Boston Celtics Draft Indianapolis Tech Company Vontoo
Permission-based voice messaging latest tool used to help increase ticket sales

Client: Boston Celtics
Goal: Season Ticket Renewals

Indianapolis-based voice messaging company Vontoo (vontoo.com) is creating a unique niche for itself in helping NBA teams increase fan attendance. After a successful campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies, Vontoo is being used by the Boston Celtics to increase season ticket renewals.

Vontoo allows organizations to record, send and track personal messages to their customers or members. With Vontoo’s help, the Celtics are reaching out to season ticket holders via personal phone messages from player Delonte West. At the end of the phone call from West, fans are encouraged to renew their season tickets by transferring to the club’s office.

While still in its early stages, the campaign using Vontoo is demonstrating positive results. According to the club, one day’s figures of season ticket renewals following the phone calls showed sales nearly double over business done in the same day the previous year.

The Celtics’ experience with Vontoo follows a similar effort carried out by the Memphis Grizzlies. Looking to boost home game attendance, the Grizzlies enlisted Vontoo to distribute voice messages featuring favorite players. That effort resulted in more than $30,000 in sales with one round of calls.

Company President Dustin Sapp believes sports teams are one type of client that can greatly benefit from Vontoo. “In any intensely competitive market, even the most effective messages can fall short without a memorable connection,” says Sapp. “Vontoo offers these clubs something more traditional methods cannot—a player’s voice fans notice immediately in a timely, permission-based format tailored to specific customer demographics.”

Teams manage the entire process via a user-friendly Internet interface. Using the technology requires no hardware, software, or third-party call center. “Vontoo took me less than an hour to learn,” says Celtics Director of Ticket Services and Operations Paul Cacciatore. “The learning curve and relatively low burden it places on players recording the messages were two reasons why we chose to try Vontoo.”

The Celtics plan to continue using Vontoo, contemplating ideas such as sending calls of thanks to loyal fans. Meanwhile, Vontoo hopes to offer its services to other teams in the NBA and similar organizations. Given that Vontoo’s headquarters are in a city known for its professional and amateur sports, this seems to be a logical next play for one of the latest Indiana tech companies to gain national attention.

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