What is Will Call?
Let's just assume for the sake of argument that you and Mick Jagger are old schoolmates and the Rolling Stones just happen to be playing in your city's amphitheater next week. You could wait in line for hours at the box office or stay on hold with Ticketron, or else your old buddy Mick could hold two tickets for you at the gate. On the day of the concert, you would proceed directly to a special section of the box office known as the 'will call' window. Your tickets from Sir Mick should already be waiting for you.
Even if your tickets to an event are not complimentary, a 'will call' area should also have tickets ordered through an online service or by phone. Some venues may even have self-service kiosks which take the place of 'will call' windows. Electronic tickets are kept in reserve until the proper buyer arrives and completes the transaction. This method may also be used in other businesses, such as catalog outlets with a physical pick-up point. The item may be ordered weeks in advance, but the buyer is not required to produce a receipt until the time of pick-up and delivery. A 'will call' station can keep pre-orders separate from the regular point-of-sale orders.
Not every venue offers a 'will call' option for customers. Tickets would have to be purchased during the regular box office hours, with little guarantee of availability. Some performance halls have strict requirements when it comes to 'will call' tickets. Proper identification must be presented at the time of pick-up, in order to prevent an imposter from claiming, "Mick left me two tickets under the name Smith." 'Will call' tickets may also have to be picked up within a few hours of the event, not days in advance. This could mean some time spent in a line at the 'will call' window, rather than an immediate pass into the venue.
The benefits of a 'will call' option usually outweigh the disadvantages. Tickets can be ordered immediately online or by phone instead of waiting in line at a distant box office. Other pre-show plans can be made, since picking up the tickets is no longer a time-consuming prospect. There are no tickets to be forgotten at home or lost along the way. But occasionally there may be some clerical errors or miscommunications, so be prepared for anything. Double-checking with the box office staff during the week may not be a bad idea, especially if the tickets are complimentary or conditional.
Written by Michael Pollick
