So, as we move out of the theatre and into outdoor event spaces, we want to create PODS ... 4 seats each...
The patron must purchase the entire POD, even if has less than 4 people attending.
There will be different pricing levels for the areas of PODs.
Does ANYONE have any tips/advice on how I might even begin to build something like this?
Thanks in advance for ANY help.
*Trying not to panic in Georgia*
~Renee
Forcing the purchase of the entire "pod" but still getting 4 tickets for scanning (assuming you are doing this) is the tricky part. Two possibilities - one requiring no technical work but manual effort and one with some tech work required but less manual effort. Option 1 - create the "pods" as single seats and sell the pod that way. Then, have the Box Office sell 4 seats into a different venue that would then send the tickets. This could be an exchange process or just a comp process, depending on how you want to handle it. I did something similar way back in the day for subscriptions where packages went on sale before the season or even the locations of performances were determined. So we sold the "package" to a GA venue, then when the season was finally determined and built out, exchanged the "package" sale into the appropriate Super Package for seating. It was a manual process, but did work. Option 2 - take advantage of the LP_VALIDATE_CART procedure to enforce the 4 seats rule This is the only way I can see doing it on the web. This is how we actually sell "packages" here at Bravo Vail. I have some code that requires the purchase of at least 3 performances to create a package. For a summer festival, this allows our customers to purchase different number of tickets for different shows and seat themselves at time of purchase, while still requiring they purchase at least 3 performances before they can check out. With a little creative code, you could do the same for enforcing purchase of all 4 seats in a pod. This won't work in the Tessitura client. There, your Box Office staff would have to enforce the rule themselves. But, on the web, this would work.
We're looking for a similar solution.
We're potentially launching outdoor patio events with a configuration of tables, each table can accommodate a party of up to 4.
There will likely be a (reservation) cost per table regardless of party size but ideally we'd only issue enough tickets as needed per table reservation.
While also ensuring another party doesn't reserve the unused individual spots at a previously reserved table.
I have a couple of possible hack-y solution for a GA/Best Available scenario but those would not work for assigned/SYOS.
My concern is we may need to achieve a similar result for our assigned seat house sooner than later.
(Our other issue is potentially collecting contact data for all members of the attending parties depending on contact tracing compliance requirements. The existing TNEW forms aren't dynamic enough to accomplish this nor are they compatible with SYOS.)
Personally, I would just build it as a "seated" house - with each pod as a separate seat. Then, I would change the price types so that when someone selects the pod their price type options are: 1 person, 2 persons, 3 persons, 4 persons. Keeping it seated this way will allow you to adjust the pricing levels.
Hi Renee, can I ask what you ended up doing? I work at a museum and we're looking at reopening our onsite restaurant and want to take reservations through TNEW. Similar scenario where we're doing tables of 4, mostly outdoors but some indoors. They don't need to reserve all 4 seats at each table, but we don't want another party reserving seats at their table either. Thank you!
Hey Jeff. Yes, so I ended up building a house map with a POD seating. Each POD will have 4 seats in it (only one ticket, the POD purchaser). For what we are doing, each POD has one price whether you have 2, 3, 4 people. You must still purchase the POD. We have different price levels on PODs for location and view. I'm rsmiley@atlantaopera.org if you have more questions.