Which Ticketing System Should I Choose?
Choosing the right ticketing system is crucial for owners of attractions, amusement parks, summer resorts, zoos, and similar businesses. A good ticketing system can streamline administration, increase sales, and improve the customer experience.
But what should you consider when selecting a ticketing system?
In this article, we will review the key factors that can help you make the best choice for your attraction.
What is important in a ticketing system for attractions?
Attractions such as amusement parks and zoos have very specific needs when it comes to ticketing systems. Your ticketing system should not only handle ticket sales but also offer features tailored to your business needs. Some of the most important features to look for are:
- Online ticket sales via a webshop that is easy to integrate with your website.
- A user-friendly interface that both employees and customers can navigate without issues.
- Integration with card systems for annual passes and season passes.
- Automated processes that save time and reduce errors.
- The ability to customize the system to match your branding and layout.
- Multiple features that support sales and digitize everyday operations.
By choosing a system that offers these features, you can ensure that both operations and the customer experience are as smooth as possible.
SaaS Ticketing Systems: A Flexible Solution
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) ticketing systems have become popular because they provide a flexible and scalable solution for attractions. A SaaS system is always kept up to date for you, so you do not have to worry about obsolescence, security, or stability.
At the same time, you still own your data, which is stored at your own sales point rather than on a sales platform where competitors also sell their products.
Benefits of SaaS Ticketing Systems
SaaS ticketing systems have several advantages that make them ideal for attractions:
- Easy integration: SaaS systems often have webshop, CMS, and card systems integrated, which means you get a fully integrated solution and only need to contact one supplier to expand the system.
- Scalability: Whether you run a small zoo or a large amusement park, the system can be tailored to the size and needs of your business.
- Automated updates.
- Cost-effective: You typically pay a fixed monthly subscription, making it easier to budget without large upfront costs.
- Most SaaS systems have APIs, allowing them to integrate with other systems, and also offer numerous third-party integrations.
What about ticketing systems for single events?
There are also several systems aimed at selling tickets for single events, such as Ticket Master and Billetto. However, these systems are often best suited for single concerts, theater performances, and other one-off events, typically targeted at vendors who sell many different events that they do not manage themselves.
For attractions, amusement parks, zoos, museums, and similar businesses that sell tickets year-round and perhaps also offer season passes or memberships, it is often better to choose a system specifically designed for these needs.
Another challenge with systems like those mentioned above is that they typically mix tickets from various providers on a single platform. While this can be an advantage for smaller events, for larger attractions it can result in your branding being overshadowed by competing offers.
Ticketing Solutions Built on Open Source
Another option is to use systems built on open-source platforms such as WordPress, Magento, and similar systems. These may seem attractive because they appear inexpensive, but they often end up being a costly solution.
What are the 10 biggest disadvantages of using open source for ticketing solutions?
- The systems are not designed for this purpose and therefore require plugins or extensive programming. Even then, many features may still feel illogical.
- It is often expensive to scale. Open source is usually cheap to start with but costly to develop, with additional expenses for premium plugins, themes, hosting, and security.
- Plugins and themes from third-party developers can vary in quality. Poorly coded or outdated extensions can compromise both security and functionality. Additionally, plugins are often developed in countries like Russia, China, and other non-European regions, which can lead to security breaches and GDPR issues.
- Open-source platforms are popular and therefore frequent targets for hackers. Ticketing solutions often handle sensitive data, such as payment and customer information, making security breaches particularly critical.
- When many plugins are used to implement ticketing solutions, it can negatively impact performance. Slow loading times can lead to lost sales and high hosting costs.
- Limited support. Even if you find a company to provide support, the system is coded by others, and the company may not have as much control over the code as with a SaaS system.
- The system provider will often recommend what is easiest and possible in the open-source system rather than what would actually be the best solution for you. This can result in lost sales.
- Open-source platforms are general-purpose systems that often require extensive customization to function as an effective ticketing solution. This can make it difficult to compete with specialized SaaS solutions designed for ticketing management.
- Plugins and extensions used to add ticketing functionality are not always compatible with each other, which can lead to errors and a poor user experience.
- Regular updates to WordPress, Magento, and their plugins can lead to compatibility issues. A simple update can create errors requiring extensive troubleshooting, resulting in lost sales and downtime.
How Do I Choose the Right Ticketing System?
To choose the right ticketing system, start by making a list of your requirements and needs. Consider questions like:
- Do I need integration with annual/season passes?
- How important is it for me to have full control over my ticket sales?
- How much time and resources am I willing to spend on ticket administration?
- Can I live with the disadvantages open-source systems may bring?
- Do I need support and technical assistance?
Then research different solutions on the market and request demos or trials of the systems you are considering.
Remember, the cheapest system is not necessarily the best choice – especially if it lacks essential features or requires a lot of manual work.
Conclusion
The right ticketing system can make a significant difference for your attraction, and the easiest and cheapest solutions can quickly turn out to be the most expensive while underperforming.
By choosing a SaaS ticketing system, you get a solution that is flexible, scalable, and easy to integrate with other systems. Make sure to choose a system that matches your business needs and can handle ticket sales, annual passes, and webshop functionalities in one unified system.
Taking the time to find the right ticketing system not only ensures smoother operations but also a better experience for your customers – ultimately making your attraction even more successful.
Contact Flex4Business ApS if you want to learn more about our SaaS ticketing solution – and feel free to compare us with other solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing a Ticketing System
What features should a ticketing system for attractions have?
A ticketing system for attractions should include online ticket sales via an integrable webshop, a user-friendly interface, integration with card systems for annual passes/season passes, automated processes to save time and reduce errors, as well as customization options to match your company’s branding and layout.
What are the benefits of choosing a SaaS ticketing system?
SaaS ticketing systems offer flexibility and scalability as they are always kept up to date without requiring manual intervention. They often include integrated solutions such as webshop, CMS, and card systems, ensuring a fully integrated platform. In addition, you typically pay a fixed monthly subscription fee, making budgeting easier without large upfront costs.
Are ticketing systems like Ticketmaster and Billetto suitable for attractions?
Ticketing systems like Ticketmaster and Billetto are often best suited for one-off events such as concerts and theater performances. For attractions that require ongoing ticket sales and management of annual or season passes, a specialized ticketing system designed for these needs may be a better solution. This could, for example, be a SaaS ticketing system.
What are the disadvantages of using open-source platforms for ticketing solutions?
Open-source platforms often require extensive customization to function effectively as ticketing solutions. They can be expensive to scale, and the use of third-party plugins can compromise security. In addition, they are frequent targets for hackers, and regular updates can lead to compatibility issues, potentially resulting in downtime and lost sales. An alternative could be a SaaS system (Software as a Service).
How do I choose the right ticketing system for my attraction?
Start by identifying your specific needs, such as integration with annual/season passes, control over ticket sales, and the resources required for administration. Then research various solutions on the market and consider requesting demos or trials to evaluate which system best meets your requirements. Remember that the cheapest system is not necessarily the best choice, especially if it lacks important features or requires extensive manual work. Also, be cautious with open-source systems, which may turn out to be the most expensive in the long run and could be more vulnerable to security breaches.
