June 2nd, 2010 by admin
In recent times , ticketing software has become increasingly sophisticated, with many more companies selling software systems, with more options , more features and alternative fee structures . So for an organisation looking at adopting an online ticketing solution , it has become much more difficult to select the ideal system .
For most organisations, some of the most important factors are the cost of the system, ease of installation, setup and use, any additional hardware and the availability of good customer service. Of course every organisation will also have its own specific needs on top of these basic factors , so you should firstly draw up a list of requirements you consider essential, and then evaluate the various box office ticketing software systems on these criteria. But let’s take a look at some of the most common considerations .
Cost
In general terms , there are two alternatives – either purchase the software outright, or sign a licensing or usage agreement with a company providing a fully hosted service. In the first case you would purchase the software outright and install it on your system. If however you are intending to sell tickets online, you may be required to sign up for an additional service, since selling tickets online requires a dedicated server available continuously to handle the ticket selection and credit card payment . In the second case , with a fully hosted system, the ticketing software company maintains all the software so the ticket selection and payment processing is carried out on the software provider’s servers. The venue operator is normally given a password and log in to access the system , typically via a web interface.
The principal benefit of purchasing ticket sales software outright of course is that it is a once off cost , although there may be additional ongoing costs for upgrades or maintenance contracts. But for fully featured ticketing systems, the cost of purchasing software can be very high, and for most modest sized organisations who still require a sophisticated system , the alternative model of a hosted system may be a more attractive option. In this case, the ticketing software company will normally charge for the service on a per ticket basis based on the value of all tickets sold through the system.
Ease of installation and implementation
Any new software system will require a learning phase, so ideally the system should have a menu structure which is similar to a standard Windows or Mac interface or menu system to make it easier for all operators. It should also be easy to install and configure . Many systems these days use a web interface which enables an administrator anywhere in the world to access and operate the system . Ideally, on-site training should not be required , as it should normally be possible to train operators of the system via internet chat or instructional videos.
Features & options
Most modern ticketing software will include a wide variety of different features, many of which may never be used by the average venue operator . Ideally you should have the ability to turn off unrequired features, to simplify the system for users. If you later have use for such features, then you should be able to turn the features back on.
Hardware requirements
Assuming you have a relatively modern computer and up-to-date operating software , normally no hardware upgrades should be required to operate ticketing software. However if the system is Web-based, you will need a fast Internet connection. The only other necessary item is a means of printing tickets. Whilst thermal ticket printers such as those from Boca Systems are undoubtedly the most convenient option since they can print single tickets on demand , they tend to be relatively expensive and may be outside the financial resources of small organisations selling no more than a few thousand tickets per year or less. Fortunately however, many ticketing software systems will allow tickets to be printed with a standard inkjet or laser printer.
Bar-code scanners may also be required for venue operators who are selling general admission tickets and have permitted PDF ticket printing, as this is the only practical way to ensure the validity of such tickets .
Reports
You should be able to access a wide range of financial, admission, transaction and customer related reports as required which should be either immediately viewable on screen or can be printed for later analysis. You should have the ability to quickly look up any ticket that is sold , to determine who purchased the ticket, who sold the ticket , the date of sale and the price paid as a minimum requirement .
Customer Database
You should have the opportunity to categorise your customers, to enter biling or residential addresses, to easily delete or merge duplicate entries, to check the transaction history of any customer and to send out e-mails or print address labels for your customers directly from the database.
Customer service and support
With any ticketing software system, you should expect responsive and helpful support and customer service. Whilst such support on a 24/7 basis may be impractical for many ticketing software companies, any service should not be limited to e-mailed customer support tickets but you must always be able to speak to qualified support personnel. You should also expect detailed instruction manuals to be provided and ideally online support manuals with searchable capability .
Comparing ticketing systems
The best way to compare a ticketing system is to get hold of a demonstration version of the software. Ideally the software should be a full working version with perhaps only a few features restricted . You should be able to undertake some test administrative functions to understand how the basic setting up and ticket selling process works. If you can’t obtain a demo , then at the very minimum you should be able to access screen shots of the main functions. It would be unwise to sign up for any system on a long-term basis unless you can cancel the agreement if you find that the system is not meeting your requirements or does not live up to its advertised claims or your expectations. It is also useful to check out other organisations who are using the system you are considering by going to Web sites that use the system and proceeding as far as possible with the test ticket purchase without actually purchasing the ticket. Then you can get a good idea of the ticket purchasing process from a customer’s viewpoint.
Choosing a new ticketing system can certainly seem like a rather overwhelming exercise , but if you limit your evaluation to the basic requirements mentioned above plus any specific needs you may have , it will hopefully make the task somewhat easier.