Expian develops new ticketing solution

Technology reduces roll out time of new ticketing platforms

Ticketing specialists at Expian have developed a web-based solution which they say will allow them to build platforms for large-scale operators ‘in record-breaking time’.

Expian says its teams can now develop market-ready ticketing platforms for attractions, event organisers and ferry operators ‘within months, rather than years’.

The group says today’s consumers ‘expect seamless online booking’ with personalised upgrades and the ability to quickly modify bookings as standard. Yet it believes many attractions, events and ferry operators ‘drag their heels’ over the digital transformation required.

Expian’s ‘Ticketing without limits’ approach, aims to unlock revenue generation from upgrades, personalised experiences and extras while managing ticketing across time slots, variable pricing and multiple venues.

Chief executive Yiannis Maglaras said: “Deliberation, disruption and downtime are the most common reasons for delay to digital transformation.

“Ticketing is the prime revenue generator for attractions and event organisers yet concern over the length of time and team involvement it takes to design and implement prevents operators from using a system that delivers. But delays come at a huge cost – both financially and operationally.

“Every day with a creaking system, operators are missing out on revenue that could be made by selling upgrades and add-ons and losing hours spent managing booking enquiries, creating sales reports and reviewing the data to optimise booking trends.”

Expian says traditional technology rollouts in the leisure and tourism sector typically take years. It says that it prodiced a ‘rapid, market-ready’ booking platform for P&O Ferries that serves consumers and trade partners in an ‘industry record’ six months.

The platform needed to replace legacy software and integrate with existing systems, and support ticketing for a range of tickets across the sailing schedule. Options included upgrades, food and beverage packages, transfers, overnight cabins and managing pet-friendly cabins. As well as introducing upselling opportunities, these products presented complex booking rules including pet surcharges, cabin limits and document checks.

Kenneth Rasmussen, P&O’s head of IT transformation, said: “A significant factor in the success of this project is that what Expian has delivered is aligned with our business needs. Expian’s deep understanding of the ferry business has been good, achieving these positive outcomes.”