Clappit Podcast - 06 - How to set up the ticket office and access control in the venue

Version textual of the podcast

Good morning, good morning to all from Clappit, happy Tuesday and welcome back to the appointment with podcasts dedicated to event organizers regarding ticketing.
Today a very important topic, we go "on the field", because we'll talk about how to set up the ticket office at the venue.

The ticket office and, of course, also the access control. We will soon review all the points to follow in order to have a good preparation for the opening of the event, to choose where it is better to position the access control, where to place the print stations of the tickets, in short, to ensure that everything proceeds as quickly and safely as possible and above all for the entry of the participants to the event.

The first good habit is to make an inspection on the venue, usually it is done the day before the event because this is the window, the availability that an organizer usually has, so we evaluate the WiFi signal strength, yes sees where to place the access control, it is evaluated where it is better to position also the printers for the sale of the tickets.

This check, this check is clearly made to then arrive the day after with the material and be quick, and quick to install everything you need, and then do tests on the day of the event just before opening. This at least is what we do at Clappit, but we strongly recommend all organizers to request this.

From the organizer's point of view, all these steps are important because they allow it to better understand the disposition of those who come to do the checks and the installation.
So it will have to put the ticket office in contact with the venue manager for details, passwords, all the WiFi settings. We remember it must be dedicated WiFi, to avoid being used for the public because otherwise, the risk of having slowdowns is very high, so a dedicated and of course protected, WiFi line for ticketing is absolutely important.

So in addition to the availability of WiFi, the organizer will also have to worry about indicating the points where logistically it thought of arranging the ticket offices, therefore, there must be trivially some sockets. Now let's see in the practical act what we do when we arrive with our material at the venue point by point.
So, detail for the events that didn't reach the sold-out in the pre-sale phase, it is necessary to get also some printers and bring a sufficient number of tickets, sufficient to allow to sold-out, to sell everything and to cover any ticket needs.

The organizer said, usually, he already has in mind where to place the post, or the venue already has a place, a space dedicated to the ticket office so you will have to assess any need for the event of the organizer, which clearly include the sales stations, cash desk, but also a space always in the checkout area, for picking up any paid ticket reservations or any voucher or credit withdrawals.

Once we have met all these requirements we can finally set up our cash desks which are made up of a small, portable PC, because the spaces in the ticket offices, in the box office are never excessive. So it's a laptop both touchscreen still also equipped with a keyboard for maximum speed, comfort for operators.

The changeover drawer is usually supplied by the organizer, in addition to the portable PC, there is clearly the need to connect the printer. A printer for paper tickets, we at Clappit use the Boca printers, printers suitable, certified, very fast.

Once we have connected all the cables we can turn on both PC and printer, open our Clappit Box Office application and after correctly inserting the stack of tickets in the printer we can proceed to make press proofs.

Once the print tests have given a positive result, we can proceed to the activation of the access control, all of the stations that are formed, remember it. From a Bluetooth reader of QR Code or barcodes, the classical reader, with an Android smartphone, the connection takes place with the Bluetooth.

All mobile phones are connected, activated, WiFi must be clearly connected and test readings are made to check that everything is read correctly.
Not only that, for example, it can happen that you have gates dedicated to access control in a building, so when I want to enter a sector, because logistically you must take a specific path to get to that place, as we anticipated in the first podcast dedicated to access control, I must be sure that this, check that the station that will be placed in that gate, in that input, is correct with the type of sector that is set.

When all the checks on access control have been successfully completed, basically we are ready to open.

The only aspect that is missing is the training of the staff of eventual hostesses or security staff. Now it depends on the location, from the type of event, however, the organizer will always put at the disposal the hostesses, and the security personnel to carry out the access control. It then explains to the staff what tools we use, what is the positive signal tone, the negative signal, what comes out, what appears, what is displayed on the Clappit access control app monitor, and then how to quickly understand that the title, the ticket read is correct rather than is, wrong, or that has already been read, or as we said before, must access from another gate because of another sector.

Here are all these situations, in reality very simple, but with the emphasis, the emotions of the opening of the go-live, it can give some problems, to those who may not be experts, it is the first time that makes of security services or hostess.

In addition to access control, staff will also have to be instructed on how to use the box office application, to sell tickets directly to the event, so once the cash desk staff has been properly prepared we are ready to have fun with this exciting time which is the opening of the gates.

The entrance of the spectators, the most loyal, the hottest fans, are those who are always waiting first for the gates opening and therefore we wait for the official "go" of the organizer, of the manager, to make the guests sit down.

Here these are the points, the fundamental points, the fundamental aspects that must be followed for correct installation, configuration, test and check of cash desk and access control.

Clearly, there are a whole series of peculiarities, details, but they are addressed, then gradually during the event. It would go too far in the specific, maybe we will one day, we will make a list of all the cases that may occur during a sale, a ticket printing or access control.

We will certainly do that, but today I would say that information, as always, are many and sufficient. Next week's appointment is on Tuesday, with a topic that is particularly close to our heart.

So we will talk about Full Ticketing, we will talk about our methodology, how to go beyond the ticket. Because in our mind and, all the events prove it, the ticket alone in itself is not enough anymore, we must go further, we must do more, we will explain how and then we will understand how to enhance the event in this new ticketing vision, for now, I send you a big greeting. The appointment is on next Tuesday, bye bye, by Stefano and Clappit.

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