I WANT MY NDP TICKETS

On episode one of “Our Singapore Bicentennial”, we would be talking about the NDP ticketing system!

As every 9th of August approaches, every Singaporean is itching to have a spot to watch the famous and grand NDP parade! Sadly, as there are not enough spaces not everybody might have a chance to watch the NDP. Therefore, it is important to have a good ticketing system to ensure every citizen gets a chance to watch the NDP at least once. The NDP has a systematic way of admitting people in, eg. ticket allocation will be prioritised for Singapore Citizens and applicants who were not allocated tickets for NDP 2018. In fact, the NDP operates on an IT ticketing system, which plays an integral role in ensuring everything runs smoothly in the parade.

What is an IT ticketing system?

The information technology (IT) team helps in maintaining a smooth parade, by providing fast technical support ensuring productivity and efficiency for the NDP organisers. One of the main jobs of IT departments is responding to ticket requests, which can come from anyone, during the ticket balloting period. IT departments implement a system that keeps everyone organized and up to date so that they can ensure prompt and reliable service. There are several IT ticketing systems that can help IT departments manage incoming tickets. IT demands can vary based on one’s industry/company/organisation; however, there are many common aspects that you could look out for, like increasing communication or transparency among organisations.

Features

So, what is important in an online ticketing system? Firstly, the ability for people to check if there are tickets available for people to book. An online ticketing is different from your local SISTIC counter in the sense that you are able to check whether tickets are available from the convenience of your phone, instead of needing to head down to a counter, only to find out that the tickets that you wanted to buy were all sold out, and we’re all sad now :( Furthermore, you are able to purchase tickets much faster and easier as you are able to make payment online instead of having to prepare cash! Eventbrite, cinema websites and SISTIC online are examples of an online ticketing system.

Importance of an online ticketing system

An online ticketing system allows an organiser to be able to compile a list of attendees easily and cover their event logistics a lot faster as they are able to organise data with just a few clicks instead of doing it with pen-and-paper. This allows the organisers of the event to spend more time on the event and less on the admin work.

So…what does NDP have to do with this?

GovTech (a Government Technology Agency) developed their own online ticketing system for the NDP! However, unlike most online ticketing systems, whereby upon payment or complete registration a ticket is given to you, the NDP ticketing system is based on a balloting system. Firstly, when a person registers for a ticket, their name is then put into a ballot. This balloting system prioritises people who, as previously mentioned, have not been to an NDP yet. This ensures that each Singaporean citizen or Permanent Resident would have the chance to watch the NDP live at least once in their lifetime. After the registration window is closed, the ballot would be carried out and a few thousand lucky people would be able to watch the NDP either during the rehearsals.or the actual Day. Being there in real life is definitely an experience that lasts, as many of you might recall during your Primary 5 NE shows.

Want to find out more about online ticketing systems? Visit the following links below!

• https://www.eventbrite.com/organizer/overview/
• https://www.greatdeals.com.sg/2019/05/22/ndp-2019-ticket-application-balloting
• https://www.smartsheet.com/how-use-smartsheet-it-ticketing-system