A ticket to change

Ticketwindow teaches classic venues new tricks to transform

Photo: Paul Rivard of Ticketwindow

(FROM TECHALLIANCE) Live entertainment looks different these days. For so many eager eventgoers and the crews of specialized talent that power them, disruptions to the landscape have resulted in uncertainty for the future.

But after several months of severe limitations to social gatherings, forward-thinking venues, performers and event organizers are embracing a stage-gated reopening in pursuit of stimulating the economy and bringing joy back to the people.

Paul Rivard has been building software solutions company Ticketwindow for over 15 years, and he’s certainly no stranger to innovating in the face of doubt. Having begun their journey even when skepticism about internet shopping steered customers’ buying decisions away from digital, Rivard has always been determined that technology would provide convenient and creative solutions vital to the evolution of the industry.

Up until March of this year, events of all shapes and sizes — from concerts to sporting events, festivals and airshows — depended on Ticketwindow to present sophisticated technology solutions to help them manage sales, streamline marketing efforts, track incoming patrons and take full control over their events. But when the crowds stopped, the team immediately went to work on what would come next.

“We have this great technology, and we’ve spent the past five months figuring out how to pivot,” reflects Rivard. Recognizing that there were still opportunities to gather under social distancing guidelines, he knew that their technology could lend itself to more than ticket sales alone.

Physical ticketing has become strongly discouraged amid Covid-19, and Rivard anticipates that mobile ticketing will continue to rise. As a result, increased data points from advanced purchases and reserved seating make way for contact tracing, distancing compliance and all-around safer events.

One of the most exciting discoveries has been witnessing ingenuity come alive in event entrepreneurs with drive — literally. Pairing Ticketwindow’s transformative technology to manage incoming patrons, with the large, open-air spaces that outdoor venues afford, crowds can be sectioned off by vehicle and remain safer within their existing bubbles.

Event organizers like Oxford Drive-In and Airshow London have already stepped into special opportunities to create out-of-the-box solutions.

Recently, Ticketwindow shared the release of a new live entertainment series with the Oxford Drive-In. Their Picks & Flicks Drive-In Concert Series begins Sunday, August 23, and is being touted as an opportunity to reignite the live music flame, then cool down with a feature film.

For Airshow London’s 2020 revamped event on September 11-12, Ticketwindow has been involved in helping create this new experience.

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“Ticketwindow has worked with the airshow for the past few years, and this year, we all had to make the pivot, the whole organization, to transform and recreate the airshow as a completely different show and different brand: SkyDrive,” explains Rivard. “We’ve made it easier to purchase tickets online or through the call centre since it’s advanced tickets only, we’re improving online communications, and we’ve helped with crowd logistics and admissions, which will be very different this year.”

“Ticketwindow is a great partner, and has enhanced our ability to move the Airshow to a Drive-in event due to their ability to customize our ticketing software,” adds Holly Doty, executive director of Airshow London. “Covid has certainly impacted how we plan to provide an event in a safe way to our fans. Ticketwindow innovation is how we got there.”

“I’ve been so excited to work with Paul over the past few months,” says Rachel Ettinger, strategic advisor with TechAlliance’s Venture Growth & Corporate Innovation. “With Covid affecting many businesses, especially Ticketwindow, it was so cool to see Paul pivot so quickly. We were throwing ideas around back in April and Paul was able to focus on being innovative and serving customers in a new, safe way.”

“Our company has always provided support when most online ticket companies don’t,” says Rivard. Particularly in a landscape where cancellations and refunds are at an all-time high, it’s this dedication to industries and attendees that continues to fuel his mission. “Now are the days we should all support Canadians and locals.” Article by Christine Rathbone, Content Management Specialist, TechAlliance.