The International Ticketing Association (INTIX) posts a Ticketing Tip of the Month on its LinkedIn page. It’s a helpful piece of advice that members can read and consider putting into practice on the job. As it’s a crazy world, seemingly getting crazier, ticketing and live event professionals need all the wise counsel they can get — especially as we enter the home stretch of 2026.
For this reason, we went to several INTIX members and industry professionals and asked each:
“What tip do you have for other members as we close out this year?”
Those who responded were told it could be something they have learned over the first eight-plus months of 2026, a trend they see on the near horizon members should be aware of, an age-old truth that still applies, or something else . . . a fun and even personal tip. As always, the responses were fun, fascinating and varied.
The Customer Service Experience
Several of our respondents cut right to the chase and gave helpful advice on taking care of the fans, the audience members, the general public . . . the ticket buyers. And that includes all kinds of buyers.
Mike Riddle, Box Office Supervisor for Sacramento, CA’s SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, says, “With third-party ticket sales continuing to grow, our team has stopped treating 'you didn't buy from us' as an acceptable answer. If a patron shows up with a resale ticket and something's gone wrong, that's still our customer standing in our lobby. This year, we started handing out printed slips with a QR code linking to a resource page on navigating third-party ticket issues, plus our box office contact info on the back, so guests have a clear path to self-help and know how to reach us directly next time.”
He adds, “It's made a real difference. Patrons have a better experience, our staff can assist more effectively since they're not starting from scratch on every issue, and it's actually sped up our lines at the box office windows on night of show. A small step, but it's changed how patrons experience a bad moment at our venue, and that's worth more than drawing a hard line on where they bought the ticket.”
Bethany Nothstein, Strategic Brand & Sector Engagement Lead for Spektrix, was similarly customer-focused in her response: “My ticketing tip for the rest of 2026 is to think beyond the transaction. A ticket purchase is just the start of a relationship, not the finish line. Use what you know about that customer to make the experience before and after their visit more relevant and personal. Whether that’s helpful pre-show information, a well-timed upsell or an invitation to return. Small, relevant interactions build stronger relationships and more sustainable revenue.”
Allison Niedermeier Lee, SVP, Strategy — Head of Attractions for Leap Event Technology, also had a smart tip on dealing with ticket buyers. She says, “There’s a lot of focus on conversion, dynamic pricing, personalization and AI, but the guest journey is much bigger than the transaction. Discovery, planning, purchase, pre-arrival communication, the on-site experience and what happens after all play a role. We can talk about checkout optimization all day, but if other parts of the journey are frustrating, none of it matters. Make it easy to say ‘Yes!’ Then, give people a reason to come back.”
Austin Castaneda, Senior Manager, Product Marketing and Industry Engagement for Saffire, went further: “Break down departmental silos around the customer experience. Departmental segmentation doesn't exist for your attendees. Your customers don't see the difference between box office, marketing, security, operations, or other teams. Every interaction is part of ONE experience! This means that ticketing can no longer be treated as a standalone function.”
He adds, “The customer journey should be viewed holistically, from discovery and purchase through arrival, entry, the event itself and post-event communications. Make sure each of these individual touchpoints feels connected and consistent with your organization's voice/brand, regardless of which department owns it internally.”
Christina Allen, Sr. Manager, Box Office at Ottawa Senators Sports and Entertainment, had two tips to share when giving advice on customer service. In August, she attended Fevo Fest in Las Vegas where several discussions were held to address the importance of “meeting fans where they are.” She says, “They really resonated with me. We tend to direct fans where to go to find out what’s new or to buy tickets. But where are they organically going and how do we meet them THERE with this information?”
And the other tip? “Every game is someone’s first,” she states. “After working so many years in live events, you know you’re helping create memories and that’s fun. But for someone that night it is THE memory! We all remember our first concert, play or game.”
The Work Itself
Other respondents were more focused on giving on-the-job tips to INTIX members themselves. We all work in a great and fun business. But it’s a business that has its own share of challenges and pressures, many of them unique to our industry.
