What helped me make the decision was, quite frankly, the people behind it. They had a really good plan that they implemented well; they were responsive and thoughtful. In terms of technological advancement, we jumped ahead two decades in just 55 days.

The Challenge

Nestled in the heart of the Upper Valley community, Dartmouth College enjoys a rich ski history and boasts over one hundred Olympian alumni. It comes as no surprise that Dartmouth Skiway has become an integral part of this winter-sports-loving region. Yet, what sets this ski area apart is not grand modern infrastructure or 400 inches of yearly powder, but rather an unwavering commitment to simplicity and the genuine passion of the ski community. In recent years, Skiway has continued to evolve to better serve its cherished community.

“Our eCommerce and ticketing operations relied on older technology,” noted Mark Adamczyk, General Manager of Dartmouth Skiway. Amidst these circumstances, Dartmouth Skiway grappled with the consequences of its technological limitations. Since the pandemic, it became apparent that Skiway was burdened with an obsolete combination of systems that limited them from providing the contactless online services that guests have come to expect. Moreover, they understood that to thrive and expand as a business in the ski industry, a system upgrade was necessary.

Skiway’s legacy platform was previously only utilized 45 days out of the year to sell early bird season passes and was manipulated during the pandemic to sell daily lift tickets and passes for the duration of that first winter season. “We were able to check the box, collect money, and get people skiing - but ultimately, it was barely able to do that and, if we were to ever try to do more, it just wasn’t the right tool,” Mark explained.

Furthermore, the use of disparate, disconnected systems in nearly every department presented various other issues, including:

     A lack of centralized data and communication between systems

     The inability to pull accurate or useful guest data

     Integration with other solutions was not possible

     Low data security and reliable access control

To ensure its sustainability, Dartmouth Skiway needed a comprehensive, all-in-one solution to address the current solutions’ shortcomings and provide a robust platform to enhance operational efficiency today and into the future.

The Solution

After experiencing several shortcomings in the legacy system, Dartmouth Skiway selected accesso’s new advanced ski resort software system accesso ParadoxSM. The operator felt confident in the company's well-developed, proven technology and commitment to continuous innovation. As a solution developed specifically for ski resorts, it was clear that accesso Paradox was designed to meet Skiway’s immediate needs but also to elevate its ability to connect with and sell to its guests.

In addition to addressing technical needs, Dartmouth Skiway also values the organized, helpful, and responsive people behind the accesso Paradox implementation process. Skiway’s operational leadership also recognized that working with a skilled, efficient, and responsive team is crucial to a successful and seamless transition to an upgraded system.

With this implementation, Skiway was able to successfully unify all its departments, allowing for streamlined communication and centralization of their data. Once transitioned to the new platform, 60% of Skiway’s sales shifted to online processing, and the new business intelligence module empowered them to better understand guest identity, behavior, and purchasing patterns. In the 2022-23 season, Skiway was able to leverage data from over 20,000 transactions to launch an audience-specific, 10-day spring pass sale offer. Utilizing the enhanced accuracy of its ad targeting with accesso Paradox’s reporting module, the campaign resulted in an impressive 34x return on ad spend investment.

Furthermore, the implementation of the accesso Paradox system resulted in substantial improvements not only in ticketing and eCommerce business but also in overall operational efficiency. The snow school and rental departments witnessed remarkable advancements, with a nearly 25% increase in participation and revenue growth. This came through the ability to sell packages online, enabling staff to proactively organize instructors and prepare rental equipment in advance of guests' arrival. Additionally, the integration of accesso Paradox facilitated the installation of SKIDATA RFID gates, offering enhanced security measures that saved valuable time and resources by mitigating fraud and theft challenges.