Ticketmaster is excited to welcome The View from The Shard as a new Attractions partner, welcoming families, friends and fans to enjoy its remarkable views across London. We sat down with Rico Patel, the venue’s Systems and Admissions Manager, to discuss the new partnership.
Why was now the right time to partner with Ticketmaster?
“As The View from The Shard continues to evolve, it felt like the right time to invest in a ticketing platform that could evolve with us. We wanted greater flexibility, better insight into our customers, and the ability to respond much more quickly to the needs of the business. For us, this partnership is about creating the foundations for the next stage of The View from The Shard.”
What makes The View from The Shard such a special experience?
“I think what makes The View from The Shard so special is that you get to experience London from a completely different perspective. You can spend your whole life walking through London, but when you come up here and see the city laid out in front of you, you suddenly realise just how incredible it is.”
“From our viewing platforms, you have spectacular 360-degree panoramic views across the capital, taking in some of London’s most iconic landmarks. But for me, it’s also about the atmosphere. Whether you’re visiting London for the first time, celebrating something special, or you’ve lived here your entire life, there’s still that moment when you step out and see the view.”
“You can show people photographs and videos, but nothing quite prepares you for seeing it for yourself.”
What were you looking for in a ticketing partner?
“From my perspective, we needed a ticketing partner that gave us much more flexibility and control. The visitor attraction industry moves incredibly quickly. We might want to introduce a new product, change our pricing strategy, launch a promotion or respond to demand, and we need technology that allows us to do that efficiently. We wanted a platform that’s intuitive and user-friendly. Being able to create products, manage inventory, control capacity and make changes without everything becoming a major technical project makes a huge difference operationally.”
“We also wanted a partner that could grow with us. Ticketmaster gives us the technology and infrastructure we need today, but also opens up opportunities for how we develop our ticketing and reach new audiences in the future.”
Favourite thing about being involved with The View from The Shard?
“My favourite thing is probably seeing everything come together. As Systems & Admissions Manager, a lot of what I do happens behind the scenes. I’ll work with different departments on an idea for a new product or experience, look at how we make it work operationally, build it within our systems, and make sure all those different elements connect correctly through to the website and, ultimately, the customer. There’s a huge amount that happens behind the scenes before somebody ever clicks ‘Buy Tickets’.”
“I really enjoy being involved in that entire journey – taking something that starts as an idea in a meeting and eventually seeing it become something that thousands of guests can book and experience. That’s probably the most rewarding part of my role: seeing something you’ve helped build come to life.”
How does The View from The Shard stand out from other attractions in London?
“I think you only need to look around us to understand what makes The View from The Shard different. We offer spectacular 360-degree panoramic views across one of the greatest cities in the world from the UK’s tallest building.”
“But we’ve always wanted it to be more than simply coming up, looking at the view and leaving. We have bars where you can enjoy a drink surrounded by the London skyline, an open-air viewing platform on Level 72, and even London’s highest ‘loo with a view’. London has some incredible visitor attractions, but there aren’t many places where the city itself becomes the attraction. Every time you come up here, the view is different – different weather, different light, day or night – and I think that’s what makes the experience so special.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with The View from The Shard. We’re bringing together the latest in our timed entry technology with some of our newer integrations with fantastic partners, which lets us offer a true 360 solution for our permanent attractions and exhibitions clients. A seamless booking experience was a key goal, whether that’s online or on site through kiosks. By integrating with The Shard’s existing infrastructure, we could make the migration as smooth as possible for the team. We’re looking forward to seeing how our marketing and distribution network can help grow their customer base, and we’re really excited to be working with such an iconic property in the heart of London.”
–Alex Berti, VP Client Development, Ticketmaster
