CUR8 offers several different approaches to complimentary tickets, depending on your organization's specific situation and needs. You can use just one method for processing complimentary tickets or a combination of options—whatever works for your organization and projects.
Five Ways to Process Complimentary Tickets with CUR8
- Traditional Complimentary Ticket(s)
- Bulk Ticket - Paper Distribution (manual)
- Using a FlexPass
- Multi Code - Coupon
- Create a VIPatron
Learn More About Complimentary Ticket Methods
Below are short descriptions of the five options, their recommended uses, and their benefits and possible drawbacks. There is also a comparison chart available to view at the end of the article.
Traditional Complimentary Ticket(s)
Overview
- You create a $0 pricing option only available to admins, ticketing managers, and box office staff.
- Each complimentary ticket is processed as a separate transaction for each recipient.
- Creating a traditional complimentary ticket available only to admins, ticketing managers, and box office staff.
Key Considerations:
- When a small number of complimentary tickets are distributed.
- When comps are needed for specific dates and times.
Additional Considerations:
- Distribution
- A recipient's email or phone number is required to distribute tickets electronically.
- If tickets are delivered by paper/hand, the recipient's contact information is not required.
- Ticket Search: It is easy to find and release existing complimentary tickets, as they have the recipient’s name attached.
- Processing: Admins need to process each order individually
Bulk Ticket - Paper Distribution (manual)
Overview
- Create a $0 pricing option
- It's available only to admins, ticketing managers, and box office staff.
- Process one transaction with all needed complimentary tickets (multiple tickets), and distribute by paper.
Key Considerations:
- You have a large number of complimentary tickets to be shared.
- Complimentary tickets are for a specific date/time.
- You can print and distribute paper tickets manually.
Additional Considerations:
- Distribution:
- Once processed/printed, tickets must be distributed by hand/manually.
- Individual contact info is not needed for bulk ticket orders.
- Ticket Search:
- Tickets are not assigned to specific individuals.
- All tickets are assigned to the Box Office.
- To release a single ticket, you'll need to find the bulk ticket order and then locate the specific ticket you want to release on that order.
- Processing: Complete one single order with multiple tickets and manually distribute tickets.
FlexPass
Overview
- Create a FlexPass Project, used only by the Box Office
- Process one large FlexPass purchase and distribute to recipients using Ticket Distribution.
- This allows recipients to use their 12-digital alpha numeric FlexPass code to redeem their own complimentary tickets during checkout.
- It allows the attendees to choose the date/times they prefer within the set parameters of your FlexPass.
Key Considerations:
- You have a large number of complimentary tickets to be shared.
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Recipients can choose which project, date, and time to redeem their complimentary tickets, offering flexibility within the FlexPass parameters.
- By allowing recipients to handle processing their complimentary tickets, you can free up box office staff to focus on providing better customer service.
Additional Considerations:
- Distribution:
- A recipient's email or phone number is required.
- Each complimentary ticket is created and sent as a separate transaction for each recipient.
- Ticket Search: It is easy to search for and release existing complimentary tickets as they have the recipient’s name attached.
- Processing:
- The complimentary ticket recipients process their own complimentary tickets.
- You can see when the recipients have redeemed their complimentary tickets.
Multi Code Coupon
Overview
- Create a Multi-code Coupon
- Set Dollar or Percentage Off to equal the total value of the offered complimentary tickets.
Use Case Considerations
- You have a large number of complimentary tickets to be shared.
- Allow attendees flexibility on what date/time the complimentary coupon codes are redeemed.
- You would like complimentary tickets to be represented by an amount off
Additional Considerations:
- Distribution:
- Individual coupon codes need to be distributed.
- Individual contact info is not needed for multi-code coupons.
- Ticket Search: It is easy to search for and release existing complimentary tickets as they have the recipient’s name attached.
- Processing:
- The complimentary ticket recipients process their own complimentary tickets.
- Comps are represented as a dollar or percentage off, allowing attendees to upgrade their ticket selection if applicable.
- Important Fee Note: To ensure 100% free tickets to a group of attendees, you will have to incur all ticketing fees in the price of the ticket. For this option, you cannot pass along the fees to attendees if you want the complimentary ticket to be truly complimentary.
VIPatron
Overview
- Minimal comp tickets are distributed, and comps are for a specific date/time.
- Create a VIPatron to send to Recipient. A complimentary ticket is not created at that time.
- Recipient has a 24-hour window to complete their complimentary transaction before tickets are released.
Use Case Considerations
- Minimal comp tickets are distributed, and comps are for a specific date/time.
- This is the recommended method when "papering the house."
- You want just to offer comps to attendees that they can take up within a 24-hour window.
- After 24 hours, the offer expires, and the specific tickets held for attendees are automatically released to the public pool.
Additional Considerations:
- Distribution:
- Each complimentary ticket is created and sent as a separate transaction for each recipient.
- VIPatrons are available to be sent by admins, ticketing managers, and box office staff to send to the recipient.
- Recipient contact information is required.
- Ticket Search: It is easy to search for and release existing complimentary tickets as they have the recipient’s name attached.
- Processing:
- Admin sends VIPatron to recipient. However, the complimentary ticket recipient must process their complimentary tickets within 24 hours.
- Comps are represented as a dollar or percentage off, allowing attendees to upgrade their ticket selection if applicable.
- Important Fee Note: Regardless of whether you're passing fees along to attendees, complimentary tickets will incur fees to the organization to ensure a complimentary ticket experience.