Once a ticket has been sold and the revenue collected, then what difference does it make if the ticket holder shows up to the event or not? How No-Shows Are Harmful to Venues
Missed revenue opportunities:
If up to 10% of seats go unused for popular events, there is an opportunity for the seats to be resold to patrons who have a high level of interest in an event, but weren’t able to attend due to price or availability. There is also an incremental loss on in-event sales such as food, beverages, merchandise, etc.
Perception of venue:
When there are empty seats and sections at an event, it does not go unnoticed by the audience. If the event is broadcasted, viewers at home can see the bare sections, which inherently sullies their opinion of the event and venue.
Perception of teams and talent:
Just as the audience’s awareness of the event itself is affected, that consciousness is then passed onto the team, talent or company. Many popular tours only choose the largest, fullest, most enthusiastic venues at which to perform. If they aren’t playing for a capacity crowd it may leave them with a negative impression, consequently decreasing the likelihood of returning.
How Are No-Shows Harmful to Customer Experience?
Patrons attending event:
When a fan purchases a ticket to a live event, they don’t always get their ideal seat or section. If they wait too long or don’t have the appropriate funds, they may have to settle for a less desirable seat. Alternatively, if they are looking for a group of seats together, they may not have luck in securing seats in the same row. Once in the event, if the seats or sections that were previously unavailable appear sparse or empty, it can result in frustration.
Lost customers:
Some customers may not find the seats they’re looking for, the right price or any availability at all. Although they may not be at the event to observe the large number of empty seats, these customers are lost for the specific event and possibly future events as well.
SeatCycle is a new venture, backed by TicketFire and FutureTix, that is setting out to provide a solution to alleviate no-show issues. SeatCycle’s innovative technology uses a combination of predictive analytics and proactive communication tools to identify no-show patrons in advance, allowing venues to prepare and plan for vacant seats and maximize seating arrangements before and immediately after the start of an event. In subsequent posts we will explore the methodology applied by SeatCycle that ultimately drives the technology.