Essex bowled over by Tickets.com
“Since ProVenueMax™ has been implemented here at Essex, I have been very impressed with the system and with Tickets.com.
With the ground developments due to be finished in 2009 we needed a solution that would grow with us and I am confident that we made an excellent choice in Tickets.com. At Essex we are looking forward to an exciting future and the benefits our partnership with Tickets.com will bring.”
- David East, CEO
Organisation Profile
Established in Brentwood in 1846, has a distinguished history in first class
cricket in England with a string of successes most recently winning the Totesport
League Championship in 2005.
When Essex County Cricket Club came to review their ticketing system there were
many new issues to consider. The existing system had been installed when the
market was a very different place and a ticketing system was seen as a stand
alone tool that simply enabled fast admissions. With the increased consumer demand
for online sales functionality, an understanding of the importance of CRM and
greater security requirements to prevent fraud it was time to take a new look
at the software solutions available.
Benefits Achieved
With the installation of ProVenueMax™, Essex were immediately able to address
some of their most pressing concerns, specifically by collecting data
on new customers, producing comprehensive financial reports and speeding
up ticket sales. In addition, ProVenueMax’s™ ease of use, value for money,
excellent Support service and vast scope for future developments at the
Club have instilled a sense of confidence for both users and management.
A major benefit of the Tickets.com solution was the online sales module, which allowed Essex CCC to sell match tickets in real time online. This has been an enormous success and significantly reduced queuing at the Ticket Office. From the 2007 season Essex CCC will also be offering membership renewals online which will provide an enhanced service to some of their most valuable clients.
Recent trends in football clubs have shown that during 2006 in excess of 40% of fans are now renewing their season tickets online, which meant for West Bromwich Albion FC (a Tickets.com client since 1995) over 9000 fans did not need to visit the box office to renew their season tickets. This not only saved time for fans but also for the staff who could concentrate on other revenue generating activities.
For Essex, this success was demonstrated in the week preceding the quarter final of the Twenty20 Cup 2006. When the game was released online the demand was so great that the fixture sold out in the first 22 minutes, a feat which would have been impossible with previous suppliers.
Perhaps most importantly, having a reliable and efficient online sales tool allowed Essex to capture over 4000 customer’s details, of which more than 25% were first time bookers. The challenge for Essex now will be to convert these new clients into season ticket holders, building loyalty and creating a lifelong relationship with the club.
