Ticketing and the need to prebook/contactless innovations & considerations

Capturing Yield Management opportunity after Covid

Innovation ensures survival in a post-covid environment.  A key issue with all attractions is the capacity permitted – indoor and outdoor.  The necessity to pre-book attractions, and often reduce capacity is likely to be with us for a while, and it is important that the Senior Leadership within Attractions and Experiences view this as an opportunity where possible. An American based study (IAAPA) published May 2020 has given insight into mask wearing and effectiveness, and Disney and Universal theme parks may well be reducing social distancing as a result of US change. It is important to adhere to local government guidelines and have in-build flexibility to Standard Operating Procedures and Staff Training to reflect any changes which may be on the horizon.  Safety must be the main priority and Risk Assessments must drive any changes in operational procedures. 

For museums and other attractions where a TIMED TICKETING model was not previously the norm, but is now due to capacity restrictions, consideration needs to be given to the value this had added to the business, and the visitor/guest.  It may not have impacted the guest experience in a negative way, being more transparent and allowing the visitor to enjoy the attraction in a more planned way with less bottlenecks, achieving a better and more enjoyable experience, and perceived additional value for money.  Therefore – the decision NOT to ‘revert’ to the previous ‘open’ model may not be a hard one to make.

Key considerations:

Your Ticketing system/POS:

• Ensure Agile Booking – capture every enquiry from every platform
• Having a flexible POS system means you can sell tickets from all kinds of platforms – a mobile phone, a tablet or have positions around the attraction for upselling or memberships. Worth investing in if this would increase average spend or loyalty in a more locally focused guest environment.
• Ensure your ticketing software is ‘fit for purpose’ – work with your provider to ensure it is ready to cope with pent up demand, and what you want to do with the data which you gather through it. Using technology linked to your ticketing software can lead you to valuable insights into the trends of your visitors. If you have outdated ticketing software it may be difficult to integrate third-party technologies which can give you vital information and insights into – for instance - ticket sales history and likely trends.
• Ensure your ‘print at home’ ability is flawless – The visitor journey starts with this.
• Use the Capacity management element of your system to its best advantage – look at each area of your operation & maximise yield through dynamic pricing, advanced promotional mechanics/added value offers to increase average spend.
• Explore all Cashless payment options to suit your business & Guest journey.
• Your ticketing software should be able to integrate third-party CRM applications. This will ensure your staff, marketing team, and tech people will have the most up-to-date information on ticketing trends and general visitor information. Without being able to integrate a CRM, it will be difficult to develop long-term strategies that the future of your attraction will rely on.

Visitor experience:

• Remove visitor experience friction points
• Ensure all visitor ‘touchpoints’ are contactless at best, or have been appropriately risk managed according to C-19 guidelines
• Be very savvy to Trip Advisor comments and guest feedback. Respond as appropriate to your brand ‘Voice’ and ensure that perceptions are managed.  Remember – if a guest puts something on a public forum which is incorrect, once it is in the public domain people will treat it as FACT. Ensure that you tactfully correct in your public response, and offer to speak to the guest in person offline to ensure that you are able to manage the comment.

Examples from around the world:

• Facial recognition is now being used – Vivaticket are using this for events in Dubai, helping to keep audiences safe in the wake of COVID-19 and leading to an improved, more efficient customer experience.  The user looks at the camera and can pay for services within the venue, shops, restaurants etc, speeding up activities by avoiding physical contact crowds and long queues. Elsewhere, Walt Disney World has been testing facial recognition technology at Magic Kingdom’s park entrance.
• Disney Parks have released a blog listing the digital technology on offer at Disneyland to provide a seamless and contactless experience upon reopening in April 2021.
  • Downloading the official app for Disneyland Resort – allows guests to link their tickets, view menus, order food, make dining reservations, join a virtual queue and view attraction wait times, park maps and hours of operation.
  • Mobile ordering service lets guests order food and drinks at various dining locations, with more being added and existing locations expanding the service.
  • Visitors can also use the new Disney PhotoPass+ One Day and scan QR codes at certain dining locations across Disneyland Resort to view digital menus.
  • In addition, guests can join a mobile walk-up list at select restaurants on the Disneyland app, and can virtually check-in for dining restaurants at some table-service restaurants.
  • As for shopping, visitors to World of Disney in the Downtown Disney District can scan products to purchase using the Disneyland app before showing a QR code to a cast member.
  • Guests can limit contact with other guests by using the online check-in service before arriving at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
  • Finally, the Play Disney Parks app allows guests to explore the parks and offers unique experiences and activities, including the Star Wars: Datapad at Galaxy’s Edge.