Ovations' Kraig Pomrenke and Jenny Pollock from Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta lead the food and beverage break out. (VT Photo)
REPORTING FROM SAN FRANCISCO — There are far too many aspects to enhance the theater experience for just one conversation. That was the thinking behind the PAMC Theatre Goer Experience panel at International Association of Venue Managers' Performing Arts Managers Conference. During the session, panelists divided into smaller roundtables with the audience focused around specific topics, giving attendees a chance to impact the discussion. In this divide and conquer approach, attendees brainstormed solutions to problems found at many facilities.
Each panelist and their group focused on solving a problems common in the performing arts, from inproving the guest experience in an aging facility to keeping guests at a facility for a full experience that includes dining. They also focused on driving attendees up the loyalty ladder, keeping season-ticketholders engaged, and creating parking plans within a city center.
GUEST EXPERIENCE IN AGING FACILITIES
Adina Erwin of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta said that theaters and performing arts centers could increase the guest experience in aging facilities by creating VIP space. Her brainstorming group recommended to “have some type of membership program that has opportunities from a tier perspective to be able to engage with different levels of patrons by offering them things from valet parking to special experiences; it’s not just amenities like food and beverage, but access to spaces with a tour guide or some other access to performers — spaces and experiences they normally wouldn’t be able to get into,” she said.
In addition to a tiered membership idea, it may also be beneficial to have a tiered space program. If a facility has unused space, there may be a chance to create premium opportunities on an event-by-event basis.
“If you have multiple spaces you might be able to use those from a tiered perspective with an upcharge,” she added. “It’s about creating revenue streams using different types of amenities to spread out the benefit.”
Additional, relatively small improvements could include widening sections in certain seats or adding cup holders to create premium seating spaces.
ENGAGING WITH VIPS
Alexis Lustbader of AT&T Park in San Francisco said that one of the challenges many venues face is having empty VIP space.
How can facilities include loyalty members to help with that problem?
“Maybe we could provide them an opportunity to upgrade their current seats to something better,” said Lustbader. “That way, they can have an opportunity to see a space that they may want to upgrade to in the future — you might be able to turn that into an upsell later on.”
Another way to make loyalty members or VIPs feel special is to provide them with a separate entrance. Small, but potentially time consuming, details make guests feel special, such as putting a personalized note or bottle of water in their seats.
“Give them that personal touch,” she added.
EASING THE PARKING CRUNCH
Max Long from Denver Performing Arts Complex took the lead when it comes to creating parking plans. He previously worked at AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, which has the largest contiguous arts district in the nation, creating a problem with valet parking.
“The issue is with people who want to do extracurricular activities after the show,” said Long, adding that attendees will walk a couple blocks to get drinks after a show and by the time they return to the center, valet parking has long since been closed. They discovered a service called SMS Valet, a texting service that will help coordinate the dropoff and pickup of vehicles from valet, though he cautioned that it took five years to work out.
The group also discussed parking on a university campus, especially when there are concurrent events at multiple facilities.
“There are ways that you can help alleviate that crunch,” said Long, listing shuttles, promoting public transit and finding off-site parking locations as potential options.
Etix’s Dennis Scanlon leads a group in discussion. (VT Photo)
CLIMBING UP THE LOYALTY LADDER
Etix’s Dennis Scanlon provided statistics regarding the importance of loyalty programs to help facilities learn more about all of their attendees.
He said that 20 percent of buyers who are the most loyal customers bring in 80 percent of the revenue for a facility, and that revenue represents the most profitable dollars.
“There’s a reason for that,” Scanlon said. “They become our advocates and our communities, and are loyal to us.”
The casual ticket buyer purchases about three tickets, so systems collect information on that single purchaser, not necessarily the two people who join them.
“We’re only conditioned to dealing with the person who’s actually bought the tickets, not the people who used the tickets,” he added. Mobile technology and social media can help facilities further get to know the patrons who actually use the tickets though they aren’t the actual purchaser.
The ability to say ‘thank you’ to the consumer is also important, with Etix’s ‘thank you’ emails that go out 12 hours after a ticket is scanned, drawing a 30-percent conversion rate.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE BOTTOM LINE
Facility operators and concessionaires would both benefit from bringing the guest in early to have a meal as opposed to the guest eating off-site. Jenny Pollock from Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta and Kraig Pomrenke of Ovations Food Services led a session that asked how facilities keep customers at the building for a full-night experience, not just the show itself.
Pollock is looking to implement both dynamic menus and dynamic pricing, both of which benefit from digital menu boards.
“It’s about changing the menu and changing pricing based on the audience and demographics,” she said. “Based on the show and the audience we have, what do we serve them and what’s the right price point?”
“We have diverse crowds in the building with ballet, opera, rock shows and comedians,” Pollock added. “The ballet crowd isn’t going to want to eat the same food as the group going to a rock show that’s going to have five beers.”
Pomrenke said that adaptable menus are more possible today than they were in previous years because facilities can purchase food orders more specifically to events instead of ordering large drop sizes.
“If you have a full kitchen that you can tap into, you can make things situational,” he said. “That’s the nice thing about today’s catering world — you’re not stuck in those cookie-cutter menus all the time. Let’s make sure we match up the menu to the crowd that’s coming.”
Dave Woodman of Aramark at Portland’5 Centers for the Arts in Oregon said that the venue has had success in bringing people to the facility early for dinner by offering a preshow buffet.
“It’s inexpensive enough to be comparable to anything people would spend at a restaurant ($25) and we market it as ‘park your car once and then you’re there,’” he said. They don’t presell tickets, but do take reservations.
THE TAKEAWAY
Engaging such a diverse group of participants led to some very unique ideas and responses. Still, most seem to have a common thread: Think of the audience member as an individual and make them feel special. Whether it’s leaving a personalized touch on their seat or giving them food and beverage opportunities that are dynamic and appealing, patrons will be more loyal to an organization if they feel like that organization is loyal to and interested in them in particular.
Interviewed for this story: Adina Erwin, (404) 881-2116; Max Long, (303) 893-4000; Alexis Lustbader, (415) 972-2000; Jennifer Pollock, (770) 916-2800; Kraig Pomrenke, (813) 909-2178; Dennis Scanlon, (919) 780-8086; Dave Woodman, (604) 484-4615