The document outlines best practices for box office operations aimed at improving customer experience and efficiency while fostering repeat patronage. Key strategies include optimizing box office processes, addressing common patron pain points, and effectively engaging with customers before, during, and after events. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of documented procedures and a proactive approach in enhancing the overall patron experience.

1. Box Office
Best Practices
HANNAH MEINKEN | AUGUST 2016

2. GOALS
IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
ADDRESS BOX OFFICE EFFECIENCY
CREATE REPEAT CUSTOMERS

3. 3
Box Office is the Information Center
« Daily Activities
– Transactions, requests,
concerns
« Patterns of Business
– Slower or faster onsales
– Memberships and
conversion to subscriber
« Reporting & Analysis
– ATTENTION: don’t run a
report unless you actually
use the data
EVERYTHING IS CENTRALIZED THROUGH BOX OFFICE

4. COMMON PATRON PAIN POINTS

5. 5
Confusion « Poor experience while buying
« No message/confirmation or FAQs
« Sub-par patron support
– No clear way for patrons to get help if
there’s an issue
« Trouble identifying staff and
volunteers
– Especially when there’s not a
physical box office

6. 6
« Struggling to find the event or the link
to purchase online
« Waiting on the phone
« Waiting in physical lines, outside the
venue or in the lobby
Impatience

7. 7
« No e-mail confirmation
« Refunds
– No outlined policy
« Disorganized Box Office
« Distracted staff and volunteers
Lack of
confidence

8. UNDERSTANDING
PATRON EXPERIENCE

9. 9
Before the event
« Discover events
« Purchase tickets
« Bring others to event
HOW DO PATRONS…

10. 10
During events
« Arrive and enter event
« Find and interact with box
office staff and volunteers
« Get questions answered
HOW DO PATRONS…

11. 11
After the event
« Engage post event
« Decide if they want to come
back
« Get motivated to spread
the word
HOW DO PATRONS…

12. ADDRESSING BOX OFFICE
EFFECIENCY

13. 13
Operations may be
your challenge,
but they shouldn’t be
your patrons’ challenge.
Rules to
live by…

14. 14
« Timing of on-sales
« Box Office hours
« Marketing future events
« Dynamic pricing
« Promos and incentives
Plan and optimize
sales

15. 15
Test Equipment and Processes
« Create equipment list
« Test all hardware
« Update software
« Validate logins
« Check Wi-Fi

16. CREATE REPEAT CUSTOMERS

17. 17
Expand Your Reach
« Sell tickets in locations
aligned with the audience
you want to reach
– Make your Box Office mobile
– Provide discounts to
generate buying excitement

18. 18
Use email alerts
before and after
« Last minute changes
« Logistics
– Parking, road work,
construction, etc.
« Synopsis of event
« Special offers from other
vendors

19. 19
Make people
feel special
« Acknowledge new and
long-time patrons
« Review patron profiles
« Use VIP alerts
« Leave a note in their seat
« Curtain speech

20. 20
Engage +1s
« Connect with ticket
buyers to help with
outreach to their guests
« Turn a +1 into a repeat
customer
« Offer deals to first time
attendees

21. TAKEAWAYS

22. 22
Takeaways
« Box Office is the heart and
brain of an organization
« Documented processes,
preparation, and backup
plans are essential
« Patron experience should be
evaluated from all angles
« We’re here to help!

23. THANKS!
www.vendini.com
hello@vendini.com