By John Walker, President & CEO, Tickets.com
Ticketing, sales and marketing professionals have been faced with making an either/or choice in the past – either selling through brand X (which leaves little room for your brand to extend through the sales flow of an online transaction) or employ a “white label” or “private label” solution that enables venues, teams or organizations to wrap their team colors or logos around a transaction engine.
One relatively new player in the space would have you believe that they are “introducing a white-label offering”, but the reality is that several companies have been offering “white-label” ticketing services for years. We’ve done it for a decade. Hell, come to think of it – EVERYBODY’s done it. And while on the surface this either/or decision (brand X vs. “white-label”) might suggest that all “white-label” offerings should be grouped together, frankly, there couldn’t be anything any further from the truth. The devil is in the details of…you guessed it, the technology.
The question you should be answering when choosing a platform for your business’s ticketing function is – what system will allow me to EXTEND MY BRAND versus just simply allowing me to affix my logo to a position on a banner? A subtle, but powerful distinction. Additionally, which of the “white-label” offerings best EXTENDS TECHNOLOGY in a way that meets or exceeds the vision I have for my organization? After all, selling tickets isn’t about how many bad email addresses you can ping – it’s about taking full advantage of CRM, dynamic pricing, wider distribution, stored value, online seat maps, mobility, social media, etc. And taking full advantage of these on your terms, I might add – not the terms dictated to you by your ticketing provider or it’s closed-system architecture.
Slapping your label on something that isn’t best of breed technology doesn’t cut it. You, and your organization, need and deserve more. Smart organizations are looking to power the EXTENSION of their brand, and their technological vision and we’re enabling our clients to do just that by opening the ProVenue platform with a series of APIs (Application Programming Interface)that allow true ticketing integrations. The first of these APIs will be available in early October and applications taking advantage of these early APIs will show up soon after.
A traditional nightly CRM data-feed and a “white-label” website used to be the best you could do. Now it’s old news.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Endless Summer
By Tim Snyder, VP, Service Delivery, Tickets.com
As another summer in the Midwest starts winding down, I’m reminded of the years I spent working in the box office at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It certainly changed my concept of summer. We typically worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, from May through September. While most of my friends were off boating, fishing, swimming or vacationing at the beach, I would be in the middle of a run of both concerts and orchestra events that would seemingly never end. To make matters worse, everyone that walked by my window was on their way to see their favorite artist play for the next three hours while I had to deal with irate customers who forgot their tickets at home or never made it onto the guest list. While a walk up crowd of five thousand made the promoters jump for joy, it was hours of borderline insanity in the box office.
It is with respect and sometimes awe that I view my colleagues that work tirelessly each and every summer – whether it be at a summer amphitheater or for a baseball team. They give up something that most of us take for granted – summer, and all the joy and fun that goes with it.
So this month, I tip my hat to all those box office warriors out there who make sure the rest of the world gets into the ballpark, arena or amphitheater on time each and every day all summer long. Without you, none of us would ever make it through the gate.
As another summer in the Midwest starts winding down, I’m reminded of the years I spent working in the box office at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It certainly changed my concept of summer. We typically worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, from May through September. While most of my friends were off boating, fishing, swimming or vacationing at the beach, I would be in the middle of a run of both concerts and orchestra events that would seemingly never end. To make matters worse, everyone that walked by my window was on their way to see their favorite artist play for the next three hours while I had to deal with irate customers who forgot their tickets at home or never made it onto the guest list. While a walk up crowd of five thousand made the promoters jump for joy, it was hours of borderline insanity in the box office.
It is with respect and sometimes awe that I view my colleagues that work tirelessly each and every summer – whether it be at a summer amphitheater or for a baseball team. They give up something that most of us take for granted – summer, and all the joy and fun that goes with it.
So this month, I tip my hat to all those box office warriors out there who make sure the rest of the world gets into the ballpark, arena or amphitheater on time each and every day all summer long. Without you, none of us would ever make it through the gate.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Those Were Good Times....
