Association des stations de ski du Québec - Conseil canadien du ski
PROJECT
Centralizing the complex array of products from the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ) and the Canadian Ski Council (CSC) within one cutting-edge platform and technological infrastructure.
PARTNERSHIP
Both strategic and technological, our partnership with ASSQ and CSC includes several phases of planned digital transformation over a few consecutive years.
OBJECTIVE
Propel both associations into the future with powerful and versatile technological tools, making it possible for them to deliver a seamless and exemplary customer experience.
400ms
average API response time
825 000
reservations
40M $
sales
72
participating stations in Quebec
224
participating stations in Canada
340 000
skiers and snowboarders
To enhance the skiing experience while offering a fully digital purchasing journey, we completely digitized the signature Ski Passe-Partout product for a simplified mountain access control. This initial phase of integrating and deploying RFID (present in some of the association’s stations) marks a first in Quebec.
It was then imperative we evolve the ASSQ digital store into an online selling point for RFID cards (Maneige product), allowing users to directly order their card, receive it by mail and activate it on the platform. Equipped with an electronic chip linked to the rider’s online profile, each custom and activated card then allowed its owner unrestricted access to the resorts’ slopes.
Purchasing or reloading tickets bought with Ski-Passe-Partout online via the ASSQ website is automatically applied to the skier’s RFID card. They can bypass ticket booths and directly access participating stations and lifts with the Maneige card, conveniently in their pocket.
Integrate the technology to accommodate the scale of products purchased through the ASSQ platform while ensuring its compatibility with the association's existing database and system - the SnowStorm platform. To achieve this, a solid digital access point was established between the system and the Axess technology (popular manufacturer of RFID gates). This point of contact allowed Axess gates, located at the base of slopes, to communicate directly with the association’s platform and validate season passes and tickets without any delay or wait time.
It was then imperative we evolve the ASSQ digital store into an online selling point for RFID cards (Maneige product), allowing users to directly order their card, receive it by mail and activate it on the platform. Equipped with an electronic chip linked to the rider’s online profile, each custom and activated card then allowed its owner unrestricted access to the resorts’ slopes.
15 300
ASSQ RFID cards in circulation
100 000
lift rides completed with these cards
1st year
multiple participating stations
Serverless infrastructure maximizing the use of a centralized API and Single-Page Applications (SPAs), optimizing hosting costs, and ready for a mobile application in phase 2
Management software for ski resorts in portal mode (SPA) allowing management of visits, clients and discounts, among other features.
Digital ticketing system, as well as barcode and reservation management, with pandemic restrictions in mind.
1
Centralization of all products on a single technological platform
2
Improvement in order processing time
3
Skiers can now book and secure their tickets in just a few clicks
4
Enhanced user experience of the online customer account also allows skiers to access their complete visit and purchase history
5
Optimal and contactless user experience: thanks to digital ticketing
6
Contactless ticket validation at stations
To bring together these platforms and centralize the product offer, our digital team developed a comprehensive solution, including a new technological infrastructure, a management portal for both associations to oversee the entirety of the proposed solution, a portal for ski resorts (for managing visits, clients and discounts), a transaction platform, an online store and a digital ticketing system. Offering more efficiency not only for the resorts, but also riders and both associations, this full-scale solution enabled an optimal and integrated experience before, during and after purchase.
Thanks to the provided portals, both associations and their ski resorts have more autonomy when it comes to managing their respective offers. The interface enables direct processing of orders and refunds, as well as management of products, closing dates, reservations, users and stations. A key component to the proposed system is that it also provides access to sales and usage data, directly in the interface.
Furthermore, ski resorts can select products from the associations they wish to offer to their customers and obtain additional online sales points for standalone daily passes, simply by adding them as a product on the portal.
Following the announcement of COVID-19 related measures, a second objective was added to the mandate: quickly integrate a new contactless payment solution to comply with public health restrictions. At the core of the digital ecosystem now lies the enhanced convenience of purchasing tickets online and reserving spots (date and time) at the chosen ski resort, streamlining mountain access management.
The addition of a barcode validation system, accessible via mobile application and at the resorts, allowed tickets to be scanned by on-site staff without any physical contact. This also eliminated the need for printing tickets, and the use of a traditional manual scanner.
With an intuitive mobile-adapted application design as well as an impressive download capacity, the skier’s user experience has been transformed. Today, ski pass orders and on-site reservation validations can be made and managed on an innovative and scalable centralized platform for all resorts in the province,
