Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Zoo is a family favourite.
Founded in 1929, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is internationally recognized for world-class animal care and habitat design practices. They take pride in inspiring and educating generations of visitors about the importance of biodiversity and conservation.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is home to almost 1,000 creatures, across 119 species. No wonder one-third of Calgarians visit yearly, and more than 97,000 have annual memberships.
The Challenge
To create a website that would effectively communicate the Zoo's mission to educate and inspire visitors, as well as reinforce its conservation efforts.
This required a user-friendly, Tessitura-integrated website that would make it easy for visitors to engage with the Zoo's programs and events. Specifically, the website needed to ensure that members could easily access discounts and offers, while also streamlining the booking process for School Education Programs, Kids Camps, and Special Events. By moving these tasks online, the Zoo aimed to create a more convenient and accessible experience for both staff and visitors alike, allowing everyone to focus on enjoying all that the Zoo has to offer.
Project Services
The Solution
To address these challenges, we leveraged automation and agency to develop a streamlined, self-service online platform that empowers Calgary Zoo members, teachers, parents, and visitors alike. Our solution included the following features:
- An online self-service account module that gives members full control over their memberships, including member discounts, special offers, and automated renewals. Pages are created and maintained by Calgary Zoo staff, using an intuitive graphic interface. This approach utilizes the Tessitura-integrated Jixaw Content Management Solution (CMS), which enables the Zoo's staff to focus on media, messaging, and analytics, while ensuring members receive their pricing rules, discounts, and offers automatically.
- To control crowds, and ensure a smooth experience for staff and visitors alike, high-volume events held at the Zoo require customizable functionalities for daily admissions and timed ticket entry, including integrated preferred access, discounts and offers for existing and new members.
- A self-service online education program that enables teachers to book school trips and camps right from the website, anytime. After setting up a school account, teachers can select a grade level, subject matter, and preferred date to complete their booking. This feature saves time and keeps everyone in the loop without requiring payment upfront. The same process applies to Kids Camps. Parents are able to log in to their account, select a camp, enter their child’s information and they’re ready to go! No more waiting for business hours to speak on the phone, and all necessary information is saved to an account.
- A cutting-edge ticketing system that adapts to a variety of non-standard venues used for special events held throughout the year, including Mother's Day Brunch, Adult Nights, and Zoo Lights. Select-Your-Own-Seat functionality was seamlessly integrated with Tessitura for a variety of spaces, including outdoor areas, bars, dining areas, and lecture theaters, ensuring a hassle-free booking experience for patrons.
The Outcome
The Calgary Zoo now offers visitors an easy and engaging experience from the moment they land on the website.
With streamlined online functionalities, visitors can purchase admission tickets, manage their memberships, and book educational programs and special events at their convenience. This results in happier visitors who can enjoy a personalized and memorable experience at the Zoo, while staff can focus on media, messaging, and analytics. Jixaw's automation and agency solutions have transformed the Calgary Zoo's online presence, keeping it as a top destination for families and animal lovers alike.
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