5 Ways Your Ticketing Platform Should Streamline Patron Experiences

In today’s competitive theatre landscape, the importance of streamlined, convenient experiences for your patrons can’t be overstated. While you can work tirelessly to make your patrons happy on your own, some of that satisfaction comes from technology, and the right ticketing platform can truly make or break audience engagement and loyalty.

In short, a ticketing platform can streamline patron experiences by simplifying and enhancing every step of the customer journey, from discovering events to attending them and sharing feedback after the fact. If you’re looking for successful ways to achieve that streamlined experience for your own patrons, On The Stage offers a few suggestions.

Ways to Streamline the Patron Experience

Mobile and Paper Ticketing

One way to keep patrons happy is by giving them options for the way they’d like to redeem their tickets – with both mobile and paper ticketing systems offered. While you just may want to keep it simple and offer one option, there are perks to both.

Perks of Mobile Ticketing Systems:

1. Enhanced convenience: Mobile tickets are easily stored on the smartphone, so patrons don’t need to worry about losing the ticket, forgetting it, or printing it off.
2. Notable speed and efficiency: Typically, a mobile ticket allows for faster check-in at the show.
3. Ability to offer real-time updates: If you use a mobile ticketing platform, you’re able to keep patrons informed of last-minute changes or cancellations via email or an app.
4. Eco-friendliness: In a world where sustainability is more important than ever, mobile ticketing helps to reduce your carbon footprint.
5. Enhanced security: Mobile tickets are harder to counterfeit than printed tickets, and lost or stolen tickets can easily be reissued or cancelled.
6. Increased data collection: You are able to gather more patron insights by using a mobile ticketing app. This, in turn, helps with tailored marketing strategies.

Perks of Paper Ticketing Systems:

1. No tech required – Some people enjoy keeping it old school by eschewing the need for phones or any tech when visiting the theatre.
2. Sentimentality – Many enjoy having a tangible keepsake for their experiences.
3. True simplicity – Tickets are easy to share, hand off or redeem without apps or transfers.
4. Easy entry – While mobile ticketing often speeds up the entry process, printed tickets mean you won’t run into any technical issues, or problems with cracked screens or patrons who struggle with technology.
5. Increased branding opportunities – High-quality printed tickets can carry branded designs, business sponsor information, or relevant art.

Simplified Checkout

Perhaps one of the most important moments in your show’s success journey is securing your ticket purchases. The best way to accomplish this is by making the check-out experience as simple and intuitive as possible. With the right ticketing platform, your checkout should have:

• Minimal steps to purchase tickets: Folks shouldn’t have to go through a rigorous journey to secure entrance to your showcase. This isn’t rocket science, folks!
• Transparent pricing from the jump: This means that all fees should be on display before the final page to reduce cart abandonment. (Psst: Have you heard about pay-what-you-can ticketing?)
• Guest and member check-out options: Consider an auto-fill feature for returning patrons as well to make the experience even faster.
• Multiple payment options: If you only take one type of payment, you’re increasing your risk of cart abandonment here, too.

3. Easily Accessible Bundles, Add-Ons and Upgrades

While you want the ticketing platform check-out process to be simple and quick, you should also be pushing bundles, upgrades, and add-ons during this time, too. Not only will this increase your Average Order Value, but you’ll also save your patrons time and hassle in the long run. That’s what we call a win-win! 

During the ticketing process, make sure you’re promoting your top-notch bundles, add-ons, and upgrades, celebrating their value, and making these perks incredibly easy to choose. A few options for upgrades and add-ons include:

• Pre-ordered concessions: No one enjoys standing in line for popcorn, drinks, or candy. Give your patrons the option to order their concessions ahead of time. This way, you get income upfront and avoid congestion in your lobby.
• Front-row parking: Consider adding even more convenience to your patrons’ lives by selling preferred parking or valet services during the check-out process.
• Early access: Many patrons want to skip the crowds and get to their seats early, and they’ll be willing to pay for that convenience.
• Merchandise: Don’t wait for your patrons to get a wild hair and buy merchandise the night of. Promote it during the check-out process to get the experience started early!

