Featured Image: Jacob Diehl/Unsplash
More than one million people visit the UK’s parliamentary estate each year, and while it is essential to balance its working needs, the potential of the Palace of Westminster as a visitor attraction is enormous.
Construction of the palace, commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, was completed in 1876 and has become globally recognised.
Prior to TheTicketingBusiness Forum 2025, which begins in Manchester on April 28, we spoke to Director of Customer Strategy and Retail at UK Parliament, Gabriela Gandolfini, to find out how best to commercialise such an establishment.
What is the most exciting development in the industry for you right now?
Gabriela Gandolfini: “The most exciting developments for me are twofold: first, the integration of AI and predictive analytics in ticketing systems and contact centres, which is transforming how venues understand audiences and personalise the customer journey across sectors.
“Second, I’m thrilled by the continued rise of immersive experiences – War of the Worlds, Peaky Blinders: The Rise, the Disney 100 Exhibition, the Lost Estate and similar notions that allow people to physically ‘feel’ the things they love most.
“I appreciate how these concepts create deeper connections with audiences, and I’m very excited to see what’s next in this experiential evolution.”
What projects are you currently working on?
GG: “I’m currently managing seven live projects, but one particularly exciting initiative is the Switchboard Project – a two-year endeavour nearing completion.
“We’re transforming our traditional Parliamentary switchboard into a comprehensive, modern contact centre with enhanced capabilities to serve the public, parliamentary passholders, Peers and MPs.
“New features include a merger with our feedback scheme, integration with other internal helpdesks, case management, and CRM functionality.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the results when we launch this summer!”
What are your aims for 2025?
GG: “Launching our new contact centre will be a huge milestone in my career in Parliament, so 2025 will be great for that alone, but aside from that 2025 will be all about further boosting the absolutely fantastic retail department, so even more people hear about it and enjoy our fantastic products.”
What’s the next challenge for you and your team?
GG: “We are rolling out our customer service standards framework to teams – a framework I created specifically for the House of Commons based on practices I’ve tested in the past and our unique organisational context.
“It presents more challenges than one might imagine, but we’ve made a brilliant start, albeit slower than in my previous roles, which motivates me to power through.”
Explore the future of ticketing with Gabriela Gandolfini and hundreds of other industry leaders at #TBF25 at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from April 28-30. BOOK TODAY
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