Mobile Moviegoing partnering with Ready Theatre Systems to upgrade digital offerings for local theaters
Solano-based Mobile Moviegoing assisted many local theaters in enhancing their customer experience by allowing more moviegoers to buy tickets online and reserve seats in advance.
The company is taking that a step further with the announcement of a new partnership with Ready Theatre Systems that will allow nearly 1,200 movie theaters across the country to give local moviegoers customized internet access to buy tickets, reserve seats and even order concessions before heading into the theater.
Corey Tocchini, CEO of Mobile Moviegoing, said Ready Theatre Systems has helped gain access to local theater owners to introduce their web-building services while giving these small and independent theaters a chance to really stand out from large competitors.
“Ready Theatre Systems opens all the doors for us,” Tocchini said. “We’re really the web experts and they’re the point of sale experts so we work together to get access to the theater owner and give them what they need and want to offer their clients.”
Ready Theatre Systems, based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, has worked with small and independent theaters over the past 30 years to bring digital ticketing services to movie fans. They also recently started including food and beverage ordering.
Head of sales RD Crocker said Ready Theatre Systems doesn’t create website landing pages. The new partnership will allow exactly that.
Tocchini added that moviegoers want loyalty and rewards programs and Mobile Moviegoing will continue to help local theaters create their own similar to programs like AMC Theater’s Stubs.
“Our goal is to make sure the independent (theaters) can thrive and survive in today’s tough Hollywood landscape,” Tocchini said. “With all of the focus groups we’ve done all over the country, that is one thing that consumers always say is important to them: loyalty and rewards.”
Theaters have continued to battle how to bring moviegoers back to the theater following the height of the pandemic when movies were released on streaming services and theaters sold concessions for pickup via drive-thru.
Crocker said smaller and independent theaters continue to face challenges from movie studios who have continued to release movies on streaming platforms and inflation hitting the price of popcorn and other concessions.
“If it’s a consumable product, it’s gone up in price so (these theaters) are looking for ways to stay alive,” Crocker said. “This partnership we have with Mobile Moviegoing to offer no-cost website (building) to our RTS customers really helps them, especially given the state of the industry and economy right now.”
You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.
