We shine the limelight on our new team member, theatre ticketing specialist Christian Terrill

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We are excited to introduce Christian Terrill, our new Strategic Project Manager to the team. He was formerly responsible for enhancing customer experience, implementing new technology and improving customer engagement at Royal Ballet and Opera and LW Theatres.

Here he discusses the importance of conferences and industry events, the commercial opportunities of up-selling and the beauty of catching live music in smaller venues. 

What does your role at Expian involve?

I oversee the delivery of ticketing solutions and management of project resources, I will build relationships with clients to ensure the brief is fulfilled. As Expian scales up, I will also help to establish processes that will help us to work even more seamlessly with venues and attractions to unlock more sales opportunities. I’ve previously transitioned approximately 40 theatres from across the UK onto a ticketing platform, which at the time was one of the first transformations of this scale in the sector. It’s made me aware of the questions, challenges and excitement associated with ticketing transformation, so helping clients through will be rewarding.

Where will we see you?

I value industry events a lot. January’s INTIX Annual Conference in New York is my first outing for Expian, which will help us to explore opportunities outside the UK, understand who else is in the market and new developments. INTIX was actually the first conference I went to, in 2000, so this year marks my 25^th anniversary of attending industry events.

No longer are events held purely for commercial networking, now they are far more about sharing best practice and knowledge making them really important for the future of the industry. I would advise anyone starting their career in ticketing to go as they are a great place to learn.

What are you most looking forward to achieving?

Everyone knows ticketing is essential, but its role in sales and business development is often underestimated. Operators have long relied on one-size-fits-all booking platforms, leading to complex reports that fail to drive growth or serve the organisation effectively. That’s what makes Expian so exciting. It provides the flexibility to adapt to business needs while enabling self-service options for customers and partners – dramatically improving user experience and operational efficiency.

I implemented online pre-ordering for food and drink in theatre venues post-pandemic, which improved operational efficiencies, customer experience and yield. Witnessing the commercial benefits these booking features can bring first-hand has made me use ticketing transformation to grow sales and revenue streams for our clients. 

What do you think is missing from ticketing?

Too many places forget that they need to make it easy to buy. It’s why so many people like to buy from companies such as Apple, it’s easy! While not everyone has an Apple budget, I think there are loads of things companies can learn from the way it operates and try to apply them to the way they deliver solutions. Sometimes the way an organisation designs its customer journeys can get in the way of sales and damage the overall experience. 

I recently went to the Seattle Space Needle and the unclear queuing system was infuriating. We started queuing and, after 20 minutes realised it was not the queue for entry but to have a VR photo taken – something I didn’t particularly want. Then I spent another 45 minutes queuing to get in. The whole process, the underwhelming experience at the top and the high cost of the tickets left a bitter taste in my mouth. There’s so much we can learn from these everyday interactions.

With much of your career spent in theatres, is it safe to say your interests outside of work centre on the stage?

As well as enjoying live theatre, I’m a huge fan of movies and live music, which means I spend a fair bit of time booking tickets! I especially enjoy performances that crossover from the stage to the big screen and, after years of attending arena gigs, I have really enjoyed watching music acts at smaller venues. I have seen Florence & The Machine at Drury Lane and Madonna at the London Palladium, which were incredible experiences. These shows are so much more intimate making them even more memorable for audiences.

Where do you most like to unwind?

There’s a fantastic café near me that is very dog-friendly and the owner has three kittens. I don’t have a pet at the moment, so a visit helps me to spend time with animals and fulfils my love of coffee! 

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