“Access Control allows us to make the entry process simpler and more enjoyable for our patrons as well as for our staff. We have also found that the real-time data capture provided through Access Control’s reporting capabilities is an invaluable tool, both at the venue during an event, and when we’re developing strategies for future campaigns.”
Steve J. Fendt
Assistant Director
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Profile
The Tulsa Performing Arts Center (TPAC) occupies a half city block in Tulsa’s historic district and encompasses: the 2,365-seat Chapman Music Hall, the 430-fixed-seat John H. Williams Theatre, and two flexible-seat venues – the Liddy Doenges and Charles E. Norman Theatres. The center is owned and operated by the City of Tulsa, and hosts diverse world-class performances by local, national, and international talent.
The Challenge
Ever since TPAC launched the online ticketing portal MyTicketOffice.Com in 2006, it had experienced a dramatic spike in Internet ticket sales. Given the trend of increased online patronage and vigorous digital ticketing traffic, TPAC wanted to further escalate its features and services in the digital realm. Its goal was to best understand and support the customers making use of digital ticketing technologies, as well as to empower TPAC’s staff to most efficiently serve them—both on the Internet and at the venue.
Ideally, TPAC sought tools and systems to better manage gate entry and customer service. It also wanted to more fully leverage the customer information accessible through Internet ticket purchases, and to integrate additional digital technologies into their ticketing services.
The Solution
Tickets.com recommended its innovative and flexible Access Control System, which syncs with the ProVenueElite® ticketing system, a sophisticated platform already in use by TPAC. Access Control’s inherent abilities to expedite admissions, provide state-of-the-art security features, and offer complete data capture addressed the upgraded capabilities and benefits that TPAC desired.
Key Successes
With the integration and launch of Access Control, TPAC is able to streamline the gate entry process for patrons and venue staff, whose time was freed up to focus on customer service. Hand-held wireless scanners quickly process and validate each ticket by its unique barcode, helping staff to move people into the house more efficiently. Access Control also allows staff to identify special guests in attendance through additional information encoded on their tickets. VIPs or season ticket holders, for example, can be offered exclusive amenities, creating new possibilities for enhanced customer service. TPAC is educating its personnel to respond to these opportunities.
Another primary benefit that TPAC realizes from Access Control is the intelligence-gathering amassed through the system’s back-end reporting capabilities. This data capturing provides TPAC with valuable insights to refine marketing strategies and track attendance habits. Reports include statistics on complimentary vs. revenue-generating tickets, complimentary ticket redemption, and entry by price scale and buyer type. Attendance monitoring and drop counts are also simplified through Access Control’s real-time reporting—the days of counting thousands of paper stubs are over. Additionally, Access Control gives TPAC visibility to no-shows and other attendance irregularities, valuable data they can use for future marketing initiatives and customer outreach.
Access Control also addresses security concerns, mobilizing a suite of built-in, real-time validation features that admit only authorized entrants and prevent duplicate tickets from being honored. Invalid tickets are immediately recognized at the gate through Access Control’s hand-held wireless scanners, which prevent holders of fraudulent tickets from entering the venue and potentially causing problems at the seats.
Similarly, tickets purchased online can be easily exchanged or transferred without the patron needing to ever physically return hard tickets at the box office. Access Control is programmed to automatically accept the newly issued tickets and reject the invalidated barcode on the original. This is a major advance in both customer convenience and operational efficiency.
Additional Benefits
TPAC has come to value Access Control as an essential element in delivering outstanding service to its patrons by driving its staff to perform to full potential. Additionally, TPAC can now enable other Tickets.com digital products to enhance overall customer experience, including Tickets@Home® and Tickets@Phone® which offer ticket delivery via home printers and mobile phones, respectively. TPAC also appreciates the ability to create targeted marketing campaigns based on information reaped through Access Control’s reporting capabilities. From its immediate impact on event logistics and its capability to data mine for future return, Access Control has exceeded TPAC’s expectations.
Overall, implementation of Access Control provided TPAC with:
- Faster, smoother gate entry
- Exponentially increased data on patrons, their buying habits, and their customer profiles
- Streamlining of attendance count operations
- Security safeguards against ticket fraud
- Features to provide better customer service
For more information, please contact our sales department:
Toll Free – (888) 397-3400
International – +1 (608) 437-3568
www.tickets.com
sales@tickets.com
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