Admin Configuration, Reservation Portal Behaviour & Customer Upsell Guidance

Overview

The Product Recommendation & Swap feature enables organisations to guide customers toward more suitable, higher-value, or operationally appropriate products during the booking journey. Recommendations can appear when specific products, ticket types, or ticket combinations are added to the basket in the Reservations Portal or B2C checkout. The framework supports:

• recommended alternative products
• product upsell journeys
• ticket-type triggered recommendations
• target audience rules
• automatic product swaps
• manual product swaps
• customer acknowledgement messages
• basket replacement behaviour
• configurable customer-facing messaging Recommendations are configured in the Admin Portal and appear in customer booking flows once published and cache has refreshed. The functionality integrates across:
• Admin Portal
• Reservations Portal
• B2C Checkout
• Product Configuration
• Basket / Cart Services
• Promotions & Recommendations
• Reporting & Operational Monitoring Release notes confirm recommendation acknowledgement handling, ticket-type triggered recommendations, and product upsell swap functionality across Admin, B2C and Reservations.

Why It Matters

Modern booking journeys benefit from intelligent guidance. Customers may not always know:

• which product offers best value
• whether a different pass is more suitable
• whether their group composition qualifies for a better option
• whether conditions apply before adding a product
• whether an alternative product is more appropriate Product Recommendations support:
• intelligent upselling
• better customer decision-making
• reduced booking errors
• clearer eligibility guidance
• more relevant product selection
• improved revenue opportunities Traditional booking journeys often rely on:
• static product lists
• staff intervention
• customer knowledge
• manual upsell prompts
• offline explanation Expian instead supports: context-aware product recommendation architecture where:
• recommendations trigger automatically
• ticket combinations can drive targeted suggestions
• customer-facing messages explain the recommendation
• acknowledgement rules can enforce confirmation
• basket swaps can replace the original product cleanly This enables:
• smoother booking journeys
• higher conversion opportunities
• better customer experience
• operationally consistent upsell handling
• configurable client control

Recommendation Architecture

Trigger-Based Recommendation Logic

Recommendations are controlled by configured rules. The system evaluates:

• linked products
• ticket types
• ticket quantities
• target audience rules
• recommendation behaviour
• acknowledgement requirements
• swap eligibility When conditions are met:
• a Recommendation Popup appears
• the recommended product is displayed
• the customer can review the suggestion
• the customer may swap the product where enabled This creates:
• targeted product guidance
• controlled upsell journeys
• consistent operational behaviour

System Behaviour

Cart-Based Recommendation Evaluation

When a customer or Reservations user adds a product to the basket:

• the system checks whether the product matches a recommendation trigger
• target audience rules are evaluated
• ticket-type conditions are checked
• quantity thresholds are assessed
• compatible recommended products are identified If the configured conditions are met:
• the Recommendation Popup displays
• the recommendation reason appears
• price and product details are shown
• acknowledgement text may display
• the customer may accept or dismiss the recommendation Where Offer to Swap Product is enabled:
• the original product is removed from the basket
• the recommended product is added
• ticket quantities are carried across or adjusted depending on mode
• the basket updates immediately Recommendations only become active once they are:
• saved
• published
• cache-cleared or cache-refreshed

Release-Note Alignment

Recommendation Enhancements

Release-note functionality confirms three key recommendation enhancements.

Add Reason and Acknowledgement for Recommendations

The Admin setup now supports:

• recommendation reason text
• acknowledgement text
• customer acknowledgement requirements
• condition-specific messaging This enables customers to confirm they understand important conditions before proceeding.

Recommendations Acknowledgement in B2C & Reservations

The recommendation UI now supports acknowledgement text in:

• B2C checkout
• Reservations Portal Where acknowledgement is enabled:
• the message displays in the popup
• the customer must tick the acknowledgement checkbox
• the swap or add action cannot proceed until acknowledged This works with recommendation swap functionality.

Ticket-Based Recommendation & Product Upsell Swap

Recommendations can now be triggered by:

• products
• ticket types
• ticket combinations The Admin setup includes a Target Audience section for ticket types that trigger the recommendation. Where swap is enabled:
• the recommendation can replace the first item in the cart
• ticket-type based upsells can be configured
• family or child-based prompts can be supported This supports product upsell journeys such as recommending a family pass, play pass, privilege pass or higher-value product.

