The entertainment industry is in a constant state of evolution to stay in lockstep with what consumers are looking for. From Blockbusters to Netflix and cinemas to streaming, there’s been a lot of disruption in recent years due to technological advancements and changing consumer expectations.

There’s also been a change in the way entertainment venues operate, and the emergence of interactive POS systems has paved the way for a new dawn in the industry. Let’s take a look at three ways POS systems will transform entertainment venues in the years to come.

1. Streamlined Ticketing for Easier Entry

One of the biggest challenges for entertainment venues has always been how to sell tickets to consumers and streamline the process to make it better for all parties.

Historically, the ticketing process has been both time-consuming and tedious, resulting in lengthy queues for patrons and a general sense of dissatisfaction. 

With interactive POS systems, entertainment venues have more options for how to process patrons so they can remove friction from the entry process.

Self-Service Kiosks

With modern POS systems, entertainment venues can set up self-service kiosks which allow patrons to buy their tickets even if all the attendants are busy. The self-service kiosk market is set to register 5.5% CAGR from 2023 to 2032, and is on the rise for a reason. With them, you can capture a lot of the overflow which many venues experience as queues increase and the attendants act as bottlenecks.

By placing these kiosks around the venue, you can effectively reduce queue times at the main box office and consumers can use the intuitive touch-screen interface to make their purchase at their leisure.

What’s more, you can program the kiosks to offer strategic upsells, which can be more effective as the patron has more time to consider their options rather than feeling rushed to make a purchase with a long queue behind them.

These kiosks can also be in operation 24/7 even when staff aren’t present, and can support multiple languages. Travellers are more likely to stay at hotels with technology that minimises contact with staff, and while this could partially be a hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s also evidence to suggest this could be an important trend in entertainment.

Smart Entry 

Mobile ticketing and smart entry systems are also on the table with interactive POS systems. Instead of buying a physical ticket and contributing to paper waste, patrons can buy their tickets online in advance and gain access to the venue with digital tickets stored on their mobiles.

Since around 38% of travellers book sporting events with their smartphone or tablet, it makes sense to cater to this with smart entry ticketing for simplified access.

Some POS systems even allow for RFID or NFC ticketing, meaning all patrons have to do is tap their smartphone or a smart wristband to gain entry – another great way to cut down on bottlenecks.

2. Streamlined Food & Drink Services

For any entertainment venue, food and drink sales account for a significant portion of revenue, and POS systems can help businesses further tap into this opportunity.

Order-Ahead 

With modern POS systems, it’s never been easier for consumers to get what they want in advance to bypass on-the-day waiting and disappointment.

Order-ahead functionality gives patrons the option to pre-order and pay for their food and beverages ahead of their arrival at the venue. Not only can this reduce congestion on the day of the entertainment, but it puts power into consumers’ hands as they can fully customise their order and schedule when to pick up their order.

For any events where patrons will be seated, such as sports games or theatre performances, interactive POS systems can enable in-seat ordering. The same premise applies here, except this time, patrons can order ahead from the comfort of their seats – ordering food and drink when perhaps otherwise they’d opt not to due to the inconvenience of getting up.

Smart Vending Machines

POS systems can even allow for integration with smart vending machines on-site. With this integration in place, you can set your vending machines up to accept a variety of payment methods and track inventory through your existing POS software.

This offers yet another way to enhance the consumer experience on the day of the event, and provides more options to pay for food and drink.

3. Personalised Patron Experiences

If there’s anything the modern consumer demands in entertainment these days, it’s personalisation.

Most people don’t just want to consume entertainment mindlessly, they want custom recommendations on what to watch next or snack suggestions based on their taste preferences.

Custom Suggestions

Modern POS systems collect a large amount of data on customer behaviour and preferences. As a result, you can tailor suggestions and recommendations to individuals, which could look like:

• Suggesting food and drink options based on past purchases
• Recommending similar events to those the consumer has attended
• Sending targeted promotions related to their interests

36% of consumers say that they want more personalisation options from shops, so offering custom suggestions is a great way to retain customers.

Interactive Venue Maps

Interactive POS systems also open up the possibility for more transparency. With the right system, you can provide interactive virtual venue maps that patrons can access through mobile apps or on-site kiosks so they can find concessions, get real-time updates on queues, and personalised recommendations.

This functionality can also extend to include gamification elements, so you could lay on digital scavenger hunts around your venue or virtual/augmented reality experiences tied to specific physical locations.

Evolve your Entertainment Venue with Interactive POS

Adopting an interactive POS system for your entertainment venue isn’t an exercise in staying up to date or appearing to be on trend, it’s an opportunity to give consumers exactly what they want.

It’s a bridge between amazing entertainment and superior customer service, streamlining the customer experience and personalising their experience to cater to their interests and needs.

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