Among the many pre-pandemic activities people are eagerly anticipating returning to, attending an in-person event is at the top of the list. In fact, a recent survey of London theatregoers found that 95% of survey respondents are planning on returning to a live event in 2021. To prepare for this influx of attendees, venue operators have been challenged with the task of engaging returning fans, while also providing them the seamless purchasing experience and safe environment they’ve grown to expect.
The foundation for an amazing patron experience has already been laid with online ticket sales taking center stage and contactless technologies becoming more prominent. Now is the time to not only think about the reopening of today, but also the patron experience of tomorrow — and the technology needed to make it a reality.
The New Experience Essentials
With 67% of consumers stating that their standard for a good experience is higher than ever and 70% now expecting a company to fully understand their unique wants and needs, it’s time to consider new technology solutions that can help you stage your comeback. So, what might that look like?
There are a number of tools that can help ensure a smooth reopening. The latest white paper from award-winning technology solutions provider accesso, “Staging Your Comeback: Reopening Live Entertainment Venues Safely & Successfully Post-COVID-19,” can help your venue reopen with safety and an enhanced patron experience top of mind, serving as a step-by-step guide for successfully harnessing the power of the right technology.
In the white paper, accesso covers the importance of:
An Easy-to-Use Online Platform
E-commerce has been on the rise for years, but it truly took the world by storm over the last year, with a 38% year-over-year increase in the number of online purchases made globally. With the right e-commerce platform — such as the accesso ShoWare SM box office ticketing suite — operators can ensure a great first impression with potential patrons while facilitating advance ticket purchases and boosting revenue through unique packaging and bundling opportunities.
Multifaceted Ticketing Software in a Changing World
The pandemic has shown us that ticketing cannot be a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Operators who are equipped with a robust and highly customizable platform can easily adjust their offerings to support new events in a post-COVID-19 world. From managing limited-capacity venue openings to allowing for hassle-free spaced seating, the right ticketing software can easily support your venue’s unique on-site operations, including all on-site box office functionality.
Click here to download the white paper now.
Innovation to Navigate a “New Normal:” accesso & COVID-19
Throughout the pandemic, accesso has partnered with operators across a number of industries to help them reopen safely and welcome their guests back while recapturing lost revenue.
For example, within the first couple months of worldwide lockdowns in 2020, accesso — as the original inventor of virtual queuing — rolled out its 100% Virtual Queuing Model, which was implemented in four theme parks across three continents over the last year. Powered by the accesso LoQueue® virtual queuing platform, the solution allowed guests to step out of physical lines and wait “virtually” for rides, facilitating physical distancing and empowering them to enjoy more of what the theme park has to offer. The 100% Virtual Queuing Model proved to enhance the guest experience and preserve guest satisfaction, an important marker for the attractions industry. Further, the majority of guests stated they would be more likely to return to the park if virtual queuing remained in place.
Earlier this year, accesso partnered with Alterra Mountain Company to provide contactless mobile food and beverage ordering to six of its mountain destinations. Through the industry-lauded, white-labeled Ikon Pass app, guests had the capability to order food wherever and whenever they liked. The app also created all-in-one guest profiles, combining past purchases, e-wallet and restaurant bookings in one centralized location for easy reference.
And, just recently, accesso once again stepped across industry lines to provide virtual queuing technology in the form of a Virtual Security Line at Boston Logan International Airport. The pilot program has seen so much success that the initial trial was extended from eight to 12 weeks, and 96% of surveyed respondents who utilized the Virtual Security Line reported that the solution helped make traveling less stressful.
The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It
No one could have predicted the events of the last year and a half, though we’ve seen the strength and resiliency of numerous industries — ticketing and live entertainment included. Operators who utilize this time as an opportunity to learn and innovate will find themselves better prepared for a bright and successful future.
After all, if the past year has taught us one thing, it’s that the best way to predict the future is to create it.
As a company that strives to always be on the cutting edge of the latest technology solutions, the team at accesso sees a number of trends in the ticketing operations space that are likely to come to fruition in the coming years.
Guests Want the World in the Palm of Their Hands
Purchases through mobile devices are nothing new, but e-commerce purchasing has accelerated amid COVID-19, with smartphones now serving as the most-used platform for completing e-commerce transactions. In fact, mobile-enabled purchases are expected to account for nearly 73% of global e-commerce in 2021 alone. Now, it’s not enough to simply have an online presence; it’s essential that your online offerings be made available through an easy-to-use mobile experience — one accessible from any device. With a robust ticketing platform like the accesso ShoWare box office ticketing solution, operators can provide a beautifully simple and thoroughly enjoyable online purchasing journey for guests.
Say Hello to the Virtual Box Office
As guests continue to steer clear of physical touch points, such as the ticketing counter, we’ve seen an even heavier reliance on their electronic devices. In fact, the accesso ShoWare system alone saw a more than 60% increase in online ticket sales in 2019 — long before COVID-19 further shifted the world’s purchasing to online platforms.
With the undeniable dominance of digital, it’s only a matter of time until we see on-site box offices exit stage left, making way for all-encompassing, fully online box office experiences. The accesso ShoWare solution allows guests to select their own seats and curate their own packages and bundles, choosing their tickets from real-time inventory to ensure the accuracy of their selection.
These features allow your valued box office team the opportunity to redirect their focus to things like delivering exceptional customer service, creating marketing campaigns, building community relationships, diving into reporting or interfacing with important donors — all of which becomes easy with a full-featured platform like the accesso ShoWare box office ticketing system.
Doing More With Less
For even the smallest of teams, technology can be harnessed to do more with less while maintaining or even improving the guest experience.
For instance, the implementation of an easy-to-use, white-label online box office can provide operators with a number of automated tools to make their jobs easier and, ultimately, create a smoother on-site experience for patrons and staff alike.
For example, a technology solution such as accesso ShoWare allows operators to:
- Automatically space seating between guests as needed for physical distancing;
- Offer prepackaged ticket bundles and complementary special offers;
- Digitize the donations process to maximize fundraising revenue; and
- Drive interest with easy-to-use email marketing tools.
To further alleviate staff burden, operators can also utilize a white-label call center for patron support. Outsourcing your customer support gives your staff one less thing to worry about — and can increase your sales. Within the accesso ShoWare call center, the team averages a sale every four calls, with each call lasting approximately 3.5 minutes. And, with a trained sales professional on the line, they can dynamically shift a specific question into a larger conversation on a patron’s desired experience and how the venue can help meet those expectations through things like VIP bundles, season tickets or parking passes.
Additionally, with the power of solutions like accesso’s Ingresso distribution product, operators can expand their reach and make global marketing and accessibility a breeze without the need for additional staff support. Ingresso — a global distribution system designed for the entertainment industry — provides operators with access to an expansive network of ticket distribution channels, reaching more than 1 billion consumers worldwide. By consolidating distribution through one channel, operators benefit from simplified access to a global fleet of distributors. And, as ticket sales are made in real time, there is no need to manage ticket allocations on the back end.
Conclusion
The world is opening up once again, and at the top of nearly every to-do list is returning to the joy of live events and entertainment. A wave of eager, returning patrons is right around the corner, and the operators that embrace innovative solutions designed to help them in the process will be primed for success. When you’re planning for the future, the right partner makes a huge difference. accesso is here to help, so download their helpful guide to staging your comeback and start the conversation today.
This article was sponsored by accesso.