We'd like to use a credit card type gift card for our center. Does anyone use a system like this and, if so, does it interface with Tessitura?
At the Science Museum we do use gift cards. Unfortunately they do not interface with Tessitura though (shameless plug here!) we put in an enhancement request in the hopes it could be done. We were actually using the gift cards before our conversion to Tessitura and wanted to continue doing so as, not only can patrons redeem them for tickets, they can also use them in our store, parking ramp, and for food. Right now we process the gift cards (load value, redeem, check balance) on a hypercom. We then enter the payment into Tessitura and balance the 2 at the end of each day. This works ok but of course we would prefer to lose the hypercoms altogether. Here's hoping!
One other thing I should add. I attended a session on gift cards and certificates at the conference last year and one site (sorry I can't remember who) had found a fairly creative way to use gift cards with Tessitura. They used the gift certificate functionality but printed the certificate number on a plastic card to give to patrons. If you're only going to be using the cards at the box office something like that might work for you. It doesn't for us since other areas of the museum need to be able to redeem them.
Hi,
Adding to Kjersten's reply: We process (activate, deactivate and redeem) through our credit card processor. This enables the cards to be used with our contracted food service parking ramp and store which are not on Tessitura software. Our ticket reps in the Call Centerare able to activate and redeem cards via a secure website and software provided by our processor. The Hypercomms are much faster and more practical for the Box Office with "card present" transactions. The entry into Tessitura is via Payment Types.
Ray Bernard
You can find that gift card presentation from last year’s conference on the website by searching for “gift cards” or look here:
http://www.tessituranetwork.com/en/network/Conference/Conference%20Materials%20Archive/2008%20Conference%20Materials.aspx
Tina
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Kjersten Schladetzky Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 8:42 AM To: Tina Hatch Subject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] gift cards
Ideally we’d like for the cards to be redeemed for tickets, food, parking, etc. Humor my ignorance please…what is a hypercom? A point of sale system? What vendor would I contact for information? Also, how icky is the reconciliation with Tessitura?
Jennifer Aprea
Ticketing Services Manager
Dallas Center for the Performing Arts
2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 650
Dallas, Texas 75201
214 954 9925 ext. 289
214 954 9936 (fax)
jennifer.aprea@dallasperformingarts.org
www.dallasperformingarts.org
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Kjersten Schladetzky Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 8:32 AM To: Jennifer Aprea Subject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] gift cards
From: Jennifer Aprea <bounce-jenniferaprea3202@tessituranetwork.com> Sent: 6/1/2009 5:00:26 PM
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A hypercom is the little machine you use for credit card payments (swipe the card, it processes the payment through a phone line and prints out a receipt). We used them with our previous ticketing system since it did not support credit card payments. They are a bit costly so that may be an issue.
As for reconciliation how complex it is depends on how well you train your staff and how much gift card transactions you do each day. Most of the year we have no problems since we only process a few gift cards each day. Around the holidays it gets a bit more complex because we sell dozens of cards each day and if one person does it incorrectly it gets messy. Then accounting also has to do some backend work as well but I can't speak for how time consuming that is.
Our way of doing things is definitely a work around, but it gets us by!
HA! I haven’t had to work with one of those Hypercom machines in soo long. Totally forgot that’s what they’re called. Thanks! J
So, if we get a nice little card designed and printed up with a magnetic stripe, we can LOAD funds onto that card through the machine? Yes?
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Kjersten Schladetzky Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 12:22 PM To: Jennifer Aprea Subject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] RE: gift cards
From: Jennifer Aprea <bounce-jenniferaprea3202@tessituranetwork.com> Sent: 6/2/2009 11:45:18 AM
Jennifer,
In our case, the value is not stored with the card, but with our processor, who charges fees for each transaction. The hypercomm stores individual transactions, but doesn't maintain the activations or balances. What the processor does is what Tessitura software does for gift certificates. But by working through a processor, other partners who are not using Tessitura can also accept or issue our cards. The fees are nominal.
One other factor to check is your state statutes; Minnesota recently passed a law that forbids expiration dates for gift cards, and also forbids fees for inactivity on them.
Ray
Andrew,
We have a “parallel universe” for third party gift cards. I’ll be glad share what we know. I actually have a proposal for new gift cards…made of wood, no less!
E-mail me at rbernard.smm.org and we can set up a phone call if you want to talk more.
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Paul CallasSent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 9:37 AMTo: rbernard@smm.orgSubject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] Gift Cards
We aren't using it but I think you need to get in touch with Intrex. I think Minnesota Science Museum has got it up and running.
From: Andrew Grady <bounce-andrewgrady9675@tessituranetwork.com>Sent: 3/8/2011 9:32:13 AM
Has anyone had success using "piggyback" software that will accept gift cards across the board (ticketing, food/bev, store, etc)? If so, what are you using and how did you set it up with Tessitura?
