The Postponement Contact Cascade
On a Saturday at 1:15 p.m., a 2,400-seat venue postpones a 7:30 p.m. performance because the headliner has laryngitis. There are 2,100 ticket holders. The box office has six phone lines, three agents, one bilingual Spanish speaker, and a shared inbox with 1,400 unread emails. Social media has 300 direct messages; voicemail has 90. Ticketing data: 65% email opt-in, 40% mobile opt-in, 180 group tickets through 12 leaders, 42 accessible-seat patrons, and 300 cash buyers. The website is holding 1,200 concurrent users. Two agents are scheduled until 8:00 p.m.; one can stay late. A local TV reporter calls asking whether the show is canceled. The marketing manager wants to post "refunds available" immediately. The venue's policy offers exchanges, account credit, or refunds on request; fees are waived for venue-caused postponements.
1. Sequence the outbound communication for the first two hours. What goes first, and why?
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First, by 1:30 p.m., update the website banner, phone IVR, and social pinned post with the same facts: tonight's performance is postponed, tickets will be honored at the rescheduled date, and exchanges, account credit, or refunds are available on request. The website and IVR absorb the highest volume and reduce repetitive calls. Second, send a transactional email to all 2,100 purchasers, including those who did not opt in to marketing, because this is a performance change rather than a promotion. Third, send SMS only to the 40% who opted in, with a link to the full notice.
Then call the 12 group leaders before individual patrons, because each leader communicates with many ticket holders. Call the 42 accessible-seat patrons personally, since they may have arranged transportation or need specific seat reassignment. Cash buyers cannot be refunded automatically, so they need a clear instruction to contact the box office or visit in person. Do not post "refunds available" as the headline; say refunds are available on request, because the full policy includes exchanges and credit.
2. How should the box office handle accessible patrons and cash buyers differently from card buyers?
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Accessible patrons need a person, not a mass email. The bilingual agent or a trained staff member should call each of the 42, confirm the patron's seating needs, offer comparable seats for the rescheduled date, and ask whether transportation or a companion arrangement is affected. If the patron cannot attend the new date, process the exchange or refund according to policy and confirm it in writing. Do not simply move them to any available seat; comparable location matters.
Cash buyers require a different process because there is no card to reverse. Require the original ticket or a documented ticket number, verify identity, and offer a cash refund during specified box-office hours, or an account credit if they prefer. Set a clear deadline and explain it consistently. Do not tell cash buyers to mail cash. Record each transaction and give a receipt. Card buyers can be handled through the refund queue, but the venue should still confirm the request rather than auto-refunding everyone, since some patrons will choose an exchange.
3. What should the venue say to the TV reporter and on social media, and what should it not say?
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Use one spokesperson and one written statement. The statement should confirm the postponement, the reason at the level the artist has authorized, usually "artist illness," and the remedy: tickets will be honored at the rescheduled date, and exchanges, credit, or refunds are available on request. Do not disclose medical details, speculate about the rescheduled date, or blame the artist. Refer the TV reporter to the spokesperson and provide the same statement given to ticket holders.
On social media, pin the statement and use a consistent reply script for direct messages. Do not argue with individual users or promise refunds that conflict with policy. Correct the marketing manager's draft: "refunds available" is incomplete and may create a expectation that everyone will be automatically refunded. Say "refunds available on request; exchanges and account credit also available." Monitor for misinformation, but do not let social media consume the staff needed for group leaders and accessible patrons.