Admin Configuration

Configuring Product Recommendations

Recommendations are created and managed in: Admin Portal → Extras → Recommendations [IMAGE: Recommendations list — placeholder] To configure a recommendation:

• open Extras from the top navigation bar
• select Recommendations from the left menu
• select Create a New Recommendation
• or select the pencil icon to edit an existing recommendation

1. Set Triggering Products

Linked Products

In the Linked Products tab, configure which products should trigger the recommendation. A recommendation may be triggered by:

• one product
• multiple products
• product families
• specific configured items [IMAGE: Triggering products — placeholder] Examples include:
• Day Ticket triggers Annual Pass suggestion
• Standard Admission triggers Family Pass suggestion
• Palace Park Pass triggers Privilege Pass suggestion
• Event ticket triggers admission requirement message This ensures recommendations appear only when relevant.

2. Define the Target Audience

Ticket-Type Rules

Target audience rules can be built around ticket types. Examples include:

• at least 1 Child
• at least 1 Adult
• specific child/adult combination
• family ticket configuration
• carer or concession ticket presence [IMAGE: Target audience setup — placeholder] The minimum required count determines when the recommendation activates. Examples: Rule

Recommendation Use

At least 1 Child Suggest Family Pass At least 2 Adults Suggest Joint Membership Adult + Child Suggest Family Product Combination Admission Ticket Display Event Eligibility Present Message Release notes confirm that ticket-based recommendation rules can trigger recommendations based on ticket type, not only linked product.

3. Choose the Product to Recommend

Recommended Product Selection

Select the alternative product the system should propose. [IMAGE: Product to recommend — placeholder] Recommended products may include:

• higher-value products
• more suitable products
• family products
• annual passes
• membership products
• bundled products
• related admissions A Recommendation reason or message may also be configured. This message appears in the customer-facing popup and should explain why the product is being recommended. Examples:
• “As your booking includes children, this family option may offer better value.”
• “This event requires a valid admission ticket.”
• “You may wish to upgrade to a pass for unlimited visits.”

4. Choose Recommendation Behaviour

Automatic vs Manual Mode

Recommendations can behave in different ways depending on operational need. [IMAGE: Automatic vs Manual — placeholder]

Automatic Mode

In Automatic mode:

• the system mirrors ticket types and quantities from the existing basket
• the customer cannot edit quantities
• the swap can be applied with a single click
• basket replacement is controlled and consistent Automatic mode is recommended where:
• ticket structures are directly compatible
• the recommended product is a clear like-for-like upgrade
• user flexibility is not required
• fast conversion is preferred Example:
• Annual Pass → Play Pass
• Standard Admission → Upgraded Admission
• Day Ticket → Annual Pass

Manual Mode

In Manual mode:

• customers can adjust ticket types
• customers can adjust quantities
• mixed group selections can be modified before swapping
• the user has more control before confirming Manual mode is recommended where:
• family composition may vary
• flexible group sizes are expected
• customers may need to add or remove ticket types
• the recommended product has a different ticket structure Example:
• individual tickets → family bundle
• adult and child tickets → family pass
• standard tickets → mixed entitlement product

5. Offer to Swap Product

Basket Replacement Behaviour

Enable Offer to Swap Product where the recommendation should replace the original basket item. When enabled:

• the original product is removed
• the recommended product is added
• the basket updates automatically
• the What field updates accordingly
• pricing recalculates immediately This option should only be enabled where:
• products have compatible ticket configurations
• the recommended product can validly replace the original product
• the customer journey remains clear Release notes confirm the “Offer to swap product?” option can replace the first item in the cart.

6. Configure Acknowledgement Message

Customer Acknowledgement Requirement

Acknowledgement messages can require customers to confirm they understand a condition before proceeding. [IMAGE: Acknowledgement setting — placeholder] Examples include:

• “Please accept to swap.”
• “This event requires a valid admission ticket.”
• “I understand this product will replace my current selection.”
• “I confirm I wish to proceed with this recommended product.” Where enabled:
• acknowledgement text displays in the popup
• the customer must tick the checkbox
• the Swap button remains disabled until acknowledged
• the acknowledgement applies in B2C and Reservations Release notes confirm acknowledgement text can be attached to recommendations and displayed in both Reservations and B2C.

