What does... "ticket" actually mean?
In his column «What Does It Actually Mean…?», Benno Maggi explains terms from the fields of marketing and communications. This time, he shares his thoughts on the term «ticket.».
Anyone who is still sitting on an Alba festival ticket can sing a song about how worthless a ticket can suddenly be. Now that all events except for this one seem possible again, the word has virtually high season. But as the current example teaches, it is unfortunately no longer enough to just have a ticket: It also takes a certificate to enjoy a benefit. However, this is not the reason why the word has also gained importance in our industry.
No ticket, no service
It all started with digitization, then called EDP (electronic data processing), later IT (information technology). We remember: No matter whether helpdesk, support or hotline, the waiting lines took forever. On the other hand, when it was your turn, you had the solution to the problem in front of you and you got it solved ad hoc. Today, such solutions are a thing of the past and a ticket is needed for everything. Of course, to protect the technicians, it should be mentioned here that the complexity has increased to such an extent that ad hoc solutions are no longer effective or comprehensible. On the one hand, this has to do with us users, who demand far too much support and require services related to operation or problem resolution, and on the other hand, with the increasing cadence, complexity and, in larger organizations, even compliance. Tickets make this work prioritizable, plannable and traceable by logging what has been changed.
However, the original German meaning of the word - admission ticket - is much closer to the start-up field of application, and not just since "Höhle des Löwen". There, a ticket defines the size of the investment. Not to be confused with the deal ticket, which means the recording of all terms, conditions and basic information of an investment or deal. Which brings us back to the beginning, now that the ticket refund orgy is underway. Investing in an Alba Festival ticket definitely didn't pay off this year. But that's another story.
* Benno Maggi is co-founder and CEO of Partner & Partner. He has been eavesdropping on the industry for over 30 years, discovering words and terms for us that can either be used for small talk, pomposity, excitement, playing Scrabble, or just because.