We want to implement this functionality, but want to make sure we have all the facts on the table.
SpamNot spamForget previous vote
Thank you, Beth. This is great. Sounds like you print out the passes on regular ticket stock. I was hoping that someone knew of a way to print them out on an actual gift card like we do for our gift cards that are purchased online.
Thank you again. I really appreciate it. Sounds like we will be going this route.
Jena Tunnell Guest Services ManagerDallas Symphony Orchestra Morton H. Meyerson Symphony CenterGuest Services Center2301 Flora Street Dallas, Texas 75201 214-981-2953 - phone214-692-5133 - faxj.tunnell@DalSym.comwww.dallassymphony.com
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Beth HawrylukSent: Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:38 PMTo: Jena TunnellSubject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] Gift Cards
Hi Jena,
Not sure if this is what you are attempting to do but we have a program called Sampler Pass here at the ESO. Patrons have the opportunity to purchase a number of passes and then redeem them for select performances. It is viewed as a subscription and goes to a subscription GL but they can redeem their passes immediately or throughout the season.
We do this by building a fixed seat subscription package with one dummy performance. This performance is attached to a large g/a facility where each seat represents a 'coupon'. Our box office reps sell the package selecting the number of seats to represent the number of coupons the patron would like. The sampler pass purchase is attached to a specified GL that acts as a holding pot. We have created a coupon ticket type attached to this performance as well so we can print out their sampler passes which display their coupon numbers.
When a customer redeems their coupons the box office rep loads the original sub order, returns the coupons in the dummy performance, adds a new line item for each performance they want to attend and uses a Sampler Pass price type to book seats in the real performance. The money then moves out of the holding pot GL and into the subscription GL attached to that performance.
I hope that made sense and helps you out a bit! I'm happy to chat more about it if you'd like.
From: Jena Tunnell <bounce-jenatunnell2615@tessituranetwork.com>Sent: 10/4/2012 4:03:08 PM
We have a product line called Gift of Music that is a 3 concert Subscription. Patrons can choose the 3 concerts when they purchase or they can purchase a Gift of Music Gift Card or a combination of the two.
We would like for the revenue on the Gift Cards for this particular product to be attributed to our Subscription Revenue before the Gift Cards are redeemed. Once redeemed then the money will go towards subscriptions on a concert basis.
The problem I am having is making this work. :) I can create "vouchers" to pull that can represent the Gift Cards, but I do not know if there is a way to get Gift Cards to print off of "vouchers" that are pulled into a ticket order.
Does anyone have an idea on how to make this work or another suggestion all together?
Thank you,
Jena
Jennifer:
Did you get a solid response to your question yet?
Sadly no. Not a word from anyone. I’d still like to implement the gift cards in our system but it’s fallen to the bottom of my issues list for now. Maybe I can resurrect it in the spring/summer though.
Jennifer
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Keith Gearing Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 10:01 AM To: Jennifer Aprea Subject: Re: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] gift cards
I am just starting to kick this can so please keep me in mind as you gather information. I am also willing and able to share as we move forward on this issue.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Keith F. Gearing | Ticketing Operations and Customer Relations Manager The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall 60 Simcoe Street | Toronto, ON| M5J 2H5 416 593 4822 x227 Web | Soundboard | Twitter | Facebook
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Jennifer Aprea Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 12:03 PM To: Keith Gearing Subject: RE: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] gift cards
Awesome! Yes, please let’s do share!
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Keith Gearing Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 1:07 PM To: Jennifer Aprea Subject: RE: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] gift cards
Hi Reena!
We use third party cards (made of sustainable birch-wood composite, but more readily available in plastic). They are sourced locally in Minnesota. We needed to use a vendor approved by our processor, Chase Paymentech, and they send a file to the manufacturer for coding on the cards. We use third party cards so they can be used at our parking ramp or Explore Store (not on Tessitura), or at our contract food service.
Cards are activated and decremented with our processor Chase Paymentech via a standalone POS terminal or web application. Then a separate entry is made in Tessitura (payment types; sold or redeemed).
There is no integration with Transend or Tessitura; nor in Elements.
Email me directly if you want more info, but that is pretty much all of it.
rbenard@smm.org
From: Tessitura Ticketing Forum [mailto:forums-ticketing@tessituranetwork.com] On Behalf Of Reena TaankSent: Thursday, October 09, 2014 12:45 PMTo: rbernard@smm.orgSubject: [Tessitura Ticketing Forum] Gift Cards
Hello All,
I'm wondering if we any of you are using plastic gift cards. How are you integrating with Tessistura? Are you using a specific company to source the cards.
Any help or suggestions that you might have would be great!
thanks,
Reena