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Cultural center with ambition: really understanding the audience
In the heart of Bruges, there is a unique place for music and dance: Concertgebouw Brugge, a local and at the same time international performing arts house with a distinct mission. It is a house that takes its public work seriously — and goes the extra mile. Every year, they receive more than 100,000 visitors for music, contemporary dance, family shows and sound art. The house is not only an anchor point in Flanders, but also active internationally as a partner in networks, co-productions and talent development.
This broad scope requires more than a nice program. It requires insight into behavior, segmentation and a ticketing system that evolves with it.
We have ticket options for every age, but that doesn't mean you'll automatically get that audience to visit you. You still have to approach them.
-- Bert Vanlaere
--- Marketing director at Concertgebouw Brugge
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From standstill to innovation
The switch to a new system started with a clear need for innovation. The previous platform increasingly met the needs of the Concertgebouw and its partners. In addition, the supplier had decided to phase out their activities in the Benelux.
The challenges that arose made the choice for change inevitable:
Ease of use wins
The search for a new solution was carried out through a formal European tender, taking into account a number of award criteria. “We got a number of demos,” says Stephanie Fruy, finance and ticketing coordinator. “Ultimately, the user-friendliness of the system was the deciding factor. And the price was also an important award criterion.”
That feeling was widely supported within the network:
I've seen a lot of systems. What's important to me is that it works for the people at the counter. Ticketmatic was really written with them in mind. Even if you're a beginner and you get no explanation, you can sell a ticket.
-- Stefaan Geldhof
--- Responsible for ticketing at In&Uit Brugge
Transition: intense, yet thoughtful and fast
The switch itself had to be done quickly and thoroughly. “We were still on sale for one season,” says Sylvie De Muer, responsible for ticketing. “So we stopped data on one side and transferred it to the other side.” That happened in the short term. In one day, all data was transferred to ticketmatic so that the performances could quickly go back on sale and the team could easily organize access control and box office for the next concert that same week. “During the changeover, we were really in touch very often,” says Sylvie. “That was a really good plan. The preparatory work and the steps we took went very smoothly.” The integration with the website has also been renewed:
Previously, the ticketing platform was integrated into the website. Every change to an order page required development work due to the extensive and complex integration. Now, we can simply make many of these changes directly in ticketmatic.
-- Nikita Lisabeth
--- Digital communication & ticketing at Concertgebouw Brugge
What immediately caught your eye when you first met? The system's intuitive interface. “During our first experiences with the system, everything felt logical. You knew intuitively where to click,” Nikita recalls.
What's really different today
Since the switch to ticketmatic, the way of working at Concertgebouw Brugge has changed profoundly. What used to be cumbersome and error-prone is now smooth, organized and tailored to the needs of the team and the audience. The biggest improvements are visible in four areas:
Ticketmatic thus offers the team not only the tools to work efficiently, but also to communicate more strategically and build audience relationships in a more thoughtful way.
Towards the future: building relationships
What do they value most today? “The smooth service,” says Stephanie. “If problems arise, they are all resolved very quickly.” But the intuitiveness of the platform also makes a real difference. “If we have to provide training to colleagues, that comes naturally,” says Sylvie. “It's very intuitive when you work with it. You can see how the steps work together at a glance,” Nikita adds.
Selling something has become very easy. It comes naturally. In the past, it was much more stressful.
-- Stefaan Geldhof
--- Responsible for ticketing at In&Uit Brugge
Conclusion: build on trust and simplicity
The collaboration between Concertgebouw Brugge and ticketmatic has meant more than a technical system replacement. What started as an answer to practical bottlenecks grew into a lasting relationship built on trust, ease of use and shared ambition.
Today, the Concertgebouw team works faster, more autonomously and with greater peace of mind. The audience flow is smoother, campaigns are better tailored to behavior and preferences, and internal consultation within the wider Bruges network is also more consistent thanks to clear tooling.
But this is not an end point — it is a foundation. From a solid ticketing structure, Concertgebouw Brugge can now continue to build on what really matters: deeper audience relationships, more insight into behavior and meaningful customized communication. Next steps? We put them together, including through new data links that link marketing, CRM and public relations even more closely.
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