Has it not! And what we are seeing now is an exciting rush to high tech, using bar codes and scanners, magnetic stripes, integrated microchips, radio relays and laser beams. The technology is catching ticket cheats, delivering messages to skiers, accumulating mountains of database marketing data, automatically debiting customers, rewarding frequent skiers—and incidentally performing the functions of the traditional low-tech paper ticket.
How are these systems working? We focused on six new systems installed at six U.S. areas which installed new systems this past year and asked an executive at each to give a brief rundown for our readership—write a review. These systems range from a new, computer-based ticketing system installed at Red River, New Mexico, with no pretensions to access control, on through to a system that appears to be ticketing, marketing and accounting departments all rolled into one packet of electronic wizardry. Readers should also remember that five of the six systems described were previously untested in the field, and a lot of “debugging” was assumed.
There are other systems; we cannot cover them all here. We chose to give the readership a broad sampling. SAM’s editorial columns will be exploring these technologies further.
The Austrian-based SkiData system is unique, I believe, in that it centers around a magnetic strip ticket with printout verification. At the point of sale the ticket stock passes through the cash computer. The magnetic strips are encoded and the face of the ticket is thermally imprinted with a code, price and serial number. The cash computer dispenses up to three different color stocks, or any number of other ticket stocks can be inserted manually for special transactions.
The other main component feature of the system is the turnstile/reader at each lift that every skier passes through. The turnstile not only checks the ticket, but when appropriate, imprints it with point deductions or day validation on first entry. This provides the customer with a written confirmation of the transaction that has taken place; an LED display shows the skier the remaining value of the ticket. Each turnstile and each cash computer is free standing and can either be networked by hard wire or the base computer by carrying a disk to a PC base once a day.
In my view, the system is the most sophisticated, most thorough and offers the most flexibility of any yet in the industry. Consequently, it is not inexpensive!
In our first year, the quality of the equipment has certainly lived up to our expectations. We have had very few hardware problems. (The components are all quickly interchangeable.) We have not had a ticket reader failure this season, and free-standing, plug-in components from spare parts stock provided have, in all cases, quickly gotten us back in service.
The software backup from the company has been good, and they have the ability to do program changes by modem from California or Austria. Occasionally there have been small delays in conversion from German to English of some instructions and printouts.
The capability for ticket variety, the management reports and pricing alternatives are completely customized to our needs, with system capacity of over 2,200 tickets. We are currently writing a program for the summer use of our system on our Alpine Slide, Aquaboggan, Waterslide, Pony Rides, Golf Driving Range and so forth.
Offsite ticket sales are easily controlled and are provided to lodging establishments and others by pre-printing a supply of tickets imprinted with price and type. Sold across the desk, they are validated on the guest’s first stop at the turnstile for that day or multi-day period. Smart Tickets are also sold off-site. The daily turnstile report provides us with a first-entry register from these offsite source for billing purposes.
The management report program provides a statistician’s dream world, but can also be compressed into a single-page daily, weekly or monthly report. We now know precisely the number of skier visits, the number of tickets and the percentage of each ticket type used for each specific lift; we can, if we wish, know the same individually with season pass holders or other special groups. Turnstiles can easily be blocked for lost season passes, or for employees who have left the company.
We are running a “lucky skier” spring campaign where every thousandth entry through the turnstile is treated to bells and whistles and is handed a badge which is redeemed for a valuable prize at our skier service desk and entered into a year-end sweepstake.
The primary advantages of the system, as I see it, fall into three categories. First, marketing of the Smart Ticket; secondly, eliminating of fraud; and thirdly, providing management with a wealth of information which will help in future pricing and marketing considerations. For the future, opportunities include the creation of a message service, a frequent skier program, use as a debit card for other on-and offsite services, and access to lockers, locker rooms, campground and preferred parking.
I can say that the customers who have used any of the new offerings of the Smart Ticket or offsite purchase are, almost without exception, thoroughly enthused about the program. We’ve done extensive surveys to back up that premise. Skiers using the traditional ticket have an attitude that varies from curiosity and excitement on through to the phobias of having to deal with a machine. We have nearly eliminated the latter by providing the same number of hosts and ticket checkers as we had used in the past. This has aided our guests in the learning process and has provided a quality personal service. I believe in the long run, particularly in the hours we run at less than full capacity, we will confidently check every ticket and provide quality service without a ticket checker present.
Improvements we are working on are, first of all, to find a more efficient way to quickly bring the guests through the learning curve of system use; and secondly, to find a better fastener for the ticket than the light elastic band one has to wear around the shoulder or waist. There is presently too much exposure to transfer of the ticket. The Ski Zip (retractable yo-yo) that retails for $3 works fine, but requires an additional sales effort on top of the ticket price. The ski watch option, priced as it is, did not find many takers, but Attitash executives and some season pass holders found them both functional and attractive.
As with any sophisticated equipment purchase, the operator has to look at the cost/reward benefits of this system to be sure that he is going to utilize the features of the system—marketing, control and statistical—to a large enough degree to offset and justify the price.
At Attitash we are convinced we do.
