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Walk-up sales - what constituent info do you require

Former Member
Former Member $organization

I am interested in learning what information your front line staff are required to gather from walk-up patrons/constituents.  What is your process if/when people refuse to provide certain information. Is required information different based on the event, method of payment, or other factors?  

I am also interested in how your organization might balance creating a constituent account with important patron data while also making the purchase process simple, smooth and efficient for that customer (and moving onto the next person in line).

I appreciate any information you are able to share.

Best,

Jeffrey Mason

Visitor Services Supervisor
YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
701 Mission Street/San Francisco, CA  94103-3138
(415) 321-1316 Office
Parents
  • $organization
    Jeffrey,
     
    I struggle with this every season … how to balance collecting as much info as possible with a good patron experience. 
     
    For walk up cash sales, it’s a no brainer – we don’t ask for any information.  I created a “cash sale” constituent and the box office associates can use that or just sell to the “general public.”  For credit cards, I try to collect the patron’s information and found a quick way to get it quietly.  People are mostly still willing to hand over their ID when using a credit card.  The ID helps me find an existing constituent (avoiding duplicates) and I can quickly enter the information from the ID while I go through the process of selling the tickets (usually without the patron noticing that I’m doing it).  If someone doesn’t want to provide the information, we have a standard data entry process for “unknown” addresses – using a zip code of 00000.
     
    I don’t know if that helps, but it’s what we do.  Of course, if anyone has any great process that balances the need for database information and good patron experience, I’d love to hear about it.
     
    Lee Ann
    Lee Ann Allison
    Box Office Manager
    Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival
    Direct:  775-298-0163
    Tickets:  800-747-4697
     
Reply
  • $organization
    Jeffrey,
     
    I struggle with this every season … how to balance collecting as much info as possible with a good patron experience. 
     
    For walk up cash sales, it’s a no brainer – we don’t ask for any information.  I created a “cash sale” constituent and the box office associates can use that or just sell to the “general public.”  For credit cards, I try to collect the patron’s information and found a quick way to get it quietly.  People are mostly still willing to hand over their ID when using a credit card.  The ID helps me find an existing constituent (avoiding duplicates) and I can quickly enter the information from the ID while I go through the process of selling the tickets (usually without the patron noticing that I’m doing it).  If someone doesn’t want to provide the information, we have a standard data entry process for “unknown” addresses – using a zip code of 00000.
     
    I don’t know if that helps, but it’s what we do.  Of course, if anyone has any great process that balances the need for database information and good patron experience, I’d love to hear about it.
     
    Lee Ann
    Lee Ann Allison
    Box Office Manager
    Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival
    Direct:  775-298-0163
    Tickets:  800-747-4697
     
Children
  • $organization in reply to Lee Ann Allison

    Due to the potential of needing to contact a patron due to a cancelled performance, or performance enhancement option, we collect patron's information for any advance sales transaction. If a patron does not want to provide their information, we give them the option, which could be a risk due to availability, of purchasing in person the night/day of the performance and we have a general walkin constituency that we use in those cases.