Flint, Amersfoort’s theatrical heart
In the center of Amersfoort, Flint is one of the region’s liveliest and most versatile theaters. With more than 180 performances a year, in rooms ranging from 150 to more than 1,200 seats, Flint presents a broad and varied program: dance, major theater productions, musicals, cabaret, concerts, and more.
But Flint is more than a stage for established names. It is also a meeting place, deeply rooted in the Amersfoort community.
From an improvised setup to a tailored experience
A few years ago, Flint had already taken a first step toward self-scanning. Improvised scan kiosks were installed at both entrances, allowing visitors to scan their own tickets.
The aim was clear: to make entry smoother for every visitor, while preserving something Flint considered essential: choice. Just as self-checkout lanes in a supermarket sit alongside staffed registers rather than replacing them, Flint wanted to apply the same principle at the theater entrance.
Some visitors simply want to scan their ticket and walk in. Others want to see someone, or may have a question. We want to make both possible.
-- Eva Mathee
--- show coordinator at Flint
Flint has many regular visitors who know their way around and prefer to move straight through. The scan kiosks made that possible. At the same time, a staff member remained present at each entrance for visitors who did want direct contact.
The setup also allowed the team to deploy staff more efficiently. Where two people had previously been needed at each entrance, one was now enough.
The kiosks from that first pilot did the job, but they also had their limits. They were small and easy to miss, which meant visitors often walked right past them. But the issue was not only their size. The interface did not reflect Flint’s identity, and it could not be adapted to the different types of events the theater hosts.
So the question was no longer whether self-scanning worked. It was how to make it better: with kiosks that were more visible, expressed Flint’s identity, adapted to different audiences, and guided visitors clearly through the scanning process.
A scan interface that feels like Flint
Ticketmatic Studio developed a fully customized scan interface for Flint. This web-based environment runs on new scan kiosks, provided by partner Prestop, and connects seamlessly to the ticketmatic platform. At the same time, its look, feel, and behavior were tailored entirely to Flint’s specific needs and identity.
The interface gives Flint full control over the layout and background visuals. As a result, each kiosk is immediately recognizable as part of the Flint experience. This goes beyond placing a logo in the corner of the screen. The entire visual experience is aligned with the theater’s identity, so that visitors feel, from the moment they arrive, that they are being welcomed by Flint.
When a ticket is scanned and validated, the kiosk displays a welcome message with the name of the performance. Not an anonymous green checkmark, but a contextual message such as “Enjoy the show,” accompanied by the title of the specific performance.
Whether a ticket is valid, invalid, or has already been scanned, the feedback is clear, immediate, and easy to understand.
The interface can also be used flexibly for the theater’s commercial activities. For conferences and private events, the team can adapt the screen content, for example by displaying the name of the organizing company on the welcome screen. This allows Flint to stay in full control of the communication at the entrance, for every kind of audience it welcomes.
The solution is easy to manage through a secure URL. Flint’s team can decide which events are active on which kiosks, without having to involve an external party. ticketmatic also provides ongoing maintenance, ensuring that the solution remains reliable, up to date, and fully operational over time.
For Eva Mathee, the project ran smoothly from start to finish: “The collaboration was simply very pleasant. We were able to share all our wishes with the Studio team, and they brought them all to life. Everything went very smoothly.”
Personal attention where it matters most
Flint is a theater where personal attention is central to the visitor experience. For Eva Mathee, the arrival of the scan kiosks has not changed that promise. Quite the opposite.
Because some visitors enter automatically through the kiosk, we have more time to support the people who really need it and to give them our full attention.
-- Eva Mathee
--- show coordinator at Flint
Staff are not simply available for visitors who approach them. When the flow of visitors allows it, they can also stand beside the kiosks and guide people who are using self-scan for the first time. They help them through the process, take away any hesitation, and make the experience feel natural. Once visitors have taken that first step, they often find their own way to the kiosk the next time.
The new kiosks also perform well technically. The scanner responds quickly, while the larger format and clear screen encourage visitors to use the kiosks spontaneously. That marks a clear difference from the more discreet pilot kiosks, which many visitors failed to notice.
Beyond the standard
Many cultural organizations have needs that a standard solution does not always cover. If your way of working calls for a tailored approach, get in touch. We would be happy to think through the right solution with you.
