Wisconsin Lutheran College

Wisconsin Lutheran College Box Office Ticketing serves the Fine Arts programs, as well as campus events like the annual December and May commencements, and an annual Christian concert that draws 2,100 patrons to our gymnasium. Ticketing services are also an option for outside organizations that rent our facilities. WLC box office staff consists of student workers from on campus.

The Challenge

Our organization received notification in September of 2020 that the ticketing software we were currently using, and had been with for 11 years, would discontinue as of December 31, 2020. Given a four month window, researching, acquiring, and migrating to a new ticketing system seemed like a nearly impossible task since this kind of transition can typically take six months to a year to manage successfully. Cost and company stability were two of our greatest concerns in choosing a new ticketing provider. We did not have the ability to pay large up front setup fees at that time, and we wanted to choose a company that we felt would be stable for many years into the future so we would not have to face this challenge again in a year or two!

The Solution

In the process of researching ticket solutions in the market, we looked at more than ten options and proceeded with demos of our top three choices. VBO stood out from the rest because of the flexibility of the system. The ability for customization in so many facets of the software from seat maps to discounts to graphics was a very appealing feature. The online sales flow, ease of use, and customization were also an upgrade from the system we had been using. VBO quickly emerged as a leading choice because they were willing to work with us to keep the cost comparable to our previous system, and they seemed very confident that they could migrate our data in the short turnaround period. I was very pleased with the staff that led us through the demos, contracting, and the onboarding process, which was all smooth, straightforward, and efficient.

The Results

VBO has proved to be invaluable to our institution! The online buying experience and ability to access tickets electronically has been a great benefit to our patrons and our operations. Notifications and custom reports enable me as the box office manager to be more efficient and up to date. The system as a whole is user friendly, which helps in training student workers as well as troubleshooting any issues. I continue to be very impressed with the support team and their timely response to my questions. I have managed a Box Office for more than 15 years, and I have seen many ticketing systems in my time. VBO is one of the most robust and affordable ticketing systems on the market today, and that fact that it fits well into so many venue types and sizes is evidence of it strength and versatility.