Promo Codes

If we’ve said it once, we’d said it a million times: People love to feel like they’re getting a great deal. That’s why offering promo codes within your ticketing platform is a great way to build buzz, loyalty, and patron engagement.

Pro Tip: With On The Stage’s promo codes capabilities, you can provide incentives for new ticket buyers, encourage previous ticket buyers to come back for more, provide perks for your all-important donors, partner with local businesses to drive sales, fill the house on certain historically low-ticket sales days, and so much more. We’ve made it easy to customize and target your promo codes so you get the best possible ROI and expand your reach to patrons who would not ordinarily purchase tickets. When combined with our filtered booking flows, you can take it one step further and provide patrons with a direct link to specific performances with the promo code already filled in at checkout.

Custom Seating Charts 

Buying tickets and hoping for the luck of the draw when it comes to seating is soooo dated. That’s why offering a seating chart that’s customized to your theatre is so important. These seating charts:

• Reflect the real layout of the venue
• Improve the seat selection experience
• Accommodate special configurations
• Assist those with accessibility issues find their preferred spot
• Maximize revenue potential with the option for dynamic pricing
• Help staff track where patrons are seated for logistics and safety
• Reduce refunds and complaints, since patrons know exactly what they’re getting

From proscenium shows, theatre-in-the-round, sports stadiums, galas, and more, give your ticket buyers an accurate replica of your seating chart no matter how unique the configuration may be. P.S.: OTS’ Seating Chart Editor allows you to create sections, levels, and tables, no matter what the shape may be! The user-friendly editor includes a drag-and-drop seating chart builder, too.

Fast and Flexible Check-Ins

There’s no sure-fire way to turn off patrons than a clunky, crowded, and stressful check-in process. That’s why offering mobile ticket scanning is so important! Because even if your show is great, they’ll remember the terrible check-in process more. 

With mobile ticket scanning availability, you offer:

• A professional arrival process that supports both digital and printed tickets
• A speedier way to welcome patrons into your theatre
• A safer option to avoid overcrowding and lobby congestion
• A safe way to protect ticket sales and uphold the integrity of your theatre 
• A way to drive more revenue and ticket sales
• An opportunity to provide a smooth experience not only for your patrons, but for your hardworking staff and volunteers.  

Options for Feedback

The ticketing process isn’t done when your patron successfully purchases a ticket, nor is it done after the ticket is scanned and the show has been viewed. Instead, it’s over once your patrons can offer feedback on their experiences and you, as the theatre leader, consume that feedback and work to make things better. Thus, another way to streamline your patrons’ experience is by offering quick and convenient ways to provide feedback. 

A few ways you can offer the opportunity for patron feedback include:

• The creation and promotion of post-show surveys sent digitally 
• Post-event follow-up emails 
• In-app or mobile prompts 
• Text prompts
• Feedback cards 
• Social media prompts
• The utilization of QR codes on programs or signage to redirect patrons to surveys 

How On The Stage Can Help

If you don’t get it just yet, we’ll reiterate: a streamlined experience is not just a bonus for your theatre and your patrons, it’s the foundation for turning first-time theatre attendees into lifelong fans. From the moment a patron learns about your theatre and your show to the final curtain call and feedback survey, every touchpoint matters.

In fact, clear communication, intuitive ticketing, welcome staff, and thoughtful post-show engagement all contribute to how an audience member feels about their experience at your show, so make sure you’re partnering with the best to ensure optimum patron retention.

With On The Stage’s Box Office and Ticketing platforms and software, your front-of-house experience will be memorable for all the right reasons. With this technology, you can: 

• Simplify box office ticketing with flexible ticket types, promo codes, subscriptions/flex passes, printed and/or digital tickets, and more
• Increase online ticket sales with a robust ticket widget embedded directly on your site, increase conversion rates 35%, and provide a best-in-class user experience
• Elevate your patron experience with accurate seating charts, ticket scanning, mobile-friendly e-tickets, promo codes, and expedited entry times
• Multiple options to pay for tickets online and at the box office with cash, check, credit card, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
• Streamline your processes by managing all your front-of-house needs in one consolidated box office management platform.

If you’re ready to elevate and streamline your patron experience, book a personalized demo with On The Stage today.