ROH Friends Booking 4 TESTRUN! Get your GOLDEN TICKET!

Remember booking period 3? Let's all help make period 4 smoother (to leave us poorer but happier ;-))))!
Do your bit and take part in tomorrow's test run ( just focus on your own "golden ticket" for the next period... Think BARBIERE!!!!!) Here is how as received from the ROH:


Dear Friends,

First, a spot of housekeeping.

We currently have you registered with the following details:
Email : XXXXX Customer\Membership Number : XXXX

If you have forgotten your password, please use the 'Forgot Password' link to request that it is emailed to you. Remember, it is essential when you are booking tickets online that you 'sign in' as a Friend in order to receive the correct priority - if you 'sign up' you will create a duplicate record which will not recognise that you are a Friend. You can update any of your personal details, including your address, phone number and email by signing in, clicking on 'My ROH' and then clicking on 'My Profile'. If you have recently become a Friend or have not booked online before, you may need a temporary password in order to access the website when Friends' booking opens. Please telephone the Friends Office on 020 7212 9268 with your membership number and we can check this and set it up if necessary.

GOLDEN TICKETS - PLEASE HELP US BY TESTING CHANGES TO OUR ONLINE BOOKING

All Friends that complete the testing will go into a draw to win free tickets (two top price pairs available) for a production of their choice.Since the difficulties that were experienced with Friends' priority booking for period 3, we have been working to improve all aspects of the online booking process. The areas that have caused the greatest problems are the waiting room, which is linked to the number of users that can use the site concurrently, and the sudden emptying of shopping baskets and unwanted logging out in the middle of a transaction.

Tomorrow afternoon, we will be sending out a GOLDEN TICKETS message to all Friends. The email will contain the first in a series of brief questions and clues which will lead you through existing pages on the Royal Opera House website. This is designed to replicate as closely as possible the way that Friends navigate through information when booking tickets, and especially the amount of time that is typically spent on each page when making decisions about productions, dates and casting.

Once you have answered all the questions, you will arrive at a booking page for GOLDEN TICKETS, where you will sign in, choose a production and seat and complete a dummy booking - although credit card details will not be required.

It is necessary for the testing to take place during normal box office hours, and so 'booking' for GOLDEN TICKETS will open tomorrow (12 March) at 3pm and will remain open as long as 'tickets' are available. We do recognise that some Friends may not be able to participate as they may be at work or not have access to their email during the afternoon, but hope that as many of you as possible will be able to help.

Even if you are only able to access your email in the evening, please do follow the trail - all responses and feedback will be very welcome and useful as we plan for future developments.

Everyone who completes the process will go into a draw to win a pair of top-price tickets to a production of their choice during the 2009/2010 Season. Two pairs are available, and the 2009/2010 programme will be announced next month.

What will we do with the results of this test?
During the testing we will monitor the number of people who are able to use the site concurrently, the length of time spent in the waiting room and the speed and fluency of the booking process itself. If you have any feedback or experience problems during the test, you can let us know by emailing the online booking helpdesk. We will update Friends with our findings, and any further changes that will be made to the online booking process, via the next monthly e-newsletter, which will be sent to all Friends with email addresses before priority booking opens for booking period 4.

Thank you! We look forward to contacting you with GOLDEN TICKETS tomorrow and to keeping you up to date with our progress. Thank you in advance for your help.