Version 12 of Tessitura Software is the biggest release in company history, so big in fact, the Tessitura Network has released it in phases so users can jump on the v12 release cycle when it best fits their business needs with the release functionality. It is being released to the user community in three major phases over a period of 14 months and continues the comprehensive ongoing technology updates that are key to the Network mission.
Version 12.0
The first section of Version 12 came out in December 2013 and focused on four main components as well as “Tessitura On the Go.” New Moves Management capabilities track the entire donor giving cycle, streamlining the fundraising process and enabling flexible portfolio views of progress and assignments. The company indicated this was designed based on many user focus groups to envision fundraising capabilities of their dreams. While Tessitura was originally launched with fundraising equally important and as strong in capabilities as CRM and ticketing, company claims are that this re-envisions the process at a level that truly leads the industry.
“We redid Moves Manager in Version 12 including how to move people through the fundraising funnel and to be able to manage the portfolio of the owner,” said Chuck Reif, Tessitura Senior VP Development.
Communication Management enahncements, also always strong, allow clients to interact with their patrons based on their traits and preferences in even more intuitive and flexible ways.
Tessitura On the Go is the ability to take CRM and reporting with you for use on mobile devices anywhere. Thus, the ability to look up key patron information, check fundraising campaign progress, see key performance indicators and much more can take place when and where needed via a browser.
Version 12.1
The latest release as part of Version 12 went live in June, with Quick Sale and N-Scan 6.0 standing out as major changes. Tessitura was always quick with transactions possible in under 8 seconds, but with the world going graphical, user envisioning took place to design a revolutionary graphical sales process with easy and flexible configuration for in-house sellers. Quick Sale was initially inspired by the needs of Tessitura’s museum clients, allowing for a streamlined check-in process, but now has spread rapidly across the multiple arts and cultural sectors that Tessitura serves.
“N-Scan, the Access Control system for ticket scanning, attendance tracking, and front-of-house service with Tessitura has been rewritten to release with v12. Part of 12.1 is the ability to have ‘composite tickets’ — or multiple tickets on a single barcode, such as a museum admission, a timed entry to the IMAX show, a specific special exhibit entry time, and a headset for example — so N-Scan supports that,” said Reif. One ticket can be used for all the different entry points or other items thus saving time, paper and potential service issues. Also now, with large groups or classrooms, rather than having to check in each person individually, venues will be able to admit the whole group with one scan, saving time and headaches.
Version 12.5
The final component of Version 12 will roll out in late 2014. The biggest feature incorporates enhanced pricing and messaging rules, with the Network taking user feedback to create six different rules types. For instance, the seat volume sample rule could apply a discount if a patron buys a certain number of tickets.
“Then messaging is added,” said Reif. “You can make a rule that if someone buys one less than the amount of tickets for the discount rule to apply, you can deliver the message that ‘if you buy one more, you’ll get 10 percent off the whole order.’” Reif added that “this was always possible online, but required some extra coding. Now it is automated along with the other revenue enhancing rules.”
Other payment features will include the tokenization of credit cards, where Tessitura integrated payment providers will store in PCI PA-DSS certified facilities representations of credit card information for users in the form of tokens, thus further reducing security risks and making PCI compliance easier for the merchant.
Also, given the demand for concierge type service and ability to take the box out of the box office and put it in the hands of roving service agents, the Network will release Tessitura Roving Box Office (TRBO). It allows the box office to become mobile through use of a tablet.
TN Express Web
TN Express Web is the economical and flexible transactional service that ties websites to client Tessitura databases. “It is low cost, flexible, white label so that only the client brand is highlighted, and continually updated,” said Kristin Darrow, VP Internet Strategy who said that one of the biggest releases of the year was TNEW Version 5.
Version 5 added things like guest checkout and introducing a shopping cart on non-Tessitura-integrated pages that didn’t traditionally include a shopping cart. There’s a new feature called single sign-on that allows external developers to use the TNEW platform and add their own custom experience.
“TN Express Web is something we initially built to lower the barrier of entry of web development, but now it’s becoming the platform that most people use,” said Reif.
Web and mobile are growing, with around 48 percent of the Network’s users implementing at least one of Tessitura’s web products.
Darrow also touched on TN Mobile Plus Version 2, with its ‘At the Event’ functionality and barcode delivery. Looking forward, Darrow sees the use of social networking for ticket sales growing. Tessitura has a Facebook-integrated transaction path, allowing patrons to purchase tickets through Tessitura without ever leaving the social networking site.
“It’s built really in order to facilitate that friend-sharing of information,” said Darrow, who added that customers can see exactly where their friends are sitting and purchase their own individual tickets.