How Storyhouse Built a Fully Integrated Tech Stack with Spektrix
Smoother journeys and better audience engagement
Storyhouse is a community and creative space in Chester, UK, with two theatres, an independent cinema, a library, and a restaurant. It also runs a summertime outdoor season of shows and films, and is a charity.
Before opening its building in 2017, Storyhouse planned and purchased a CRM system and surrounding technology. Once the team saw how customers actually interacted with the space, it became clear the system could not fully support its technology needs or the audience relationships it wanted to build over time.
We had two overarching goals. The first was to create easier and smoother journeys for our customers and staff. The second was to better understand who our customers are and how we engage with us.Fiona Yates-Dutton
Box Office Manager
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One login
creating a seamless journey for customers to purchase memberships and access benefits
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Events imported into Spektrix
so the team no longer needs to build each one twice
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Joined-up data
allowing Storyhouse to see bookings, membership, and engagement
Fragmented systems that held Storyhouse back
To access the functionality it needed, Storyhouse added multiple tools around its central CRM. But those systems did not work together in a joined-up way, which created fragmented journeys for customers and staff, and left Storyhouse without the connected data needed for meaningful insight into customer behavior and audience engagement.
For example, the old ticketing setup could not support the subscription scheme Storyhouse wanted, so the team added a website plugin to handle memberships. Because that plugin did not connect with the rest of the system, it created three problems:
- Customers needed two separate logins: one for the Storyhouse website to manage membership, and one for the box office to complete ticket purchases. If they were not logged in in both places, they could not access membership discounts.
- Membership discounts could only be redeemed online because the ticketing and sales team had no access to membership information.
- The team had no way to view membership data, including payment and expiry information. That made reporting on booking behavior, membership activity, and retention impossible.
The gap in membership reporting and customer journeys was only one of the challenges Storyhouse faced. The programming team also had no integration between the box office and venue management system, which meant every event had to be built twice, taking more time and creating more room for error.
A fully integrated tech stack built around Spektrix
Storyhouse knew what it wanted to achieve, but it needed the right technology to do it and a way to integrate systems so data, customer journeys, and team workflows could work as one. It also needed a system flexible enough to evolve with the organisation and support long-term priorities.
Storyhouse went live with Spektrix in 2023. As well as gaining ticketing, marketing, fundraising, and CRM technology, the team also unlocked a robust network of integrated partner solutions that connect seamlessly with the Spektrix platform.
With Spektrix at the heart of its technology solution, Storyhouse could work with partners that matched its specific needs. Using Artifax as its venue management system, the team can import events directly into Spektrix, so each event only needs to be built once, reducing work for programmers and the ticketing and sales team, and lowering the risk of human error.
Storyhouse now uses VisitOne to provide guests with digital membership cards stored directly on their smartphones. The old membership process, with multiple log-ins, has been replaced by a more seamless integrated journey in which customers can purchase memberships through Spektrix and access benefits with one login. In VisitOne, card expiry and renewal dates update automatically, which means Storyhouse can report more easily on membership activity without added manual data collection.
Another opportunity Storyhouse has unlocked is self-serve ticket kiosks, powered by MTC Media. As well as giving customers another point of purchase, the kiosks create a valuable new source of audience data and day-to-day convenience.
Upcoming events automatically populate in the kiosks, so customers can browse and book events at their leisure. Members can also access benefits by logging in, and the kiosk journey mirrors the online experience on the Storyhouse website, creating a more consistent branded experience. The kiosks also make it easier to drive donations and add-ons, while helping Storyhouse serve visiting customers confidently whenever the building is open.
Now, with Spektrix, we can see all of our bookings, membership, and engagement data, plus all of the information on guests, foundations, and donors, in a joined-up way.Fiona Yates-Dutton
Box Office Manager
Connected insights into customer behaviour
Storyhouse now has the right technology to support its goals. With Spektrix connecting the systems it uses, the organisation has a fully integrated tech stack, stronger insight into customer behaviour, and smoother journeys for customers.
Storyhouse can now understand in more detail how customers use the building and interact with different offers. For example, the team can see whether someone first engaged through youth programming before becoming a ticket buyer and later a donor. That gives Storyhouse a clearer view of audience relationships over time, helping the organisation understand what customers value and what offers may be most relevant at different stages of that relationship.
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Digital membership
lets guests store membership cards directly on their smartphones
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Self-serve kiosks
allow customers to browse and book upcoming events
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Targeted outreach
unlocks better customer engagement through communications built around their interests
One insight Storyhouse has uncovered through integrated data is that some members never attend performances. They may see membership primarily as a donation to the organisation, or they may be regular restaurant customers who value their 10% discount. Storyhouse can now reach those customers with targeted communications that suggest offers better suited to their interests and strengthen longer-term audience relationships.