Ashley Voorhees, Vice President of Patron Services for Omaha Performing Arts, says, “My ticketing tip for the remainder of 2026 is this: ‘Don't wait for a show to be in trouble. Build your recovery plan before tickets go on sale, and let revenue pacing checkpoints tell you when to act."
Shawn Robertson, Ticketing and Revenue Strategy Consultant, urges association members to “know your worth and the worth of the work you do. Define success by whether you leave it better than you found it. I was having dinner with a colleague recently, and they said, ‘I’ve been a workaholic my whole life, but I’m realizing that the people are what has always been important. . . . The work was the vehicle to forge those relationships.’ So keep the relationships as your priority. The work is the work. It won’t sustain you forever. The people along the journey will.”
Dan McBride, Senior Director, Ticketing & Experiences at the United States Golf Association (USGA) offered his advice just as all 2026 USGA ticketed championships had been completed. “So, this is a time for our team to recharge, review and recalibrate, identifying areas of improvement for 2027. From a ticketing tip perspective, focus on ways to be more strategic and proactive in planning and building for 2027 and beyond.”
What the Heck? All This Tech?!
New and emerging technology was very much on the mind of Anthony Esposito, Senior Vice President, Ticket Operations for the Atlanta Braves, when asked for his tip. He says, “AI is coming to the ticket office, and it will be arriving faster than you think if it hasn’t already arrived in some form! Start thinking of ways where AI could help some of your monotonous processes become more efficient.”
Josh Ziegenbusch, Senior Director, Ticket and Premium Operations for the A’s, also is a big proponent of harnessing technology to make the job easier and more productive. “I urge clubs, teams and venues to invest in fan biometrics,” he states. “Seamlessly connecting e-commerce with digital ticketing and access control unlocks an immersive, highly personalized event-day experience for fans while driving new revenue streams for venues.”
SECUTIX Americas President and General Manager Michael McDermott Jr. loves technology, too. But his tip involved practicing vigilance for all the ways tech can be exploited to the detriment of ticketing and live events. “We saw bad actors create fake apps this summer designed to mimic legitimate ticketing platforms,” he says. “However, when full chain of custody could be validated by fans and rightsholders alike, those fake apps couldn't get a counterfeit ticket past the gate without legitimate credentials behind it. That's the difference between a digital ticket and a barcode with a mobile skin. If you can't validate authenticity at every point in the chain of custody, that's exactly where bad actors exploit it.”
Advice to Those Buying Tickets
As evidenced above, INTIX members love to help each other out with advice and other forms of assistance. But, hey, ticket sellers are also ticket buyers, right? As such, several respondents offered their tips on getting one’s own desired seats. One of them was Janeen Woelfer, Manager, Business Development for MLB’s ProVenue. She says, “My personal ticketing tip? If the event is a ‘MUST SEE,’ buy early and at the price you are comfortable with. If it is just a ‘would be nice to see,’ wait and hunt for a last-minute deal!”
Emily Opalach, Senior Manager, Ticket Operations for the Washington Nationals, was more pragmatic in giving her tip for closing out 2026. “The one ticketing tip that I live by is to always triple or quadruple check the game/event date and time before you checkout,” she states. “This is something I do every time I purchase tickets and always recommend. The last thing you want is to ruin an outing because you bought something too quickly.”
Toby Baptist, Vice President of Operations for LasVegastickets.com, had a tip that relates to the secondary market: “Always buy from someone that you trust. And, when possible, buy from a reputable ticket broker instead of using an exchange or marketplace. The National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) has a list of local brokers who can be 100% trusted to deliver tickets and fulfill their promises. Second to that, is buy your tickets when the price and location match what you want. Don't wait until the very end to get the lowest prices. Sometimes you might miss out.”
Some Parton Advice
And last, but not least is Lindsay Radic, Senior Director, Entertainment Ticketing for Caesars Entertainment. Her tip was not only helpful and forward-thinking, it also quotes one of the greatest entertainers some INTIX members have ever had the honor and pleasure of selling tickets to and for. “In a time of incredible instability in almost everywhere you look, don’t stop being optimistic and positive about the future. If you’re going through a tough time, keep going! And be hopeful about 2027. I am going to quote Dolly: ‘The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!’”
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