How to Evaluate Ticketing Systems

Having seen both the OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM presentations, I felt that both would be very good options for organizations looking for ticketing systems that offered more than just tickets. However, in the end, organizations are not all alike and do need to weigh their options when deciding on technology purchases. How would one go about comparing the two systems in general? How can an organization know what’s best for them?

There are many similarities between OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM. Both, for example, are web-based. They each allow for customized interfaces that mimic the look of the organization’s website. OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM both offer a profile feature that allows organizations to consolidate, track, and analyze patron activity. Each is equipped with customizable reports; while these reports sync with Excel in OvationTix (to allow for data usage elsewhere in the organization), PatronTechnology CRM offers integrated database and email functions (OvationTix does sync with Constant Contact).  Based on the presentations by both companies, they are both updating their systems in response to client needs.

An arts organization would need to determine what their needs were before buying a ticketing system.  Some of the factors that organizations should consider include:

-What kind of venue are they? Do they primarily sell general admission tickets or are their seats “assigned?” Do they have pricing catergories (regular, student, etc).? Is this supported by the ticketing system?

-What types of performances (reoccurring, one-offs, a combination thereof) do they offer? Is the ticketing system designed for one type of programming or is it easily customizable for different kinds of programming?

-What other technologies does the organization use? Will the new system integrate with them? For example, OvationTix allows data to be exported to Excel and also will sync with ConstantContact. PatronTechnology can be synced with QuickBooks (using a plug-in from Quickbooks).

-On the other hand, how much does the organization want the ticketing system to behave like a database? PatronTechnology, for example, behaves like a ticketing system-database-email/marketing hybrid.

-What kinds of peripherals (ticketing printer, credit card swipers) would we need to purchase? Can we reuse the ones we already have? Can we operate the system without printing tickets?

When looking for a ticketing system, it’s not necessarily about which system is the best overall, but which system is the best fit for the organization. After all, the needs of a 15,000-seat venue are often different from that of one with only 15.

-Adrienne