Long queue waiting times are frustrating your fans. Can you prevent them?

As anyone who’s ever waited hours in an online queue to buy tickets for Glastonbury, The Super Bowl or any other big event knows, long wait times are a painful experience.  

Every fan deserves a fair chance. And long wait times and technical glitches can have a disastrous impact on your fans’ experience and threaten their ability to enjoy the events they love. 

Meanwhile, consumer expectations are higher than ever. Fans don’t want to be stuck in endless virtual queues, facing website crashes, and abandoned shopping carts. These experiences are more than just annoying. They mean lost sales, decreased loyalty, and brand-damaging incidents. 

So, how can event organisers prevent these issues? Is there a way to offer a better experience while maintaining profitability? Let’s dive into the key causes of long wait times and explore solutions that could revolutionise the ticketing experience for both organisers and fans. 

There are several factors that can contribute to long queues and slow ticket purchasing processes in digital waiting rooms: 

1. High demand and limited availability 
   Naturally, when a highly anticipated event goes on sale, the demand often outweighs the available tickets, not to mention the fact that big ticket events like this are a target for bots and scalpers. The sheer volume of traffic can overwhelm the system, leading to long wait times and frustrating delays. 
2. Website or system limitations 
   Slow website performance, system crashes, and technical glitches can make the problem worse. If the ticketing platform isn’t built to handle the surge in traffic, the website may freeze or crash entirely, leaving customers unable to complete their purchases, especially during peak times.  
3. Queue management system issues 
   Inadequate queue management systems can result in inefficient handling of high-demand traffic. If the virtual waiting room isn’t optimally configured or doesn’t prioritise customers effectively, some may end up waiting much longer than others, exacerbating frustration. 

One of the most publicised cases of ticketing chaos occurred in November 2022, during the presale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The demand was unprecedented and the organisers unprepared for the flood of visitors. Fans were stuck in long queues for hours, unable to secure tickets. Some customers even received error messages or were booted from the queue altogether. 

The impact? A public outcry that led to a Senate hearing. While the exact financial loss wasn’t disclosed, experts estimate that a significant amount of ticket sales were lost. Many frustrated fans either gave up or resorted to paying inflated prices from resellers. 

This wasn’t just a technical failure—it was a brand-damaging incident that affected customer trust. Artists, too, were frustrated as their loyal fans were left empty-handed. This entire situation highlights the dire need for a better, more efficient ticketing experience. 

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the number of ticketing scandals in recent years, it’s that organisers can no longer afford to rely on outdated ticketing systems. To stay ahead, event organisers need to consider how to reduce the waiting time by implementing modern solutions that offer a smooth, seamless, and fair experience for fans. 

This begins with considering alternative ticketing providers. Not all platforms are built the same, and choosing the right partner is crucial. It’s important to assess whether your ticketing provider has the features, scalability, and infrastructure to support you in prioritising true fans and ensuring they get fair access to the events they love. Today’s platforms offer advanced tools for managing queues, preventing fraud, and ensuring a seamless user experience that keeps fans engaged and satisfied. 

Here are some features which will help you offer a better customer experience for true fans during those high-demand events. 

Effective queue management is essential. A robust system will ensure that only the right number of people are trying to access the site at any given time, preventing crashes and slowdowns. 

But managing queues isn’t just about slowing people down — it’s about fairness and ensuring that the process is transparent and efficient. This is where newer technologies like SECUTIX’s Peak Protect come in. 

Peak Protect is a tool designed to manage high-demand events and prevent website crashes. Here’s how it works: 

• Queue management: Peak Protect ensures that customers are placed in a virtual queue before accessing the ticketing page, preventing crashes due to overwhelming traffic. 
• Filtering and prioritisation: The system allows organisers to prioritise certain groups (like VIPs or members), ensuring that high-priority customers get tickets first. 
• Bot protection: By filtering out bots, Peak Protect ensures that only real customers have a chance to buy tickets, reducing the risk of scalping. 

By managing traffic efficiently, Peak Protect guarantees that even the highest demand events can go off without a hitch. This means a better experience for fans and maximised revenue potential for organisers. 

One of the most innovative ways to handle high-demand ticket sales is by using a lottery system. Unlike traditional “first come, first served” methods, a lottery offers fairness and reduces the dominance of scalpers. Let’s face it: many fans are disappointed when they miss out on tickets because they weren’t fast enough or faced technical difficulties. 

A well-executed lottery system can level the playing field, offering all fans a fair shot at tickets. However, traditional lottery models can be cumbersome and prone to complications. This is where SECUTIX’s mobile-first, fully integrated solution comes into play. 

SECUTIX’s lottery solution takes the hassle out of the ticketing process. Unlike traditional systems, this new lottery method automates the payment capture, streamlining the process for both organisers and fans. The benefits are clear: 

• Automated payments: With legacy ticketing systems, many orders are abandoned after fans win tickets and change their mind or delay completing the payment. By automating payment capture, SECUTIX ensures a higher conversion rate. 
• Simplified seat assignment: Gone are the days of complex, manual seat assignments. With SECUTIX, the seat map is prepared in advance, removing the workload from organisers and offering fans a faster, more streamlined experience. Assignment is done automatically when winners are selected.  
• Instant ticket delivery: Once tickets are secured, they’re delivered straight to the fan’s mobile app, eliminating delays and additional steps. 

The reality is simple: fans expect a frustration-free experience when buying tickets. And they deserve to enjoy the experiences they love, without the friction. If your platform can’t handle demand, it’s time to make a change. Event organisers that invest in better ticketing solutions—whether through alternative providers, optimised traffic management, or advanced lottery systems—will not only reduce the risk of long wait times but also boost fan loyalty and maximise revenue in the long run. 

In today’s competitive landscape, offering a flawless ticketing experience is no longer optional. It’s a necessity. If you can provide a better, faster, and fairer way for true fans to secure tickets, you’ll stand out from the competition and ensure that both your fans and your cash flow stay happy. 

At SECUTIX, we’re building pioneering technology solutions that bring fairness back to ticketing and put the true fans first. Reach out today to learn more.