Case Study: Selecting a New Ticketing System IAAPA 2007

1. Case Study: Selecting a New Ticketing System IAAPA 2007

2. Denver Museum of Nature & Science • 104 years old • One of the top 5 natural history museums in North America • Rocky Mountain region’s leading resource for informal science education • Serves 1.5 million visitors/year • 1 million artifacts

3. Case StudyDenver Museum of Nature & ScienceThe RFP Process: …and the role it played in helping us select our new ticketing system. It didn’t…..! MaryAnn Stack Director, Technology Development

4. Case StudyDenver Museum of Nature & Science Why and how we selected and implemented a new ticketing system in less time than it takes to complete the traditional RFP process. MaryAnn Stack Director, Technology Development

5. Case StudyDenver Museum of Nature & Science Me & the 800 lb. Gorilla MaryAnn Stack Director, Technology Development

6. Primary Drivers for New Ticketing System • Online ticketing • Self-service kiosks • Connectivity to existing systems • Improved reliability at POS • Access to data Objective: Be prepared for an upcoming traveling exhibit that we knew would overtax our current system.

7. Original Implementation Plan • Total Project - 12 months • Evaluation/RFP - 4 months • Selection - 1 month • Implementation - 6 months • Final Testing - 1 month

8. Change of Plans – Timeline Gets Shorter Exhibit Opening Date moved forward 7 months Opportunity for Museum Increased attendance in Spring Art Museum Opening in Fall Now realize that we have only 3.5 months Result of new contractual requirements for advance ticket sales

9. Plans Change – Timeline Gets Shorter(the gorilla is born) SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG Original Schedule Revised Schedule

10. Quick Review of our Requirements • On-Line Ticketing • Timed ticketing • Multiple venues • Kiosk capabilities • Ticket fulfillment • Timed ticketing • Ticket purchase • Member purchase • Better reliability at POS • Open database • Reporting options • Enterprise integration

11. Basic Economics Economic driver: on-line fees Expected 500,000 on-line transactions 5-month period Option A: 3rd party on-line vendor Cost: $1,000,000 @ $2 Fees paid by purchaser Option B: Buy/Own DMNS revenue: $1,000,000 800 lb. gorilla

12. Options Considered • Stay with current POS system • Contract 3rd party on-line service • Purchase & implement new system Requirement: On-line ticketing in 3.5 months

13. Decision to Purchase System • Implement in 3.5 months • Use on-line revenue to fund new system purchase • Gain new capabilities • Generate revenue for other Museum programs • Allow option to lower transaction fees to members in the future • Generate incremental revenue from future exhibits

14. Contingency Plan • Use existing POS system • Contact 3rd party on-line vendor • Defined drop dead date for implementation • Developed contingency implementation plan

15. Selection Process • No time for RFP • Contacted knowledgeable consultant • Narrowed options based on primary requirements • On-line capabilities • No service fees • Identified single Vendor that matched primary requirements • Evaluated system capabilities against requirements

16. Contacted References Contacted multiple references Identified one organization that had nearly identical needs to ours Recently completed an Evaluation and Selection Process Cooperative and Collaborative Completed an Onsite visit with team Dir Technology Dev Controller Mgr of Visitor Services

17. Requirements Evaluation Matrix Existing Proposed • Reliable/proven POS………...…………………… -- + • On-line ticketing…………………………………… -- + • School group reservations……………………….. + -- • Self-serve kiosks…………………………………... -- + • Resource management…………………………... + -- • Financial reporting………………………………… + +/-- • Open architecture…………………………………. -- + • Database access…………………………………… -- + • References…………………………………………. -- + • Connectivity to membership……………………… -- + • Vendor support……………………………………... -- + • Vendor commitment to culturals………………….. -- + • Retail and Food Service options………………….. -- +

18. Identified How to Compensate for Deficiencies • School group reservations • Leave in existing system • Allocate capacity between new & existing • Work with new vendor to add capability • Financial Reporting • Dedicated a developer to produce required reports

19. Implementation Team

20. Implementation • New system for general public and member ticketing only • Vendor Hosted Webstore • Will Call pickup for all advance sales • Tear-Off tickets for exhibit entry control • DMNS applications for membership needs • MS-SQL Server Reporting Services

21. Implementation Schedule SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG Webstore Go-Live Eval / Buy Online Help Support Train / Install POS & OE Go-Live Will Call Kiosks Go-Live SQL Reporting Svcs Body Worlds 2

22. HUGE SUCCESS !!BodyWorlds 2 Exhibit TOP DAY on the Webstore $204,630 • March 10th thru July 23rd, 2006 • 680,000+ visitors to the exhibit • 1 million plus visitors to the website • 300,000+ visitors to the Webstore • 50% of ticket sales on Webstore Transaction Fee Paid for New Ticketing Systems

23. Challenges 800 lb. gorilla 800 lb. gorilla

24. Challenges Selling the same event through two ticketing systems Setting up configuration – hardware and software Selling high volume of timed events Fulfilling reporting requirements Moving into eCommerce Unplanned Power Outages

25. Since the Original Implementation…we’ve added • Automatic capacity management between old and new system • Implemented self-serve purchase kiosks • Offered members on-line ticketing with No Transaction Fees • Implemented ‘Real Time’ Event Availability on website and digital signage at Admissions • Completed connection to our Membership database

26. SummaryWhy and how we selected and implemented a ticketing system in less time than it takes to complete a typical RFP process. • The right time. • The right friends. • The right team. 800 lb. gorilla

27. Thanks MaryAnn StackDirector of Technology Developmentmstack@dmns.org