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EDINBURGH-BASED SCOTTISH CONNECTIONS IS DISPENSING TICKETING GENIUS WITH THE SMARTEST

BOX OFFICE SET-UP AROUND - THE WEMBLEY TICKETING

SYSTEM.

The arts and entertainments industry is reaping the benefits of the information age with the introduction of a state-of-the-art ticketing system making it easier to put bums on seats. Using Microsoft Windows 95, which is fast becoming the industry standard, Wembley lnternational’s Wembley Ticketing System (WTS) software is now used internationally. Some of Scotland’s biggest ticket vendors. including major- league Fringe venue Assemny Theatre. Gilded too. Balloon (leading Fringe venue and all-year-round comedy promoters) and World League Of American Football’s Edinburgh-based local heroes The Scottish Claymores, have opted for the system. ’It’s fast, efficient and extremely user-friendly,’ says the Gilded Balloon, which ushered 100,000 people through its doors at last year’s Fringe.

WTS is distributed by ticketing industry professionals Scottish Connections. It is PC-based with an easy-to-use Windows 95 based interface combining speed and reliability with a massive capacity that can handle data for all from the smallest auditoriums to a 67,000 seater stadium like Murrayfield. home of the Scottish Claymores (and over 80,000 seats at Wembley Stadium). Graphic User Interface advanced technology makes life easy by allowing all aspects of processing a sale from choosing a seat to booking it to be contained within a single screen. Colour coding of ticket prices on customised seating plans allows operators to assess ticket

Gilded 33 Donna “c232,”! Presents

availability at a glance - essential for football teams and arts venues alike. The complete transaction planning, paying for and printing tickets is over in seconds. Good news for operators, and customers

The beauty of all this is it can be done entirely in- house. World League Of American Football installed The Scottish Claymores celebrate their 1996 "Odd Ml victory WTS for the Claymores and

London Monarchs in November 1996. ‘It’s excellent,’ says Stephen Auty, Vice-

President, Sales and Marketing Europe.

‘Before we were using outside [ticket]

agencies. Now we’ve brought everything in- house we have far greater control over our selling process. And we’re able to provide a ' better service for customers as we’re building up a personal relationship with them. We can be a lot more flexible - giving them very specific advice on where they want to sit.’ Essential for devoted fans for whom getting favourite seats can be as important as a home win for the team.

Assembly Theatre, which had over 194,000 tickets on sale over a period of three weeks at last year’s Fringe, has been equally impressed

by the performance of WTS. ‘lt streamlined and

speeded up an extremely complex box-office set- up,’ says Assembly Theatre General Manager, Mary Shields. ‘The system is incredibly user-friendly and

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its ability to organise and manipulate information revolutionised the Festival experience for public and promoters alike.’

Another attractive aspect of this smart little system is its ability to transform information gathered at the point of sale into a powerful marketing tool. Details collected when tickets are bought, are downloaded into Microsoft Access. giving a permanent database of bookers and an instant customer profile. For World League’s Stephen Auty it’s this that puts WTS head and shoulders above the rest.

‘The system we used before provided information,’ he says. ‘But WTS gives you so much more information - from names and addresses to where customers saw our advert.’ Previously the World League had to wait before figures were bounced back to them. ‘The advantage with this system is that it happens in real time,’ Auty comments, ‘allowing us to be more reactive and proactive with customers. If they have a query we just key in their postcode, pull up their details and deal with it there and then.’ (Ellie Carr)

GILDED BALL

BRUCE MORTON

Stirling Tolbooth Wednesday 19th February 8.00pm Rothes Halls, Glenrothes Thursday 20th February 8.30pm Dundee Rep Theatre Friday 21st February 10.45pm Aberdeen Arts Centre Saturday 22nd February 9.30pm The Tron Theatre, Glasgow Sunday 23rd February 9.00pm

BILL BAILEY

Queen's Hall, Edinburgh Saturday 1st March 8.000m The Tron Theatre, Glasgow Sunday 2nd March 9.00pm St Andrews Student Union Monday 3rd March 9.00pm The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen Tuesday 4th March 10.000m Stirling Tolbooth Wednesday 5th March 8.00pm

East Kilbride Arts Centre Thursday 6th March 8.00pm

DYLAN MORAN

St Andrews Student Union Tuesday 18th March 9.00pm Stirling Tolbooth Wednesday 19th March 8.00pm

Rothes Halls, Glenrothes Thursday 20th March 8.30pm

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen Friday let March 10.00pm

The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Saturday 22nd March 9.00pm The Tron Theatre, Glasgow Sunday 23rd March 9.00pm

DONNA MCPHAIL

Rothes Halls, Glenrothes Friday 9th May 8.30pm

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen Sunday 1 1th May 10.00pm Paisley Arts Centre Monday 12th May 8.00pm

Albert Halls, Stirling Tuesday 13th May 8.00pm Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Wednesday 14th May 8.00pm Perth Theatre Thursday 15th May time 7.30pm Dundee Rep Theatre Friday 16th May 10.45pm

THE GILDED BALLOON MAILING LIST, 233 COWGATE, EDINBURGH

TEL 0|3I 226 6550

TOTAL ACTION

ARE YOU READY?

The World Bowl Champions, The Scottish Claymores start the defence of their crown on April 13th. The Scottish Claymores experience is more than just American Football, it is a whole afternoon of entertainment, live music and sport at Murrayfield - American Style. Season Tickets available from just £15 (plus booking fee) - Simply call FREEPHONE 0500 35 35 35 to order:

CLAYMORES AT MURRAYI'IELD

Sunday 20 April

vs. Barcelona Dragons

Sunday 21 April

vs. Rhein Fire

Sunday 18 May

vs. Amsterdam Admirals

Sunday 1 June

vs. Frankfurt Galaxy

Sunday 8 June

vs. London Monarchs

All games kick off at 3pm. Party

starts at Noon.

FREEPHONE 0500 35 35 35

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ASSEMBLY

GILDED BALLC39N

PLEASANCB The essence of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Join our mailing list

0131-226 5992

Onlg 201 shopping dogs to the festival!

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For more information about Wembley Ticketing System contact

Scottish Connections

FREEPHONE 0800 163 338

Fax 0131 555 4993 E.Mail

101354.2546@compuserve.com

The List 24 Jan-6 Feb 1997 31