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CASE STUDY: TICKETING

Create a Mobile Box Office Using Spektrix


How the Traverse uses smart tech to welcome audiences

Edinburgh, Scotland
traverse theatre logo

Traverse Theatre

Producing Theatre
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SWITCHED FROM AudienceView Unlimited

Challenge

Their static sales point didn’t give patrons the warm welcome the Traverse was looking for. They felt like they were living in the past.

Solution

They decided to create mobile points of welcome that matched the flexibility of their cloud-based systems. Digital tickets, online payments, and automated offers made it easy to sell tickets from anywhere.

Outcome

The Traverse now has a flexible point of sale setup that’s responsive to the many different events they host. They’ve even turned their old box office space into a combo meeting room and black box theatre!

The external facade of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

Above this Edinburgh basement theatre, down an awkwardly long hallway, the old Traverse Box Office used to be a not-so enticing point of welcome for patrons. The team wanted to create a more welcoming and accessible environment.

They decided to redesign their entire patron journey, from the way audience members accessed their tickets through to the moment they stepped into the theatre, checked in, and purchased refreshments. 

The team wanted to make their setup as flexible as their cloud-based systems. So they ditched their old, static Box Office in favor of mobile points of welcome that the team could configure to meet the needs of different events. This responsive approach enables them to make best use of their space and welcome patrons as soon as they come through the door. 
The old lobby of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The new lobby of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland, where friendly interactions take place between customers and staff.

The long hallwayed old Traverse lobby versus one of the new friendly, flexible welcome points.

Convenience at your fingertips with Digital Passes

How did they manage to ditch their old Box Office? The Traverse found that over 90% of audience members arrive at the theatre with their tickets already on their phones. The Digital Passes functionality in Spektrix makes it easy for patrons to download tickets and store them securely in  their Apple or Google wallets.

Since the overwhelming majority of patrons have mobile tickets, the Traverse no longer needs a box office full of printers.

  • They’re striving toward an environment where team members only need a tablet and a PIN pad to meet audience members where they are.
  • For the 10% of patrons that do need to collect printed tickets, the Traverse maintains one static printer.
  • They’ve also been trialing the use of receipt roll printers to quickly print out QR codes. These QR codes are then scanned almost immediately as patrons make their way into the theatre.

The new process is smooth and requires minimal equipment, allowing the Traverse’s setup to stay flexible. This move also supports the Traverse's wider sustainability goals.
“We’ve been sure to utilize equipment that enables us to adapt our sales points to the needs of the event at hand, whether that’s facilitating an info point during events in the main atrium, greeting audiences into our bar, or managing physical returns queues during the festival."
Gordon Stratchan smiles in glasses and a flannel collared jacket.

Gordon Strachan

Ticketing & Data Manager
Traverse Theatre

Spektrix Payments-powered flexibility

To set up wireless, flexible points of sale, the Traverse needed a reliable, cloud-based payments provider. Enter Spektrix Payments.
Tickets & sales point at Traverse Theatre.

“Spektrix Payments presented a significant saving compared to our previous agreement with WorldPay, so this wasn’t a hard-fought pitch for me... its implementation has been fascinating in understanding how different teams can engage with one system from very different angles.”

-Gordon Strachan, Ticketing & Data Manager

The Traverse made the move to Spektrix Payments in 2024. Not only did the switch from their previous payments provider save them money, it also meant that they no longer needed their old Chip and PIN readers.

Now, with surface tablets, they can set up a point of sale virtually anywhere in their building via wifi connection. Previously, this was technically possible, but in reality they had to use ethernet cables to avoid crashes. Since implementing wireless pinpads, the Traverse has not experienced any crashes or errors, even on their busiest days.
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Creating an environment that’s inclusive and welcoming to all

The Traverse Theatre’s basement location presents mobility obstacles for some patrons. Many of Traverse’s audience members prefer not to describe themselves as disabled, but do have access requirements.

To get a fuller picture of the accommodations required by each patron, they’ve enabled audience members to self-select their needs via a multi-choice array of access options on their website.

  • Patrons can log in to their online accounts and select the access needs that apply to them, whether that’s a pre-show touch tour, a guide dog, or Open Captions.
  • Those notes are stored against their account as tags, so they don’t have to input their needs every time they book a visit. 
A list of self-selected access tags available on the Traverse Theatre's website.
The Traverse Theatre's seating plan.

The Traverse keeps its seating plan unreserved and issues general admission tickets. Instead of blocking off seats, they have a flexible Accessible Seating Area that patrons can book via the general pool of tickets.

This allows visitors with access needs to choose the seats that are right for their specific needs, whether that’s sitting close to the stage, choosing a wheelchair accessible seat, or sitting near an exit. 

Before each performance, the Front of House team reviews a pre-show report which lists patrons’ access needs in a visually clear way.

  • This enables the Front of House Team to ensure they’re prepared to proactively assist patrons with their needs.
  • When patrons check in to the theatre, their access tags become visible to members of the Sales and Welcome Team.
  • These team members can then suggest access considerations based on each patron’s specific needs, which is much more useful than making blanket recommendations to any accessible ticket holder.

Addressing access needs in this self-selected way rather than by ticket type helps the Traverse team create an environment that’s inclusive and welcoming while remaining personal and respectful.
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Website Accessibility Best Practices

Check out our blog for guidance on how to make your website accessible.

Futureproof with technology that grows with you

With the right systems, the Traverse has crafted a customer journey that's warm and connected. They’ve transformed sales points to streamlined points of welcome and assistance. 


What have they done with their old Box Office? They’re in the process of turning it into a dual purpose space: it’s now used as a meeting room, and it will become an intimate black box theatre designed for immersive interaction. 
I champion a Box Office where technology enhances rather than replaces a human touch and shows preparedness for evolution.
Gordon Stratchan smiles in glasses and a flannel collared jacket.
– Gordon Strachan

Ticketing & Data Manager
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