Making the visitor journey smoother for everyone
When Worthing Theatres and Museum (WTM) decided to embrace digital transformation, their goal wasn’t just efficiency, it was about creating a better experience for their audiences. From cinema screenings to live music and community heritage events, they knew their visitors deserved smoother, more personalised service.
With the implementation of crowdEngage, along with Activity Stream’s marketing and planning tools, the Worthing team transformed everyday touchpoints, like ticket collection and bar ordering, into moments of convenience and connection. The result? Less queueing, better use of staff time, and a customer experience that starts strong from the moment of arrival.
Embracing Digital Tools for a More Welcoming Experience
Worthing Theatres and Museum is a cultural organisation on the south coast of England, operating four venues: the Connaught Theatre & Studio, Pavilion Theatre & Atrium, Assembly Hall and Museum & Art Gallery. Like many arts organisations, their team was juggling high audience expectations with limited resources.
One constant issue? The queues. Many customers still opted to “Collect at Box Office” (COBO), or were unable to locate their tickets in their inbox, resulting in queues and missed opportunities for secondary spend.
“There’s a misconception that older people don’t use digital platforms, but since COVID, we’ve seen that shift. People are ready. People want to have the convenience of digital-first customer service. This was an ideal opportunity for us to improve service while reducing friction.”
–Kevin Quilty, Head of Marketing and Sales @ Worthing Theatres and Museum
Rolling out a new, dynamic experience
WTM introduced crowdEngage with a soft launch, allowing customers to gradually adapt to the changes. Pre-show emails became more engaging, digital tickets arrived via text on the day, and bar pre-orders became a simple one-click task.
Behind the scenes, the team began exploring dynamic content. Customers with access needs received tailored information at the top of their emails, no longer buried at the bottom of a generic transaction email. Members now saw their drink discounts automatically applied to their orders, thanks to integrations with Spektrix.
Rather than replacing face-to-face service, the technology enhanced it. Staff were no longer reprinting tickets – they were greeting and assisting customers.
From COBO Chaos to Calm Arrival
One of the most immediate effects was at the box office.
We significantly reduced the number of people coming up to have their tickets reprinted,” Kevin said. “Instead of spending time fixing problems, our team is now free to help customers—whether that’s with help to their seats, upselling drinks and snacks or providing that personal welcome to the venue.”
This shift also enabled Worthing to redistribute staffing more efficiently, opening a second box office location and spreading footfall more evenly across venues.
At the bar, pre-ordering led to noticeable changes. Queues moved faster, more customers were served, and premium drink sales increased. With time to browse options on their phones, customers explored more than just the standard bar drinks.
The Bigger Picture: Savings, Satisfaction, and Smart Use of Tools
Kevin highlights that return on investment extends beyond revenue. “There are a lot of efficiencies you won’t immediately see in a P&L , like reducing ticket printing, better use of the team on site, and happier audiences.”
- NPS scores have improved significantly since implementation
- Click-through rates on pre-show emails have increased dramatically, indicating patrons are engaging more and receiving the proper information
- Customers are engaging digitally faster than expected, including older audiences
- A more proactive and energised team, focused on hospitality rather than troubleshooting.
All Systems Go: Keeping Marketing, Planning, and Experience in Sync
Worthing’s transformation didn’t stop with crowdEngage. They also use Activity Stream’s marketing platform to understand their audience in real time, and Yesplan for venue and resource planning.
Because all three systems were designed to integrate, and are backed by the same provider, adoption has been smooth, and the team feels confident using them. Insights from Activity Stream inform campaign strategy and drive dynamic content in crowdEngage. Meanwhile, Yesplan supports everything from programming, and we are just about to start with staff planning.
“We’re not just buying tools and forgetting them,” Kevin says. “These platforms are central to our daily operations. They help us plan smarter, communicate better, and deliver a seamless journey for every visitor.”
Advice for Other Venues
Kevin’s advice to others considering similar tools is clear: don’t focus solely on cost – look at the wider value.
“It’s not just about revenue. It’s about empowering your team to deliver meaningful service. It’s about improving your audience’s experience and growing loyalty.”
And, as Worthing Theatres has shown, it’s about trusting your audience, they’re more ready for change than you might think.
See it for yourself
Worthing Theatres and Museum turned digital tools into real-world impact, streamlined arrivals, happier audiences, and staff focused on what really matters. Visit their website to learn more about their programmes and venues.
Whether you’re looking to reduce queues, increase bar sales, or improve every touchpoint of the visitor journey, our solutions can help. Discover how our Marketing, Visitor Experience, and Venue Management tools work together to deliver a seamless, data-driven experience.
