April 2015
Make sure refund to clearly state cancellation and  refund  policies online 
Clear communication can help keep everybody happy. That's why it's important your patrons know exactly what your cancellation and refund policies are before they buy tickets.

How to save and reuse ticketspecial ticket formats  
Do you have the same special event each year? Or is there a group who holds a regular event at your venue?

You probably have a special ticket layout for such cases. Did you know you don't have to recreate the ticket each time?

Just design a special format ticket once, save it, and then reuse it as many times as you like.

Which platforms are your platformpatrons using to buy tickets online?  
We all know that the kinds of devices people are using to go online are changing rapidly.

But did you know Wintix can tell you which platforms your ticket buyers are using?

Currently, Webtix users are selling 52% of their tickets to mobile device users.
Knowing what your patrons are using can help you plan staffing, box office hours and tailor your communications.

Learn how to run a Wintix report to see what your patrons are using.

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Seaside, California 93955

  

centerstage.com

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Go to the Help Desk online blog and knowledge base
 

 

Center Stage Software
October 1 deadline to accept EMV cards emv
Six months may seem like a long time, but it's not too early to start thinking about the Oct. 1, 2015 deadline to accept EMV (Europay, Master Card and Visa) or "chip cards."

Today, if an in-person transaction is conducted using a counterfeit, stolen or otherwise compromised card, consumer losses from that transaction usually fall back on the payment processor or issuing bank.

After the deadline, liability for card-present fraud will shift to whichever party is the least EMV-compliant in a fraudulent transaction. For example, if a merchant hasn't changed its system to accept chip cards, the cost of the fraud could fall to them.

EMV cards are embedded with small chips that create unique information for each transaction, making it much more difficult to steal credit card information to create counterfeit cards. 

 

Click on the following links to read more or talk to your merchant services provider.

 

http://www.pymnts.com/news/2015/slow-retail-emv-transition-miffs-bankers/

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244354

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/emv-faq-chip-cards-answers-1264.php
Be our guest! How one Wintix user deals guest with complimentary tickets
Last month we ran an article about using the remarks field in a sales record to record why someone received a complimentary ticket.

The subject prompted one of our Wintix customers to send us an email. "We print GUEST on our tickets, instead of COMP," writes Mark Smith, Audience Services Manager at Irish Classical Theatre in Buffalo, New York. "It has a nicer ring to it."

We like how Mark thinks of how small things like a single word can make his patrons, er, guests, feel special.

He also has an easy and reliable way to keep track of them.
"I use the Report by Pay Type at the end of a run. It's one report with all the names of the people that were comped for one production. Easy and precise. We do still have people fill out comp request forms which we save until after the audit...so if there is any question about a particular comp it's right there. But the report is terrific and I recommend it. That goes into the permanent  file."

Take a look at how to run the report.
Speaking of reports ...reports
One of the benefits of having a support contract in place (besides this fabulous newsletter!) is having access to our Help Desk.

One thing we'd like to call your attention to is that posts are arranged into categories and there is a list of categories on the right-hand side of the page.

The reporting features in Wintix are powerful tools you can use to monitor and evaluate your box office, fundraising, even your publicity and marketing efforts.

If you click on the "Reports" category, you'll be taken to all of the posts that have to do with them. And more are being added all the time.

Who knows? Take a look around. You may find some to inspire new ways of doing business.
Fnd a show in a jiffy while doing a salefindshow
Do you have a long list of shows to sell at the same time?

Instead of scrolling down the list, you can find it lickety split with this trick: During a regular sale, highlight any show and start typing the name of the show you want. When you type a letter, Wintix will take you to the shows that begin with that letter. If you have several shows starting with that letter, make sure you type the first few letters quickly so you can find the right one.