Boyertown, PA – (October, 2008) Gateway Ticketing Systems completed a successful installation at Roger Williams Park Zoo, one of America’s oldest zoos located in Providence, RI. The solution is part of Gateway’s comprehensive ticketing system which includes specific functionality to meet the Zoo’s needs for individual and group ticket sales, admission conversions to memberships and resource management.
Roger Williams Park Zoo (RWPZ) has had average annual attendance of just under 600,000 over the past 12 years. As with most zoos, the gate is a critical source of annual revenue and growth, and is of central importance when choosing a ticketing system provider. In addition, the current economic conditions have a bearing on decisions being made about ticketing solutions. Efficiency is key as it directly affects the bottom line.
Although the Zoo had been using software and services from a provider that develops products only for not-for-profit organizations, RWPZ realized shortly after that implementation that the system did not have the functionality the Zoo needed to operate at optimum efficiency. RWPZ required a system that offered group and advance ticketing and more flexible cash control. That’s when they turned to Gateway.
“They were pleased about the features Galaxy had to offer. In addition to Order Entry, they were really excited about Galaxy’s Resource Management, Pass and Membership, and Admission Control,” said Doug Beermann, Gateway Project Manager. “These functionalities will give them cleaner processes for selling capacity-managed events such as their Breakfast with Santa. And the improved efficiency ultimately saves money,” he said.
“The Zoo was also looking for a way to produce complimentary tickets and streamline their record keeping. Now they can get attendance reports based on ticket and pass scanning at the gate, rather than ticket sales,” said Beermann.
Galaxy offers RWPZ many zoo-specific features designed to facilitate membership growth and maximize operations efficiency. In addition to being able to easily create and process memberships right at the point of sale, Galaxy enables RWPZ to efficiently manage their resources, reservations, advance bookings and group visits by streamlining operations and system maintenance procedures.
RWPZ will use Order Entry and Resource Management to sell and manage their school field trips and their popular Birthday Party Program. The Birthday Party Program includes multiple individual purchase options such as pictures, meals, and cakes. Facilities such as classrooms, picnic tents, and special event rental spaces will be managed and sold utilizing Resource Management. The Zoo will also use Galaxy’s Pass module for gate membership sales.
Ticketing software and hardware are an integral part of a successful ticketing system, but training and support are equally as important. Clinton Smith, director of IT at the Zoo, recognizes that Gateway delivers this piece of the solution as well. He said, “Gateway’s responsiveness has been a major improvement over what we had been experiencing with our previous provider, and the training has been great. They have been able to provide insight based on years of experience with so many other zoos and similar attractions. We’re thrilled with the training and support provided by Gateway, and the spirit of overall teamwork that permeated the installation project was outstanding,” Smith said.
Beermann and the Gateway team felt the project was a success on many levels. He said, “The success of this installation is not only a testament to the Galaxy product, but also to a cooperative relationship between Gateway and the Zoo. Each party came into the project with a dedication to the task of building a system that would meet the Zoo’s needs today, and grow with them in the future. The time and energy put into configuration and training has paid off with a robust sales and admissions system that has opened up new avenues of growth for the Zoo as they move forward.”
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About Roger Williams Park Zoo:
Roger Williams Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in America, was founded in 1872. Characterized by its historic Victorian buildings, the zoo houses approximately 800 animals representing about 130 species at any one time. It lies on the west end of Roger Williams Park, just south of downtown Providence, RI. Creatures on display include polar bears, snow leopards, Asian Moon Bears, and African Elephants. Today the zoo has nearly 20,000 members.
About Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.:
Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. celebrates 20 years as the world leader in high-speed admission control and ticketing software for the attraction, amusement, and transportation industries. Located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Gateway Ticketing Systems provides sales, service and support for Point of Sale and ticketing systems throughout North America and worldwide.
For more information on Gateway Ticketing Systems, visit www.gatewayticketing.com or call +1 (610) 987-4000.
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