There's not much to update for backstory here (since we're all experiencing it), so I'll just get right into it.
Before ZACH Theatre canceled any productions in their entirety, I was using hold codes to adhere to any Social Distancing that may befall us. I blanketed "Distancing" hold codes in the houses (in Season Maintenance) that allowed for our house to not reach a gathering group of more than 250 (210 seats + average staff). I'm returning to that practice as we're looking at potentially reopening at the end of Summer. Thinking through it, we can maintain safe social distancing practices by seating people inhouse (using our staff) but I was trying to find a way (with out-of-the-box features) to leave buffers around each party of patrons that utilize SYOS on TNEW.
My initial idea is to use a Pricing Rule (like BOGO) that will basically say "For every X seats they add to their cart, Y 'distancing' seats can be added" for people to allow themselves some safer (automatic, if possible) distancing. The idea being that we allow for horizontal distancing in the rows. Maybe "Y" = "2 or 4" that allow seats on either side (or whatever we end up going with). I could still use hold colds to block rows for vertical distancing in the house, but I'm simultaneously trying to maximize any potential revenue so that the house isn't "sold out" with unnecessarily emptied seats.
Is anyone else thinking about this as well? Or doing something potentially more effective or easily implemented? Trying to think "outside the box" with "out-of-the-box" features as our developer resources are very limited.
Thanks!Greg GarciaAssociate Director of Marketing and Analytics(he/him/his)ZACH Theatreggarcia@zachtheatre.org
Thanks for sharing your Social Distincing via Pricing Rules idea, Greg - that's super intriguing!