Boyertown, PA – (July, 2006) Southern California’s Oakland Zoo - long known for its extensive efforts in conservation and research - recently focused its studies on attaining a new effective POS system to meet its growing operational needs and landed Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.
Being spread over 550 scenic acres of rolling Golden State terrain may create an idyllic atmosphere for the Oakland Zoo’s vast variety of exotic tenants, but has posed numerous operational obstacles for the staff. According to Gateway project manager Amit Trasi, Oakland Zoo has four distinct operating locations within the acreage that were all using separate POS applications.
“They have ticketing, membership, food & beverage, and retail,” he said. “It was extremely difficult - at times impossible - to consolidate data from these disparate applications onto one report.” Trasi went on to explain that Oakland Zoo was using stand-alone cash registers at the front gates while the food & beverage stations were using a separate computer system.
These chronic hindrances were causing Oakland Zoo to invest money and manpower into compiling information and reports that could have been more wisely devoted to other operational and research responsibilities. Zoo officials looked to the Internet for a solution and discovered Gateway Ticketing Systems, the world leader in high-speed revenue management and admission control.
“When officials from the Oakland Zoo called on Gateway, they were looking for the ability to sell tickets and memberships along with food & beverages and be able to track all sales with one central system. Our Galaxy 3 POS system performs all of these tasks and will also provide them with more sales information accuracy by giving them access to a host of extensive, inclusive reports,” Trasi said.
Gateway’s Galaxy POS is the complete ticketing and admission control solution for the world’s largest theme parks, zoos, museums and aquariums. Packed with enhancements, Galaxy 3 provides customer convenience through expanded sales channels, integrated security features, and streamlined operations.
According to Trasi, Oakland Zoo contracted Gateway to install Galaxy in phases, beginning with food & beverage to be followed by ticketing and membership. Galaxy’s extensibility allows these features and many more, to be installed at any time in the future. “Galaxy is an integrated turnkey solution that effortlessly allows the zoo to merge the functions of four disparate locations within one comprehensive application,” he said.
Now that the Oakland Zoo is effectively operating under the astute umbrella of the Galaxy POS system, officials can redeploy precious resources to focus on their immense array of exotic guests and the research that has proven so critical to their preservation since 1922.
About the Oakland Zoo
The Oakland Zoo is open daily from 10am to 4pm, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The children's rides area, train, and sky ride open at 11am. In the event of inclement weather, the Zoo may be forced to close. Nestled in the rolling hills of 525-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Rd., Oakland off Highway 580, and is home to more than 440 native and exotic animals. The Oakland Zoo is a non-profit organization, managed by the East Bay Zoological Society. Founded in 1922 by Henry Snow, the Zoo has been located in its current Knowland Park location since 1936. For more Zoo information, visit www.oaklandzoo.org or call (510) 632-9525.
About Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.
Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. is the world leader in high-speed admission control and revenue management solutions for the entertainment, recreation and transportation industries. Gateway Ticketing Systems’ broad client base includes some of the largest theme parks, zoos and aquariums in the world to small family entertainment centers, museums and attractions. Within the transportation industry, Gateway Ticketing Systems provides solutions for intercity bus and passenger ferry systems. In all, Gateway Ticketing Systems’ products are operating in 38 countries, throughout six of the seven continents. For more information on Gateway Ticketing Systems, visit www.gatewayticketing.com or call +1 (610) 987-4000.
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