Paramount Theatre changing way it sells event tickets
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 20, 2015 1:46 PM
Customers buying tickets to events at the Paramount Theatre will see a change in the process.
The Paramount recently changed its providing company.
"We were using a company called etix, and now we've switched to one called vendini," said Paramount service coordinator Vincent Bridgers. "Etix was a very good company, and we worked with them since we started the box office service here. But their patron management and some of their features weren't exactly what we needed."
Changing companies came about by accident. Vendini had contacted the Paramount in past years, but the staff disregarded the sales calls.
"When I started getting a little frustrated with our existing service, I contacted vendini, and they set up a dummy account with every single feature they have," Bridgers said.
The new service has several additional features that will help both the Paramount staff and the theater's customers.
"For example, if we have repeat customers, it's a lot easier for storing some of their information like addresses for brochures," Bridgers said. "And setting up events with multiple performances is going to take half the time it used to."
Bridgers said he can use the time saved to do more marketing for the Paramount's events. He will be able to go out and meet with community groups to talk about the theater's upcoming events and also give more time to groups coming to the Paramount to perform.
Customers will also have an easier experience when purchasing tickets online.
"There are some really neat features in there that lets me create a better packaging system online," Bridgers said. "I can easily set it up where someone can buy a full package online. And I have the ability to set it up for customers to build their own package online."
The online seating chart is also more user-friendly, Bridgers said. The old company showed a map of the seating, and customers had to click on each section to see if there were seats available in that section. Vendini shows the entire seating chart and what seats are available in what sections all at one time.
Handicapped patrons will now be able to buy their tickets online, whereas with the old company, they had to actually go to the Paramount to get them.
"One of the new exciting things is the ability to not have to print your tickets at all," Bridgers said. "You can have them sent to your mobile phone, then we can scan that ticket off your phone."
Then there's walletini, developed by vendini.
"You use it through a web browser on your computer or download an app on your cell phone," Bridgers said. "You can look at upcoming events and purchase tickets from your phone. You store the purchased tickets in the app."
Bridgers said another new feature is the ability to transfer your tickets to someone else from your web browser or cell phone if you end up not being able to use them yourself. And if you want to get a little of your investment back, you just enter your banking information and the person receiving your tickets can send a payment to your account.
"It was an unexpected change," Bridgers said. "We started the process in April with the original idea of switching companies next year. "After looking through everything in the setup, we decided to make the switch now."