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Scanning mobile devices with N-Scan

Tom Brown (Past Member)
$organization

Does your organization:

  • welcome and encourage
  • tolerate
  • discourage
  • down right refuse

the use of mobile devices to presentation ticket bar codes?

As we move to a world with more mobile devices and expectations set by the Airlines, for profit Stadiums and StarBucks.

I'm interested in conversations with organizations that have decided to be inviting about the use of mobile devices to present tickets.  How are your box office and front of house staff finding the experience?  How are your customers finding the experience?

  • Are there technology issue?
  • Does it cause lines to run slower or longer at the Entry doors or the box office?
  • How are intermissions for seated houses? 
    • What do you do if the mobile device with the ticket is no where near the person who has to go out for a smoke or to the bathroom?
  • Has this increased or decreased the incidents of forged tickets?
  • What percentage of customers choose to use their mobile device to present their tickets?

What are the keys to a successful mobile device friendly ticket operation?

--Tom Brown
tbrown@bam.org

Parents
  • $organization

    Hi Tom (and Tim and Rich ad Beau!)

    I'd like to share what we currently do at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and also ask you all for recommendations / lessons learned.

    This is a very relevant discussion for us.  Currently, we allow the use of mobile devices to presentation ticket bar codes, using Motorola MC55 scanners, NSCAN version 6.0.5, and Tessitura 12.1.2

    It slows things down a bit.  Our scanners are used by a great team of volunteers, and getting the barcode to scan often takes multiple attempts and therefore more time than a printed ticket.  PAH tickets have a similar difference in scanning time.  Adjustments like enlarging the barcodes, mobile device screen brightness, and the volutneer changing the angle and distance of the scanner help.

    At intermission, or other unscheduled breaks, the ticket (or bar code on mobile device) is examined by the volunteers, they are posted at each entrance/exit, but they do not all carry barcode scanners.

    The percentage of those customers choosing to use the mobile device ticketing is low (less than 10%), and I think that is partly due to the preference of our audiences.  I can see where it may be easier to forge tickets, but have not noticed an increase, nor decrease.

    I think the keys to successful mobile device friendly ticket operation are still being identified, but, I know training is key, and also our volunteers cooperation with each other--taking the overflow if the line backs up, and allowing the group expert (a.k.a. fastest, most successful mobile device scanner)  to be the mobile device scanner for the performance.  We like to post at least two scanning volunteers at each entrance, with three or four at the busier doors, so this helps when it's crunch time for ticket scanning.

    ===================My Request for Your Recommendations===================================

    I am in the investigation phase for scanner hardware.  Currently we use Motorola MC55, but I understand from our vendor that these devices are not 4G compatible.

    Do you know of a reliable 4G compatible scanner that would read QR or Barcodes, and be compatible with NSCAN?  Are you using a device now that you love, that meets these specifications?  

    Or a device we should avoid?

    I appreciate any advice, recommendations, or lessons learned.

    Many Thanks,

    Laura

Reply
  • $organization

    Hi Tom (and Tim and Rich ad Beau!)

    I'd like to share what we currently do at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and also ask you all for recommendations / lessons learned.

    This is a very relevant discussion for us.  Currently, we allow the use of mobile devices to presentation ticket bar codes, using Motorola MC55 scanners, NSCAN version 6.0.5, and Tessitura 12.1.2

    It slows things down a bit.  Our scanners are used by a great team of volunteers, and getting the barcode to scan often takes multiple attempts and therefore more time than a printed ticket.  PAH tickets have a similar difference in scanning time.  Adjustments like enlarging the barcodes, mobile device screen brightness, and the volutneer changing the angle and distance of the scanner help.

    At intermission, or other unscheduled breaks, the ticket (or bar code on mobile device) is examined by the volunteers, they are posted at each entrance/exit, but they do not all carry barcode scanners.

    The percentage of those customers choosing to use the mobile device ticketing is low (less than 10%), and I think that is partly due to the preference of our audiences.  I can see where it may be easier to forge tickets, but have not noticed an increase, nor decrease.

    I think the keys to successful mobile device friendly ticket operation are still being identified, but, I know training is key, and also our volunteers cooperation with each other--taking the overflow if the line backs up, and allowing the group expert (a.k.a. fastest, most successful mobile device scanner)  to be the mobile device scanner for the performance.  We like to post at least two scanning volunteers at each entrance, with three or four at the busier doors, so this helps when it's crunch time for ticket scanning.

    ===================My Request for Your Recommendations===================================

    I am in the investigation phase for scanner hardware.  Currently we use Motorola MC55, but I understand from our vendor that these devices are not 4G compatible.

    Do you know of a reliable 4G compatible scanner that would read QR or Barcodes, and be compatible with NSCAN?  Are you using a device now that you love, that meets these specifications?  

    Or a device we should avoid?

    I appreciate any advice, recommendations, or lessons learned.

    Many Thanks,

    Laura

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