SeatGeek — Redesigning Internal Processes to Deliver a Better Customer Experience
![](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SG_iPadDesktop004.jpg)
Client:
![Seat Geek logo in full white](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/110x100.png)
Impact:
24% increase in employees’ understanding of role definition and success criteria.
Redesigning Internal Processes to Deliver a Better Customer Experience
SeatGeek's Challenge
SeatGeek, a full stack live entertainment ticketing solution for venues and teams, engaged XPLANE to visualize their client journey in order to streamline, clarify, and enhance their client and employee experience.
While SeatGeek’s three Enterprise teams—U.S. sports, EMEA sports, and EMEA entertainment—had established best practices, they had not shared these ideas across teams. They had also developed mutual challenges that required concentrated collaboration to address.
![SeatGeek Project Goals, Outcomes, and Key Drivers written on paper](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20190508_091303_2-880x1024.jpg)
The Goals
To enhance operations from the inside out, SeatGeek had three goals:
- Help employees better support clients at critical touchpoints.
- Stimulate the exchange of ideas between teams.
- Develop a story to share internally with employees and externally with clients.
"Digging deep to understand SeatGeek's challenges was the first step to refining internal processes and enhancing customer service."
—Holly Noto, XPLANE
XPLANE's Approach
To tackle SeatGeek’s goals, XPLANE hosted an immersive three-day workshop for 15 SeatGeek team members from across the world. We used our unique approach—a combination of hands-on visual thinking, co-creation, and people-centered design techniques—to help workshop participants analyze their current operational state and develop a vision for the future.
![20190508_145732-(copy)-2_2 Four individuals stand at a wall covered in paper and sticky notes, writing on the paper](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/20190508_145732-copy-2_2-scaled-e1641607714404-piov8lwbd7k0hl66povsdjapdxv27rg0poc7d7d708.jpg)
On Day 1 of the workshop, we helped SeatGeek map out the company’s current operational state using client empathy maps and identified opportunities for improvement.
"I was impressed how XPLANE adapted exercises and redirected conversations on the spot to 'scratch below the surface' of our discussions to get at richer layers of meaning."
— Danielle du Toit, President, SeatGeek Enterprise
On Day 2, using visual thinking techniques, attendees sketched out ideas to create a clearer, more efficient future.
"I don't think we realized how productive visual thinking can be. XPLANE shed light on a different way of doing things."
— Oliver Marvin, Chief of Staff, SeatGeek Enterprise
![20190508_091332-(copy)-2_2 A group of three individuals sit around a table with lots of sticky notes and water bottles, laughing and discussing](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/20190508_091332-copy-2_2-scaled-e1641607743523-piov9d5mvelbua2lainyvuf2m44pezg8hf9aa88rzs.jpg)
![SeatGeek Deliverable 02r Hand sketched SeatGeek map with lots of colorful sticky notes with feedback all over the paper](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SeatGeek-Deliverable-02r.jpg)
On Day 3, XPLANE shared three unique concepts for SeatGeek’s journey map.
In the end, XPLANE co-created three journey maps with SeatGeek—one each (variations of the “master” map) for each Enterprise team.
"Feedback on the maps has been great. For existing employees, the maps clarify what they already know, for new hires and clients, the maps engagingly depict how our Enterprise business works."
—Oliver Marvin, Chief of Staff, SeatGeek Enterprise
Goals & Outcomes
In a few short months, SeatGeek found multiple uses for the journey maps:
![SeatGeek_Case Study_Icon 1 Light purple icon shows a figure at a whiteboard presenting to three individuals taking notes on laptops](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/SeatGeek_Case-Study_Icon-1-piowzxau2vvm6k2b2w910xef75lh0e54p62zpykstk.png)
Onboard new hires and train internal transfers.
The maps clearly convey the company’s operational life cycle and key transition points.
![SeatGeek_Case Study_Icon 2 Light pink icon shows three figures at a table, one with their hand raised, and two shaking hands](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/SeatGeek_Case-Study_Icon-2-piowzy8o9pwwi60xxennlf5vsjgu838v1aqh78jenc.png)
Enhance the customer experience.
The maps clarify what clients should expect from working with SeatGeek. For employees, the maps have solidified the handover process at key touchpoints.
![SeatGeek_Case Study_Icon 3 Light purple icon shows two figures at a shared desk, one showing the other a document while the other takes notes on a desktop computer](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/SeatGeek_Case-Study_Icon-3-piowzy8o9pwwi60xxennlf5vsjgu838v1aqh78jenc.png)
Introduce a new internal team.
Prior to working with XPLANE, SeatGeek had planned to add a key team to its existing structure. The maps helped demonstrate the need for this team—and facilitated early adoption of the team.
![SeatGeek_Case Study_Icon 4 Light pink icon shows three figures, one at a podium presenting to the other two; one figure makes a comment about the presentation](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/SeatGeek_Case-Study_Icon-4-piowzy8o9pwwi60xxennlf5vsjgu838v1aqh78jenc.png)
Feed the culture.
Prominently displayed in SeatGeek’s offices worldwide, the maps are a source of pride and inspiration for future growth.
![SeatGeek_Case Study_Icon 5 Light purple icon shows a figure with their hand out, and a light bulb above their head](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/SeatGeek_Case-Study_Icon-5-piowzz6igjy6trzkrx2a5wxcdxc7fscldfdyoii0h4.png)
Update career paths.
Down the road, SeatGeek can foresee using the maps to help update job descriptions and identify career paths.
"Enhanced communication, cooperation, and validation were tangible perks of bringing SeatGeek team members—many of whom had never met—together. Workshop attendees discovered more similarities and new ideas for solving problems."
—Danoosh Kapadia, XPLANE
![](https://xplane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SEAT1901-CustomerJourney_EMEASport-1448x1024.jpg)
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