7. Publish & Clear Cache

Activating Recommendation Changes

After saving configuration changes:

• select Publish next to the recommendation
• navigate to System Settings → Cache
• select Clear All Caches [IMAGE: Clear Cache screen — placeholder] If cache is not cleared:
• changes may not appear immediately
• updates should apply automatically after the cache refresh period Recommended best practice:
• publish every completed recommendation
• clear cache after urgent changes
• test in Reservations after clearing cache
• confirm behaviour before using live operationally

Reservation Portal Behaviour

Viewing the Recommendation

Once configured, recommendations appear when a qualifying product or ticket combination is added to the basket. Example:

• select Palace Park and Gardens Annual Pass
• add 1 Adult and 1 Child
• select Add to Cart
• recommendation rules evaluate
• Recommendation Popup appears if criteria are met [IMAGE: Product selection — placeholder]

Recommendation Popup

Customer-Facing Display

The popup may display:

• recommended product name
• product image
• description
• recommendation reason
• replacement price
• Swap button
• acknowledgement checkbox
• ticket quantity selectors where manual mode is enabled [IMAGE: Recommendation popup — placeholder] This supports:
• clear customer guidance
• transparent pricing
• informed decision-making
• controlled basket replacement

Automatic Behaviour Example

Fixed Quantity Swap

In Automatic mode:

• ticket quantities match the original product
• visitor counts cannot be changed
• the customer can accept or decline the recommendation
• the basket updates immediately if accepted [IMAGE: Automatic popup — placeholder] This provides:
• fast upsell journeys
• fewer customer decisions
• consistent ticket mapping

Manual Behaviour Example

Editable Quantity Swap

In Manual mode, the popup may include selectors for:

• Adult
• Child
• Family tickets
• Concession
• other configured ticket types [IMAGE: Manual popup with selectors — placeholder] The customer can:
• adjust ticket quantities
• review updated pricing
• tick acknowledgement where required
• select Swap After confirmation:
• the original product is removed
• the recommended product appears in the basket
• selected quantities are reflected
• the What field updates accordingly [IMAGE: Updated basket after swap — placeholder]

Acknowledgement Behaviour

Required Confirmation

Where acknowledgement is enabled:

• the acknowledgement message displays in the popup
• the customer must tick the checkbox
• the Swap button remains disabled until accepted [IMAGE: Popup with acknowledgement checkbox — placeholder] This is particularly useful where:
• eligibility conditions apply
• operational warnings are required
• admission dependencies exist
• product replacement needs explicit customer confirmation

Recommendation & Promotion

Interaction

Multiple Promotional Messages

Recommendations and promotions may appear alongside other customer-facing commercial prompts. Where multiple auto promotions are active, release fixes ensure promotional titles display correctly and consistently, without changing pricing or entitlement logic. Recommended operational guidance:

• test recommendations alongside promotions
• verify customer-facing titles and messages
• confirm pricing remains correct
• avoid overlapping messages that confuse the customer

Reporting & Operational Governance

Recommendation Management

Recommendations should be managed as part of commercial and operational governance. Teams should track:

• recommendation purpose
• trigger product
• target audience rule
• recommended product
• automatic or manual behaviour
• acknowledgement requirement
• test status
• publish status This supports:
• controlled upsell journeys
• consistent customer messaging
• reduced configuration risk
• operational visibility

Best Practice

Use Clear Customer-Friendly Messages

Recommendation messages should be:

• short
• specific
• benefit-led
• easy to understand Example:
• “As your booking includes children, this family option may offer better value.” Avoid:
• internal terminology
• overly technical wording
• unclear eligibility language

Use Automatic Mode for Simple Upsells

Automatic mode is best where:

• quantities map clearly
• product structures are compatible
• customers do not need to adjust group composition

Use Manual Mode for Flexible Groups

Manual mode is best where:

• family sizes vary
• customers may add additional tickets
• the recommended product structure differs from the original

Use Acknowledgement Only Where Necessary

Acknowledgement should be used when:

• a condition must be understood
• there is an operational dependency
• the customer is replacing one product with another
• eligibility or attendance requirements apply Avoid overusing acknowledgement, as it may slow the booking journey.

