How Smart Tech Elevated the Guest Journey at Sadler’s Wells
Sadler’s Wells is one of the world’s leading dance organisations with four theatres across three locations in London. The customer experience doesn’t start when the curtain rises, it starts the moment a ticket is booked. With audiences traveling from across London, the UK, and internationally, every detail matters.
So when the team at Sadler’s Wells set out to improve how they connect with audiences before, during, and after a show, they needed a solution that could work across multiple venues, serve diverse audiences, and integrate smoothly with Tessitura, their CRM and ticketing backbone.
Their answer: crowdEngage, a visitor experience platform now helping them reduce queues, increase bar sales, improve communication, and enhance the overall customer journey.
Solving the Ticket Scramble
Before implementing crowdEngage, customers received tickets as email attachments, often long before the show. This meant that by the time performance day arrived, many were left scrolling through inboxes, standing outside the venue, trying to locate their ticket.
“We had customers showing up not knowing where their ticket was or even heading to the wrong venue entirely,” said James Broderick, Head of Sales and Audience Experience. “It’s a terrible first moment, especially when the venues are 20–30 minutes apart.”
With crowdEngage, Sadler’s Wells can now send mobile tickets by SMS on the day of the performance, ensuring guests have what they need at just the right time. They also tailor each message based on venue location, helping customers arrive prepared and relaxed, rather than rushed and confused.
The Integration Powering a Frictionless Experience
One of the key reasons Sadler’s Wells chose crowdEngage was its seamless integration with Tessitura. As soon as a new event is built, it’s pulled into crowdEngage automatically, no manual work required.
“The integration with Tessitura is effortless. It just works,” said James. “crowdEngage feels intuitive and simple to use, but it’s clearly powerful underneath. It’s the best of both worlds.”
This integration ensures that all audience data, ticketing info, and customer communications are aligned—allowing Sadler’s Wells to tailor messages, prompt for drinks pre-orders, and adapt content by venue and audience segment.
Reducing Queues, Increasing Enjoyment
Like many cultural venues, Sadler’s Wells struggled with bar congestion during intervals. Customers who didn’t know the menu in advance would line up, rush decisions, and feel pressure from those behind them. The result: slower service and less enjoyable social time.
Now, with crowdEngage:
- Guests receive drink menus ahead of time
- They can pre-order drinks for interval pickup
- Queue times have decreased
- Bar staff feel less pressure
Even customers who don’t use the tool benefit from faster-moving lines, as more guests bypass queues altogether. “It improves the experience for everyone,” James noted, “even if they never click a link.”
And because drink menus are tailored per venue, ranging from traditional bars to full-service restaurants, the platform supports varied offerings and enhances upselling opportunities.
Responsive, Reliable, and Guest-Centric Tech
Another standout benefit has been the instant communication functionality. From last-minute cancellations to event-specific updates, crowdEngage empowers Sadler’s Wells to reach customers quickly and clearly.
James highlighted its importance: “ In the event we need to cancel a show we can communicate with customers and issue credit vouchers within an hour. It’s just one person handling it, and it works beautifully with Crowdengage forming a quick and very effective part of the process.”
Because customers receive messages by SMS, even those not checking email are reached in time. This agility has helped the team provide a modern, polished service that guests appreciate and that frees up staff for more meaningful interactions.
From Help Desk to Hospitality: Elevating Every Interaction
Fewer front desk queues means the box office and bar teams can focus on creating value, not fixing problems. They’re no longer reprinting tickets or explaining venue locations. Instead, they’re helping customers explore upcoming events or enjoy their interval drinks.
“It’s changed the tone of our customer interactions,” James shared. “Instead of troubleshooting, staff are able to have real conversations, make recommendations, and help guests feel welcome.”
Evolving Use, Expanding Impact
Sadler’s Wells started simple, just sending mobile tickets, but has since expanded into:
- Tailored messaging by venue and show type
- Support for their newest venue, Sadler’s Wells East, with venue-specific communications
- Pre-show drink promotions
- Ongoing exploration of menu customisation and POS integration
And thanks to the intuitive interface, the marketing and front-of-house teams can manage these updates with ease. “I’m definitely the customer for this kind of tool,” James joked. “I love not having to queue or dig for a ticket. And now our audiences get that same streamlined experience.”
Advice to Other Tessitura Venues
For venues considering crowdEngage to deliver digital tickets securely and enhance their patron experience, James is clear:
“If you’re using Tessitura, this is a no-brainer. The integration is seamless, the interface is clean, and the experience—for both your team and your customers—is just better.”
He encourages teams to build a business case beyond spend-per-head, factoring in staff efficiency, reduced printing, queue reduction, improved NPS, and customer satisfaction. The uplift in bar sales alone may offset the cost—but the real value lies in making each visit smoother, more personalised, and more memorable.
Experience the transformation first-hand
Sadler’s Wells enhanced every stage of the audience journey—from mobile ticket delivery and pre-show messaging to faster bar service and more personal interactions. Visit Sadler’s Wells to explore their venues and upcoming performances.
If you’re ready to cut queue times, boost on-site sales, and elevate your entire visitor experience, we’re here to help. Explore how our Visitor Experience, designed to integrate with Tessitura, can help you deliver frictionless, memorable experiences for every guest.
