1st December, 2022
So, you're thinking about getting a new ticketing supplier or changing your existing one and you're not sure where to start. It's safe to say there is a multitude of options nowadays, and making the right choice is imperative for your business and operations. Luckily, we've put together our top tips on how to choose wisely.
1. Do they meet your business needs?
First up, perhaps the most obvious one, is do they offer what you need? If you're looking at suppliers, then it's probably a good idea to list out your requirements and divide them into the 'must haves' and 'nice to haves', this way you can then start to rule out companies based on your operational need. It's important to note that when looking at Saas (Software as a service) solutions, the features you get are not going to be entirely bespoke, so picking a provider with a wide-ranging feature set is very important.
2. What's up and coming on their roadmap?
Our next tip really does follow on from point one, whilst you might be purchasing an out-of-the-box solution, you'll want to get some reassurances that the software is going to be enhanced and developed in line with industry trends. This way you can capitalise on your choice by choosing a provider that will evolve with your business. So, find out what their plans are for the future and how big their tech team is.
3. What Support do they offer?
Perhaps the most important question you should ask! All companies you talk to are going to try and convince you that their solution is the best one out there, that they have the most features, the best price, and the most amazing customer journey. And sure, many of them do similar things, but the industry does differ drastically on the support you receive after go-live. Make sure that you're happy with the levels of support on offer and do probe into this! If you're told it's 7-day support then make sure this isn't outsourced, or there are multiple team members on hand to help. Importantly, if your till stops working at 8 am on Saturday morning, then you need to be confident that someone will be there to pick up the phone.
4. Who do they already work with?
Do your research! Make sure that your prospective suppliers have a range of clients that they already work with, particularly in your industry. Don't be afraid to get in contact with their existing partners and find out what experience they've had.
5. What else might they offer?
It's important to think about whether your supplier can help you with anything else. Today an omnichannel approach is far easier than switching between loads of different systems. So, if your online ticketing provider can also do your till software, online payment processing or anything else then add that to your pros list!