events/performances and the number of mouse clicks in a sale will be important factors – fewer, quicker being better.
• Packages and Subscriptions: For venues which have packages of events or subscriptions, how these are compiled, how they can be sold, especially rover or accumulator packages, how prices are set-up (calculation of percentage discounts), how they are renewed, will all be important factors.
• Membership and Loyalty Schemes: For organisations with membership and loyalty schemes, especially reward schemes, the options offered by systems will affect what you can do, especially redeeming loyalty points or membership benefits.

Database and Customer Records

Some systems come with their own proprietary database or effectively a closed database – this means the database is not necessarily 'open' – so it may not be easy to extract and or share data between databases in a standard format. Many suppliers will control access to their system's database. This is now important since many organisations 'interface' their software with other in-house systems and especially their website, and an open database such as SQL makes a significant difference. It also makes future migration between systems easier. One argument for platforms and 'enterprise solutions' is that data access and integration across modules is a pre-requisite.

Important Database Considerations

In the database, customer records are important, especially the available fields and their character, and what the system retains about their permissions and the consent procedures. Quick addressing, multiple phone numbers, email addresses, and data protection options for different communication methods, how notifications are made, how consent to sharing of data is obtained, are all very important.

Check how systems handle transactions from the web – some seem to create too many duplicate customer records when people buy on the web. Check to see if records at the same address – home or business – can be grouped together. Check how customer preferences and transaction history are separately recorded so you can understand interests and behaviours.

While the database is important for what it contains, the extracting and reporting mechanisms are crucial in enabling effective analysis and marketing. There are considerable variations in what systems do, beyond the basic ticket sales reports. Data extraction software is now available, which offers valuable data processing and direct marketing tools, and the ability to import and export the data. However, many organisations rely on the reports and tools inside their system, and it is important to be able to specify what you use at present and what you need (this is a key part of the Functionality Specification).

Internet Ticketing

Cost, functionality, and integration with websites are all involved here. Some system suppliers charge for tickets sold on the web by per ticket or per transaction fees; other suppliers offer the option of a one-off life-time license fee; others offer annual license fees, sometimes according to the volume of web sales. Most organisations will want to avoid per ticket fees and any add-on charges imposed on ticket purchasers.

Key Functionality Considerations

After cost, the crucial factor is ease of use and functionality for Internet ticket purchase: is this user-friendly with understandable, ergonomically laid out, screens and process flow? This can increase the volume of completed sales, especially by allowing purchasers to select their own seats. An effective Internet Ticketing engine is 'mission critical' for organisations now selling the majority of their tickets on the web.

What other functionality is offered on the web: a shopping basket; renewal of packages and subscriptions; purchase of memberships (with automatic pricing) and participation in loyalty schemes; sale of gift vouchers; purchase of food, drink, merchandise, use of promotional codes; editing of customer records and viewing of transaction history; payment by gift vouchers?

Integration and Compatibility

Most Internet Ticketing Engines are now incorporated by direct links into your own organisation's website. Just as your website needs to accommodate visitors using different devices, you need the engine web pages to accommodate different devices' form factors: traditionally pages were designed for desktop computers, but now need to adapt appropriately for laptop, tablet and smartphone formats - landscape and portrait - and to relate to ticket purchasers accordingly.

Significant Technical Factors

• Content management systems need to be compatible
• Are there xml feeds for websites or an Application Programming Interface?
• What (and when) are the registration and log-in options and how does it handle data protection requirements? Ideally, return customers should be recognised before they start making a repeat purchase
• How does e-marketing work in relation to the system?
• Are there social media interfaces and tools to integrate with other channels?
• How much can the website be configured to meet your needs?
• Are micro-sites possible according to customer types, or promotional codes?

Installation, Commissioning and On-going Support

The kind of training and support you need can limit your choice of systems. How knowledgeable are you and your staff about the business procedures for ticket sales? This could significantly affect costs and be very demanding during the commissioning phase. Systems offer many options and alternatives and during set-up and configuration you will be asked many questions about your detailed operational requirements, with many crucial decisions to be made.

With open database systems, the application of what you want to do with the system, and others it can interface with, is very important. Suppliers offer specialist staff to assist you, but they do not always understand your business requirements in detail. This is equally important when you and your staff are first being trained.

Support Models

On-going training and support can be make or break for most venues in their successful use of the system. However, both training and support is changing on both the basis on which it is supplied and how it is charged for. Some suppliers operate on the basis that they will not provide 'attended support' – so you will only ever be visited on site at the time of initial training and commissioning. That said this is changing and many suppliers understand how important it is to keep staff up to date on functionality and use of the system by providing annual (sometimes more regular) onsite visits.

Strictly, most suppliers of ticketing and marketing systems supply 'software support' and any support requirements for hardware, peripherals and connectivity needs to be sourced separately (and if possible, locally). This is very different from some of the long established suppliers who, traditionally, have offered a 'one-stop-shop'; such practices have largely ceased.

The Selection Process

Most organisations do not know what they could have at the start of the selection process.