A ticket coordinator plays a vital role in managing and coordinating ticket sales and distribution for concerts, sporting events, theater performances, and other live entertainment events. Some of the key responsibilities of a ticket coordinator include:
Managing Ticket Inventory
One of the main jobs of a ticket coordinator is to manage the entire ticket inventory for an event. This includes:
- Forecasting ticket sales and demand to determine how many tickets should be made available for different seating sections or ticket price levels.
- Setting up the ticketing system and configuring the number of tickets available in each section or price level.
- Monitoring ticket sales and adjusting availability as needed. For example, releasing more discounted tickets if sales are slow or holding back premium tickets if demand is high.
- Communicating inventory numbers and sales data to relevant team members like marketing, promotions, and box office staff.
Coordinating Ticket Distribution
Ticket coordinators are also responsible for managing how and where tickets are sold. This includes:
- Working with marketing and promotions team to determine best channels for ticket sales – online, phone, box office, third-party vendors etc.
- Setting up ticketing accounts with various distribution channels and ensuring integration with the main ticketing system.
- Negotiating commission rates and payment procedures with third-party ticket sellers.
- Developing sales strategies and pricing models for different distribution channels.
- Ensuring prompt delivery of tickets to customers who purchased via third parties.
Managing Seating and Inventory in Venue
At the venue, the ticket coordinator handles:
- Creating seating manifests and mapping out the venue floor plan within the ticketing system.
- Configuring ticket sections, categories, and price levels in the system.
- Reserving seats for VIPs, press, and production holds.
- Coordinating seat kills or holds for stages, equipment, and production elements that impact seating capacity.
- Monitoring and managing ticket holds, complimentary tickets, and customer seating requests.
Coordinating Ticketing Operations
Day-to-day ticketing operations are also handled by the ticket coordinator including:
- Training box office staff on using the ticketing system and inventory management best practices.
- Monitoring sales activity and pulling reports on ticket sales, availability, and other metrics.
- Troubleshooting issues with online, phone, or walk-up ticket sales.
- Processing ticket orders and coordinating will call and box office distribution.
- Fielding customer inquiries about tickets, seating, pricing, discounts, etc.
Implementing Ticketing Policies
The ticket coordinator is responsible for developing, implementing and enforcing ticketing policies such as:
- Setting ticket limits for number that can be purchased per transaction.
- Establishing refund, exchange, upgrade, and other ticket policies.
- Determining practices for replacing lost, stolen or damaged tickets.
- Setting up discount and promotional offers along with qualifying criteria.
- Defining practices for handling season tickets, loyalty programs, and subscriptions.
Financial Reconciliation
There are also important accounting aspects to the ticket coordinator role including:
- Ensuring all distribution channels and ticketing outlets make timely payments.
- Running audit reports and reconciling ticket revenue accounts.
- Processing refunds and other exchanges per established policies.
- Providing ticket sales reports and audited financial data to accounting department.
Managing Ticketing Team
Larger venues and organizations may have dedicated ticketing teams or departments. The ticket coordinator is then responsible for:
- Recruiting, hiring, training, and managing ticket operations staff.
- Developing processes and procedures for all ticketing functions.
- Monitoring workload, creating schedules, and assigning responsibilities.
- Evaluating ticketing systems and tools and upgrading when needed.
- Setting and monitoring ticketing budget.
Key Skills and Qualifications
To be successful as a ticket coordinator, the following skills and qualifications are beneficial:
- Detail-oriented – Strong organizational skills and aptitude for detail is critical when managing large ticket inventories and complex distribution channels.
- Analytical – Must be able to analyze ticket sales data, trends, and metrics in order to adjust inventory and distribution strategies.
- Tech-savvy – Proficiency with ticketing platforms and ability to identify and implement system upgrades and integration is needed.
- Interpersonal skills – Ability to collaborate with a diverse cross-functional team including sales, finance, marketing, and venue/event operations.
- Customer service skills – Providing prompt, accurate assistance to customers regarding all ticketing issues and inquiries.
- Multitasking – Must be able to effectively balance high volume tasks, complex system data, and evolving event needs.
Conclusion
A skilled ticket coordinator is indispensable for ensuring smooth, accurate, and customer-friendly ticketing processes. They oversee the entire ticketing operation, from initial inventory setup to final financial reconciliation. Strong analytics, technical abilities, and customer service skills allow ticket coordinators to create an optimal ticket buying experience that maximizes sales revenue and customer satisfaction.