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AirPod Nation and Transhumanism

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Recently, I went to an all-day conference at Betaworks Studios in New York dedicated to the current and future trends of audio technology. The most eye-opening presentation was by Nick Pappageorge, Senior Intelligence Analyst, Frontier Tech at CB Insights, which opened my mind (and ears) to a change in our society that’s in plain sight, but I had never stopped to notice. 

As a result of his session, now as I walk around New York City I’m noticing more and more people with AirPods in their ears all the time. They go into a restaurant or a store and they don’t pull them out. Last night I was walking down the street and observed two business executives speaking with each other in a normal conversation for blocks, and one of them had AirPods in his ears the entire time. And when I’m in a store, I talk with people who have AirPods on. It’s a little disconcerting because I never know if that person is listening to me. That said, this is becoming more and more commonplace, which means I’ll get used to it. 

Nick postulated that what’s happening is an early form of “transhumanism,” which he defined as “the belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology.”  Read the Article

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Staff Training: How to Teach When You’re Not a Teacher

Today’s blog post is written by Christy Warren, Senior Manager of Education, PatronManager.

I worked for a non-profit arts organization for 14 years, so I understand your title doesn’t always reflect everything you do. You might be a box office manager or a development director, but you probably also handle budgets, payroll, scheduling, hiring, ordering supplies, and maybe even cleaning the office microwave. 

One other task you likely do is train new employees. This is an extremely important task, but it usually doesn’t get as much attention because it’s more of an as-needed assignment. Most people in the arts don’t come from a background of teaching, though they tend to be very empathetic and relationship-focused people which lays a great foundation on which to build.  

Full confession: I fall into this camp. My first box office position was shortly after college. I was good at my job, so my boss charged me with training new staff members as they were hired. We had a list of items everyone needed to know, so I would just work my way through the list showing all new hires how to do each item. It was fine. New staff learned how to function and did well in their jobs. But after working with four or five people, I started to figure out ways to help them learn faster and more effectively. 

Fast forward a few years, and I enrolled in graduate school to study adult learning and organizational development. This is where I discovered the theories behind the methods I was using in the box office, unbeknownst to me at the time. The two biggest takeaways I can offer you from these experiences are:Read the Article

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Knowledge Sharing: The Importance of Documentation

Today’s blog post is written by Emily van der Harten, Documentation Specialist, PatronManager.

Recently while catching up with a friend, they mentioned they were moving on to a different company and had found a replacement for their current position. This position was a many-hats-for-one-person kind of job… sound familiar? Since my job here at PatronManager is literally to document processes, the first question I blurted out was, “Whoa, did you document all the stuff you do for your replacement?” They replied with an emphatic “Yes! It took me like three weeks to write it all, but it’s done.”

While my friend and I waxed poetic on the merits of creating and maintaining documentation on best practices for fellow colleagues, it got me thinking about my own love for thorough documentation, and why it’s important for organizations to value it. Creating and fostering organization-wide documentation has multiple benefits. It encourages continuity, efficiency, and a collective memory so your organization can thrive!Read the Article

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Introducing STS Online Gift Card Redemption

It’s the first day of fall, which means the holidays are right around the corner. We understand that this is a fiscally important time for arts organizations with end-of-year fundraising campaigns and big ticketing pushes. With this in mind, we’re pleased to announce the much-anticipated added functionality of online Gift Card Redemption as part of our September 2019 release. Read the Article

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The Evolution of E-commerce: What It Means for Your Arts Organization

Today’s blog post is written by Alyssa Jean, Sales Development Representative, PatronManager.

With smartphones, tablets, laptops, and various other WiFi-enabled devices at our fingertips, e-commerce and online shopping trends have changed quite drastically over the past few years. Physical shopping malls and retail stores are no longer the primary sources for purchasing clothing, electronics, and even furniture. People are turning to the ease and convenience of online shopping from the comfort of their own homes more and more. 

According to this article from Digital Commerce 360, based on a survey conducted this year, millennials complete 60% of their purchases online, which is a 47% climb from a separate survey conducted in 2017. In just two years, that’s almost a 50% increase in online shopping versus in-store shopping! These trends, however, are not just exclusive to the retail industry; consumer studies have shown a rapid increase in online ticket sales as well, particularly on mobile. Let’s look at another study.Read the Article

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