Is Your Ticketing System User Friendly?

20 January 2014

Tags: Leadership

In this post, we break down what a user friendly ticketing system really means.

User friendly is not necessarily a visually appealing website or interface. While that is certainly an element of user friendly, it is not everything.

User friendly, is really about usability, which is defined by Wiki as "usability" is the "ease of use and learnability of a human made object." That is, it needs to be easy to use and you have to be able to easily be able to learn how to use it.

There are some other elements that make a ticketing system accessible and intuitive.

1. Ease of installation

When it comes to box office software, the ease of installation is our first stop. In tandem with this is the necessity for new or additional hardware requirements. Look for services that are web-based (cloud-based). These SaaS box office systems will have a lower install footprint and be easier to install, and typically require no additional hardware.

2. Updating the software

Lengthy and infrequent updates can lead to problematic software and downtime for your box office. Look for a service provider that offers continuous, automatic updates. Software updates like this mean they happen automatically (no intervention is required by the user), and they happen frequently cutting down on issues or bugs with the software.

3. Intuitive

This is the one area that impacts box office staff and patrons the most. And it is certainly one that has to be right. Ask for a demo to see the software in action and ensure it really is intuitive and easy to use.

4. Efficient

A big cumbersome, lumbering system is not going to be fast or efficient. A demo will help to understand if a system is efficient and fast.

5. Support

This is another big one. No matter how great your box office software is, occasionally there will be problems. A provider that offers multiple support access points is important. 24/7 support is even better.

6. Technology standards

When considering a user friendly ticketing system, check that the technology adheres to industry standards. An example of a non-adherence would be Microsoft. Rather than adhere to industry standards, they adhere to their own. The result? Problems, problems, and more problems.

7. Error handling

How the ticketing system handles errors adds to its ease of use. Clear, concise is what you are looking for here.

8. Training

Training on any ticketing system is critical to the learnability aspect of the box office software. The training should be easy to follow and cover basic and advanced options. There should be the option for ongoing informal and formal training if required. Importantly, the training should be appropriate for all staff regardless of IT skills.

9. Feedback

While this is not strictly speaking about the user friendliness or usability of a ticketing system, how providers deal with feedback directly impacts it. Look for informal and formal channels that allow box office staff to give feedback. Feedback should be a core of any ticketing company's usability practice.

Ultimately, if your ticketing software is efficient, makes your work go smoothly, and helps you to make more sales - you are on to a winner.

Is your ticketing system user friendly or user aggravating?

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