Gantner Ticketing, a provider of software for museums, zoos, cultural heritage and visitor attractions, has collaborated with Mjus Resort & Thermal Park, Hungary. The firm’s access control, locker and point of sale solutions are now in use at the attraction and will complement the resort and spa’s luxury experience.
This family-friendly attraction features a hotel and thermal spa, alongside 45,000 square meters of green space, indoor and outdoor pools, and dining, retail and bowling facilities. Mjus Resort & Thermal Park has a history of fine craftsmanship as it is located on the site of an Italian shoe factory. The attraction was built in 2016, and now employs a team of 100 people who continue the site’s tradition of excellence.
Technology to support quality services
Managing a large and diverse organization like Mjus Resort & Thermal Park is an enormous task which requires thoughtfully selected technology.
Adriano Collenz, general manager at Mjus Resort & Thermal Park explains: “If you want to offer quality services to your visitors, then you need quality technology that can support your processes. After a short period of working with a diversity of software and hardware solutions to manage our business, we realized we needed to upgrade to something more modern and more efficient.”
Mjus Resort & Thermal Park has been using a number of software solutions across its activities since it opened. This included a hotel software solution for day-to-day operational management, an online booking system, an access control system, and a cashless payment solution. However, the different technologies did not integrate well, resulting in wasteful operations, double work, and even reduced income due to data loss.
The attraction struggled with a lack of assistance from its suppliers, and several of the solutions were not improved or modified for extended periods. As a result, the solutions were missing important functions, such as an efficient analysis and reporting module in the hotel management system.
“Working with this mishmash of systems had cost us a lot of time, money and frustration. So, it was time to offer our staff, IT team and guests something more efficient, a solution offered by a supplier that was willing the give us the support we needed,” shares Collenz.
All-in-one solution
The wide range of activities and amenities at the attraction meant that Mjus Resort & Thermal Park needed to find an all-in-one solution where a large number of third-party integrations would not be needed. Exploring the market, however, rapidly revealed that there were few providers that could provide the full package. Another obstacle was the Hungarian language, as well as the Hungarian fiscal and administrative requirements that the system must adhere to.
Following extensive research, the resort team selected Gantner Ticketing as the best fit for their needs. The attraction now uses a range of Gantner Ticketing software and hardware which increases efficiency and reduces friction for employees and visitors.
Collenz says: “With Gantner Ticketing everything is under control. Recreatex always gives us a clear view on our operations, inventory and sales figures.”
Customers can now use the Gantner Ticketing access turnstiles to enter the park through all of the entry gates. Visitors then use a special wristband to access the thermal park, open lockers, or make further cash-free purchases. The wristband enables them to make payments at any Gantner Ticketing Recreatex-powered points of sale, including the spa, restaurants, bars, bowling, and pastry store.
Recreatex is also used to manage all sales inventory. Mjus Resort & Thermal Park employees also use the mobile mPOS app, which allows them to use smartphones or tablets as payment points.
A clear view of operations
Collenz reflects on implementing the software: “Before Gantner Ticketing, gates were not always working, we had no accurate view on accessing and leaving visitors, and sometimes, extra charges were lost due to system errors. Today, everything is easier to manage, and Recreatex always gives us a clear view on our operations, inventory and sales figures.”
The staff now has an accurate, real-time count of guests using the facilities. This is critical in a resort such as Mjus Resort & Thermal Park, which has a combination of day and long-stay visitors. Recreatex assists employees in better managing the resort’s availability and reducing wait times.
The key reason for working with Gantner Ticketing was to help the organisation develop its use of IT. Collenz explains: “Technology should drive the company’s processes, not create problems. Everyone should benefit from it, including staff, the IT team, and the customer.”
Technology used to regularly be an obstacle to providing a positive consumer experience. Now, the employees believe that they can assist more guests more quickly and effectively. And the IT staff can rest easy. Integrations with other software systems, such as the Hotel Management System, are operating well, and whenever an issue arises, the Gantner Ticketing support team is always available to find a solution.
“Using Recreatex is easier than we had imagined,” comments Collenz. “There always is a learning curve, and people are sometimes reluctant to try new things, but in the end, we have quickly experienced the advantages Gantner Ticketing brings to our daily operations.”
Gantner Ticketing has also been working with Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the biodiversity institute of the Netherlands, where Recreatex ticketing software is being used to streamline the customer experience across all channels. In addition, there are four ticket vending machines with Gantner Ticketing software and a service desk where visitors can buy entry tickets and parking.