Mike Duffy, Director, Product Development, Tickets.com
Ask anyone that knew me in high school (and I mean anyone) if they thought that someday I would be a DJ and the General Manager of a radio station and they would laugh in your face.
I entered UC Irvine as a very shy nerdy kid quite unprepared for the college experience. I took the bold step of signing up to be a radio DJ at KUCI and after a few weeks of training I was on the air, terrified, but on the air. I have no idea how many people were really listening at the time but slowly I gained more confidence. My shows featured everything from soft jazz to punk to classical to folk music to spoken work to 30 minutes of a tuba playing one evolving note(it was college radio after all).
I eventually worked up to Training Director and even did color commentary and play-by-play for exciting Anteater basketball. This was the era of Kevin Magee and Scotty Brooks (current coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA). Much like John Rizzi, I DJ’d dances and parties and yes, The Romantics were always a hit.
For two years I also had the pleasure of serving as General Manager and leading a finicky crew of over 100 volunteers running the station.
Those were good times….
Ask anyone that knew me in high school (and I mean anyone) if they thought that someday I would be a DJ and the General Manager of a radio station and they would laugh in your face.
I entered UC Irvine as a very shy nerdy kid quite unprepared for the college experience. I took the bold step of signing up to be a radio DJ at KUCI and after a few weeks of training I was on the air, terrified, but on the air. I have no idea how many people were really listening at the time but slowly I gained more confidence. My shows featured everything from soft jazz to punk to classical to folk music to spoken work to 30 minutes of a tuba playing one evolving note(it was college radio after all).
I eventually worked up to Training Director and even did color commentary and play-by-play for exciting Anteater basketball. This was the era of Kevin Magee and Scotty Brooks (current coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA). Much like John Rizzi, I DJ’d dances and parties and yes, The Romantics were always a hit.
For two years I also had the pleasure of serving as General Manager and leading a finicky crew of over 100 volunteers running the station.
Those were good times….
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
It Was a Long, Cold Night.
By Derek Palmer, Managing Director, Executive Vice President, International
Well, most people know that I have been with Tickets.com for a long time, but not many know how I got into the business. I stood out all night at a ticket outlet in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia trying to get Pink Floyd tickets. It rained… it snowed… it was cold. At about 3am the mall security told the small group of us that we couldn’t stay there any longer but if we came back at 8am we could line up again and they gave us little carnival tickets to hold our place in line. I happily scampered to my car to grab a little shut eye.
At 10 minutes to 8 I emerged and went back to the now fairly long line. Feeling smug, I walked to the front where I was to take my previous spot (I was third in line as I recall) only to find that nobody knew what I was talking about and the security guards manning the line refused to honor the red carnival ticket that I was frantically waving in his face. I and about 10 other people ended up at the back of the line. We eventually got our tickets but not nearly the quality we would have.
The night of the concert we had a sort of mini reunion in the upper deck of RFK stadium- still a great show. I remember thinking “there has got to be a better way to get tickets".
A few years later a friend of mine asked if I would drive him to a job interview with a company called ProTix in Fairfax, Virginia. While we were there I was asked if I wanted to interview for a phone center position as well. Immediately my mind raced back to my Pink Floyd experience and I agreed to an interview. Interestingly, I got the job and my friend didn’t - and I have been here ever since.
I have always loved live entertainment and feel truly lucky to participate in a way that helps people experience their favourite team, artist or event. No television show or video game can touch seeing an event live.
Well, most people know that I have been with Tickets.com for a long time, but not many know how I got into the business. I stood out all night at a ticket outlet in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia trying to get Pink Floyd tickets. It rained… it snowed… it was cold. At about 3am the mall security told the small group of us that we couldn’t stay there any longer but if we came back at 8am we could line up again and they gave us little carnival tickets to hold our place in line. I happily scampered to my car to grab a little shut eye.
