I love this article about working in a box office.

An Ode to Ticketing Professionals

The ticketing staff is a core part of the patron’s experience.  From the moment a potential patron contacts the theater by phone or email, it is often ticketing that responds and sets the tone of the patron’s experience.  In fact, that staff member may be the only one a patron interacts with.

Theaters depend on the ticketing staff to answer questions about the history of the organization, current programs and awards, and the theater’s position on controversial issues that the choice of programming has presented.  Not to mention knowing the basics like what shows are coming up, what are the sightlines like from each seat, which restaurants to recommend, and directing patrons to the restroom or nearest ATM.  Successful ticketing staff members know how to do all of these things, and often have the responsibility of keeping the rest of the front of house running smoothly at the same time.  At show time they are resolving multiple issues as they occur and possibly assisting upset patrons.

“Ticketing is easy.”  “You JUST work in the box office.”  These phrases don’t reflect reality.  Ticketing is a skill that needs to be learned.  Not only does a ticketer sell tickets, they also problem solve in the moment and represent the organization on a daily basis.

“The ticket office is the barometer of any organization or venue. They are the heartbeat ― the mysterious ‘I don’t know what they do in there, but they seem to always know the answers. …The nobility of our business springs from this mystery.” 

–Maureen Anderson, President of INTIX