Buying an Arts Ticketing and CRM System

Imagine Better Experiences

Involve your audiences and teams in identifying what matters most.

Changing the software you rely on for ticketing, marketing and fundraising is a big decision. Before you begin, assess your current position - talk to co-workers and patrons to understand what they love, what they rely on, and what they’d love to improve.

Bring your team together with representatives from across your organization, and think about every aspect of the audience journey from ticket purchase to event attendance.

Use this stage to define why you’re changing, to imagine how the experience of colleagues and audiences could be improved, and to ensure you’re prepared to advocate for change to your board and other decision makers.

Imagine Better Ticketing

Define your requirements and understand what’s possible with modern technology.

Organizations that build great relationships with their audiences know that their box office software does far more than just sell tickets. Beyond being the first step in a customer journey, ticketing technology can:

• Increase overall spend on tickets, subscriptions, food and beverage, and more.
• Boost donations and promote memberships or subscriptions.
• Help departments work together and understand overall customer behavior.
• Encourage everyone in your organization to measure impact and make decisions based on accurate audience data.

Use this stage to understand what opportunities exist for improvement, what specific challenges you need to overcome, and what’s possible with a modern software solution.

Imagine Better Value

Consider which payment models offer best value in the long term.

It’s a common mistake to set a budget before understanding what you’re trying to buy, or how the market has evolved. Start by determining the real, total cost of ownership for your current system - considering factors including per-user fees, upgrades, payment processing charges, support costs and per-ticket charges.

Contemporary, leading suppliers tend to charge an ongoing service charge proportional to your system use, and offer an all-inclusive approach to pricing. Solutions that include support, payment processing and more as part of a single quote tend to offer excellent value for money.

Use this stage to get the full picture of costs from current and potential suppliers, and to make sure you won’t have to pay extra to get best use out of the software you’ve invested in.

Imagine Better Solutions

Compare your current system to other solutions on the market.

We’ve helped you get ahead by pulling together the key points of comparison between Spektrix and other ticketing systems you might be considering. Take a look at comparisons with Tessitura, Theatre Manager, AudienceView and more, or drop us a line if the software you’re using isn’t listed.

When you talk to suppliers, they should be honest about what they can offer and interested in how their technology meets your needs. Ask them about their experience of arts and culture organizations, their long-term commitment to the sector, and challenge them to guarantee solutions. You’re not just looking to buy a system, but to enter into a lasting relationship with your technology partner - and they should be just as interested in you in making sure you’re the right fit for one another.

Use this stage to reach out to suppliers, get conversations started, and start to understand what the relationship will look like if you decide to work together.