Training the next
generation of
ticketing managers
– the future skill-set
The role of the “Box Office” is changing, so the job of the “Box Office Manager” is
changing – a new skill set is needed in 2014
We’ve come a long way since BOMI was formed in 1980
Who’d have thought then that the “Box Office Manager” would be handling a huge
proportion of ticket sales over the Internet, and relating to customers on social
media…
How should we manage the changes and train staff for new tasks requiring new
skills?
“On-line opportunities
will replace it by 2010”
Bill Thompson
said in 2001
“The Box Office will
be dead by 2010”
Bill Thompson
said in 2001
“Ticketing will be the
heart of marketing”
RT said in 2001
“On-line opportunities
will transform it by 2010”
RT said in 2001
[email protected]
www.TheTicketingInstitute.com
Not the “Box Office”
any more
Not the “Box Office” any more:
Best analogy:
The walls have disappeared around the Box Office
•
The ‘Box Office’ is transparent and facing customers (internal as well as external)
in all directions
•
External customers drive decisions on the sales channels by the devices and
networks they use
•
Internal customers use the database, reporting and analyses as key
resource/tool
•
The ‘Box Office’ manages the interface of the sales channels and “satisfies” all
the customers according to their needs
Wales
Millennium Centre, Cardiff
[email protected]
“World’s longest Box Office counter”
Let
us be
open
space
[email protected]
Open
island
atabout
Royalour
Danish
Playhouse
New Concepts
The Box Office as the ticket sales counter and phone room is only the physical
presence for the ticket sales function. There are new questions about what it is
for and its role in the organisation:
•
Where and How do we want ticket sales to take place?
•
What quality of inter-action and customer experience do we want to achieve?
•
Transactional or relational?
•
Selling or “helping people buy”?
•
Part of the engagement process?
Jacqueline Onassis
Centre, Athens
Invite the customers
round the back, too.
[email protected]
Calatrava’s Palau des
Arts, Valencia, Spain
Open
about our (untidy) space
[email protected]
“Take a seat please”
Open
about our (untidy) space
[email protected]
Working Smarter
Significant new opportunities being taken up:
•
Personalisation – genuine and delivered
•
Channel control – form and content factors
•
Social media interfaces/integration – Facebook, Twitter, etc.
•
Segmentation and profiling, related to status and behaviours
•
Loyalty, memberships, points schemes
•
Fund-raising and ‘development’ naturally integrated
•
Round-up donations, appeals, etc.
•
Dynamic pricing and revenue management
•
Programmed, sometimes automated, communications
•
Shared systems and collaborations
New Skill Set
In Europe, debate between competing time pressures:
•
Manage the sales channels, the databases, the servers, the telecommunications
equipment, manage access to the data and ensure integrity and relevance –
some see as the new role
Or:
•
Manage the sales people, organise rotas, train staff, set standards, handle
customers and complaints, deal internally with accounting and reporting – some
see as the traditional role
Can we combine the two?
Some changes in job titles: “Ticket Sales Manager” or even “Sales & Engagement
Manager”, quite a few” Sales and Database Manager”
Some changes in line management: moved under marketing instead of admin. In
some cases reporting to SMT directly.
UK National
Occupational
Standards
UK National Occupational Standards:
Being set for ‘Level 3’ ”Individuals with responsibility for supervising others”
And ‘Level 2’ “Individuals with no responsibility for supervising others”
Defines key functions of an occupation:
•
Tasks and actions – 36 functional areas at start of NOS development
•
The outcomes which must be achieved - results
•
‘Occupational competence – ability to complete the tasks satisfactorily
Intended to help:
•
Content of training and qualifications
•
Performance appraisal and CPD
•
Job Descriptions and Personnel Specifications
UK National
Occupational
Standards
How far do you go?
CCSTIC03: Monitor and use social media to promote venues and events
Teaching Box Office Management
17
Reporting and Control
18
Biggest B.O.
revolution since
Burbage
New Focus for the
Course
Service and Storytelling
“I‘ve learned that people will forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but people will never forget how
you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
21
Responsibilities?
RESPONSIBILITIES
Is the primary responsibility
to sell tickets?
RESPONSIBILITIES
Or is it to:
Serve customers?
Serve another department?
Determine prices?
Market shows?
Build shows, a database, sales?
Or even:
Understand the market?
Forecast?
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A JOB IN TICKETING?
HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO DEVELOP & LEARN?
HOW DO YOU TEACH & MENTOR?
Psychology of
change
Changing systems, changing cultures, changing behaviours:
•
The challenges of change – ‘riding the bicycle while inventing it’
•
Resistance, acceptance, adoption?
•
More responsibilities, more tasks, more outcomes?
Moving out of comfort zones:
•
Within skill-set or needing new competences?
•
Change in priorities and personal satisfactions?
•
New work cultures and social dynamics
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
Psychology of
change
What are we stopping
doing?
What new things do they want
us to do?
Questions?
Comments?
Reactions?