At 10 minutes to 8 I emerged and went back to the now fairly long line. Feeling smug, I walked to the front where I was to take my previous spot (I was third in line as I recall) only to find that nobody knew what I was talking about and the security guards manning the line refused to honor the red carnival ticket that I was frantically waving in his face. I and about 10 other people ended up at the back of the line. We eventually got our tickets but not nearly the quality we would have.
The night of the concert we had a sort of mini reunion in the upper deck of RFK stadium- still a great show. I remember thinking “there has got to be a better way to get tickets".
A few years later a friend of mine asked if I would drive him to a job interview with a company called ProTix in Fairfax, Virginia. While we were there I was asked if I wanted to interview for a phone center position as well. Immediately my mind raced back to my Pink Floyd experience and I agreed to an interview. Interestingly, I got the job and my friend didn’t - and I have been here ever since.
I have always loved live entertainment and feel truly lucky to participate in a way that helps people experience their favourite team, artist or event. No television show or video game can touch seeing an event live.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Where Were You On September 11, 2001?
By Steve DeMots, SVP Business Development, Tickets.com
Where were you September 11, 2001?
I was at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa outside of Miami, where the IAAM Arena Managers Conference was being held that year. I remember that it was a Tuesday morning, and it looked like it was going to be a decent day- which was good because the conference golf tournament was that day. We were going to play the Blue Monster, the famed golf course at Doral, and it had been raining for days. I remember getting ready and turning on the news, which I never do, and Katie Couric was talking about a small plane that had mistakenly hit one of the Twin Towers. Then all of a sudden, while I was standing there, another plane hit the other tower.
Stunned, but still thinking these were accidents because that is all that Katie could come up with, I gathered my things and went to join the rest of my industry friends and acquaintances on the driving range. You have to remember that we lived in the dark ages before smart phones and wireless Internet, so we all stood around, talking about what was going on- and getting updates from latecomers. It was all speculation at the time, but the reality of what was going on was starting to set in. Amazingly, after what must have been a discussion, someone made the decision that the golf tournament was still going to be held. We started playing, oblivious to what was really going on- until the phone calls started coming in. A worried spouse, a frantic venue operations manager, and in some cases someone who was actually in one of the buildings. Someone in my foursome was truly talking to someone who was running down the stairs of one of the towers. I didn’t know it at the time, but my cousin was in the Pentagon, fortunately on the other side of the building. I don’t know if anyone finished 18 holes that day, my group didn’t. We headed back to the club house with sick feelings in our stomach and joined others around the TV- and didn’t move for hours.
There we were, about a hundred entertainment industry veterans, all down in Miami- far away from everything. It took a while for the reality to sink in- then the warnings were being issued, flights were being canceled indefinitely, trains were stopped, cell phone traffic was jammed- and we realized this was something that was going to affect us all. The ones who were on top of things started reserving rental cars, or planning to use the cars they had already to get home. It wasn’t long before there were no more cars to rent. You can imagine the stories- of folks from Atlanta sharing a rental car with someone from Cleveland, because it was “on the way”. Five people piling in a compact for a drive to California. For me, single and without any place I really needed to be, there were far worse places to be than at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Everyone was trying to leave, and no one was coming in. My room was upgraded to a suite with a view of the 18th green of the Blue Monster. Three of the four courses were wide open to us- we just grabbed golf carts and played as much as we felt like, which wasn’t that much. But most of the time we sat in the area outside of the restaurant, where there were a number of TVs’- just watching it all and soaking it in.
After a few days, some flights began to open up, and the rest of us started leaving. I was on one of the first flights out of Miami, a Continental flight that had about 10 people on it. As I looked down as the plane lifted off the ground, I knew I would always remember this particular Arena Managers Conference, and those that I shared the experience with.
Where were you September 11, 2001?