Always Publish & Clear Cache

After making recommendation changes:

• save configuration
• publish the recommendation
• clear cache where immediate activation is needed
• test in Reservations or B2C

Test Real-World Scenarios

Recommended test scenarios include:

• adult-only basket
• child-included basket
• family group basket
• single ticket swap
• mixed ticket type swap
• acknowledgement required
• acknowledgement not required
• automatic mode
• manual mode
• promotions active at the same time

Troubleshooting

Issue: Recommendation Does Not Appear

Check:

• recommendation is published
• cache has cleared
• linked product is correct
• target audience rule is met
• ticket type count is correct
• product is available in the active channel
• recommended product is active

Issue: Swap Button Is Disabled

Check:

• acknowledgement checkbox is required
• acknowledgement has been ticked
• recommended product is valid
• required ticket quantities are selected
• manual mode selectors have valid quantities

Issue: Product Does Not Replace Basket Item

Check:

• Offer to Swap Product is enabled
• product configurations are compatible
• basket item is eligible for replacement
• recommendation is triggered by the correct item

Issue: Wrong Recommendation Message Displays

Check:

• recommendation reason text
• acknowledgement message
• multiple active recommendations
• cache status
• publish status

Issue: Pricing Looks Incorrect After Swap

Check:

• recommended product pricing
• ticket quantities
• promotions
• voucher rules
• owned-product eligibility
• automatic discounts Where multiple discount rules apply, pricing should be tested to confirm the expected customer-saving logic is applied.

How to Configure

1. Configure Recommendation Record

Navigate to: Admin → Extras → Recommendations Configure:

• recommendation name
• linked products
• target audience rules
• recommended product
• recommendation reason
• acknowledgement settings
• swap behaviour
• automatic or manual mode Recommended setup:
• name recommendations clearly
• include product and rule context
• document intended customer journey

2. Configure Trigger Products

Navigate to: Recommendation → Linked Products Configure:

• products that trigger the recommendation
• multiple linked products where needed
• product availability rules Recommended setup:
• keep trigger groups focused
• avoid broad triggers unless the recommendation is universally relevant

3. Configure Target Audience

Navigate to: Recommendation → Target Audience Configure:

• ticket types
• minimum quantities
• relevant combinations Recommended setup:
• use specific ticket rules
• validate child/adult combinations
• test mixed-basket scenarios

4. Configure Recommended Product

Navigate to: Recommendation → Recommended Product Configure:

• product to recommend
• message / reason
• image and customer-facing content where supported Recommended setup:
• choose products with clear customer benefit
• ensure pricing and ticket mapping are correct
• ensure recommended products are active and available

5. Configure Swap Behaviour

Navigate to: Recommendation → Behaviour Configure:

• Automatic mode
• Manual mode
• Offer to Swap Product
• ticket quantity mapping Recommended setup:
• use Automatic mode for compatible products
• use Manual mode for flexible groups
• test basket replacement behaviour carefully

6. Configure Acknowledgement

Navigate to: Recommendation → Acknowledgement Configure:

• acknowledgement required
• acknowledgement message
• customer confirmation text Recommended setup:
• only require acknowledgement for meaningful conditions
• keep wording clear and customer-facing
• test disabled/enabled button behaviour

7. Publish & Clear Cache

Navigate to: Admin → System Settings → Cache Complete:

• Publish recommendation
• Clear All Caches
• test recommendation in Reservations
• test recommendation in B2C where applicable

Feature Highlights Appendix

Category

Feature Description Why It Matters Example Use

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Operational Benefits

The Product Recommendation & Swap framework delivers:

• intelligent product guidance
• targeted upsell journeys
• clearer customer messaging
• improved basket accuracy
• configurable acknowledgement controls
• reduced booking errors
• improved conversion opportunities
• consistent operational behaviour The framework enables organisations to operate:
• context-aware booking journeys
• controlled product replacement
• better family and group recommendations
• customer-friendly upsell prompts
• governed recommendation configuration
• scalable commercial optimisation across Reservations and B2C

Operations

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