I was at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa outside of Miami, where the IAAM Arena Managers Conference was being held that year. I remember that it was a Tuesday morning, and it looked like it was going to be a decent day- which was good because the conference golf tournament was that day. We were going to play the Blue Monster, the famed golf course at Doral, and it had been raining for days. I remember getting ready and turning on the news, which I never do, and Katie Couric was talking about a small plane that had mistakenly hit one of the Twin Towers. Then all of a sudden, while I was standing there, another plane hit the other tower.
Stunned, but still thinking these were accidents because that is all that Katie could come up with, I gathered my things and went to join the rest of my industry friends and acquaintances on the driving range. You have to remember that we lived in the dark ages before smart phones and wireless Internet, so we all stood around, talking about what was going on- and getting updates from latecomers. It was all speculation at the time, but the reality of what was going on was starting to set in. Amazingly, after what must have been a discussion, someone made the decision that the golf tournament was still going to be held. We started playing, oblivious to what was really going on- until the phone calls started coming in. A worried spouse, a frantic venue operations manager, and in some cases someone who was actually in one of the buildings. Someone in my foursome was truly talking to someone who was running down the stairs of one of the towers. I didn’t know it at the time, but my cousin was in the Pentagon, fortunately on the other side of the building. I don’t know if anyone finished 18 holes that day, my group didn’t. We headed back to the club house with sick feelings in our stomach and joined others around the TV- and didn’t move for hours.
There we were, about a hundred entertainment industry veterans, all down in Miami- far away from everything. It took a while for the reality to sink in- then the warnings were being issued, flights were being canceled indefinitely, trains were stopped, cell phone traffic was jammed- and we realized this was something that was going to affect us all. The ones who were on top of things started reserving rental cars, or planning to use the cars they had already to get home. It wasn’t long before there were no more cars to rent. You can imagine the stories- of folks from Atlanta sharing a rental car with someone from Cleveland, because it was “on the way”. Five people piling in a compact for a drive to California. For me, single and without any place I really needed to be, there were far worse places to be than at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Everyone was trying to leave, and no one was coming in. My room was upgraded to a suite with a view of the 18th green of the Blue Monster. Three of the four courses were wide open to us- we just grabbed golf carts and played as much as we felt like, which wasn’t that much. But most of the time we sat in the area outside of the restaurant, where there were a number of TVs’- just watching it all and soaking it in.
After a few days, some flights began to open up, and the rest of us started leaving. I was on one of the first flights out of Miami, a Continental flight that had about 10 people on it. As I looked down as the plane lifted off the ground, I knew I would always remember this particular Arena Managers Conference, and those that I shared the experience with.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
10 Things: Doug Lyons, VP Product Marketing and Strategy
For those of you that are familiar with Doug, this list will come as no surprise. For those that have not yet had the pleasure, we offer you 'Ten Things about Doug Lyons'
1. I like loud Hawaiian shirts.
2. I used to wear loud Hawaiian shirts frequently.
3. My girlfriend does not like loud Hawaiian shirts.
4. I (therefore) no longer wear loud Hawaiian shirts.
5. I have tried to sell “gently used” loud Hawaiian shirts on eBay.
6. I have failed to successfully make sales on eBay.
7. I have an 8-year old son who likes loud Hawaiian shirts.
8. I secretly wear my unsold, loud Hawaiian shirts when with my son but not my girlfriend.
9. I have woven a terrible web of deceit around my wardrobe.
10. I hope my girlfriend does not read the Tickets.com blog site.
1. I like loud Hawaiian shirts.
2. I used to wear loud Hawaiian shirts frequently.
3. My girlfriend does not like loud Hawaiian shirts.
4. I (therefore) no longer wear loud Hawaiian shirts.
5. I have tried to sell “gently used” loud Hawaiian shirts on eBay.
6. I have failed to successfully make sales on eBay.
7. I have an 8-year old son who likes loud Hawaiian shirts.
8. I secretly wear my unsold, loud Hawaiian shirts when with my son but not my girlfriend.
9. I have woven a terrible web of deceit around my wardrobe.
10. I hope my girlfriend does not read the Tickets.com blog site.
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