Since our plans for the Gateway at PEAK were announced, back in July 2020, creating a hub for sustainable tourism to the Peak District has been core to its vision. The project is built on collaborative alliances and the latest partner to lend its specialism is IT and Technology specialist, RDS Global. Together with RDS and its Black Box system, Milligan will have the tools and expertise to monitor, record and act upon multiple-real time datapoints across the Gateway benefitting its sustainable goals and enriching visitor experience.
As a visitor, imagine pre-booking your parking, restaurant reservations, equipment hire or bike rental and onward travel into the park, then being personally greeted on arrival and directed through your itinerary all via your own mobile device and screens powered by the Gateway’s digital infrastructure.
As part of the operations or visitor management team, imagine monitoring visitor movement in real-time, sharing that information with site occupiers so that they can offer timely and relevant information to visitors, throughout their visit. A single customer view will tell us who visits, how often, what they’ve done, their preferences and will be able to make smart predictions about what they might like to do in the future and the best way to communicate with them.
Milligan has a passion for embracing new technology and has pioneered the use of real-time, smart tech software to enhance the customer experience and improve the sustainability and efficiency of buildings.
In recent years, we delivered a multi-retailer, consumer loyalty app at the Mailbox (one of the largest mixed-use destinations in the UK) and deployed smart technologies at London City Airport.
But for the Gateway at PEAK there is a critical goal for technology, over and above providing a personalised and enriched customer experience. Technology and the site’s underlying platforms will help it operate in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way on a macro level and for individual visitors.
The patented Black Box technology will assimilate multiple data points and provide analytics for both site operations and visitors alike. Someone who has prebooked their itinerary will be able to arrive at the Gateway and with ANPR gain frictionless entry to site. Their personal app, can monitor miles driven or biked around the Peaks and every touchpoint they provide permissions for, thus rewarding those visitors who make a carbon neutral visit.
Here’s an example of what the Black Box technology could mean for visitors to the Gateway:
Pre-arrival
- The lead booker for a family of four pre-books parking, cycle hire a Peaks Guided Excursion and a restaurant reservation for lunch on the day of their arrival, via the Gateway website.
- She downloads the Gateway app, in return, the Gateway purchases carbon credits on her behalf to go towards offsetting the family’s carbon footprint for their holiday.
- A few days before they are due to depart the app notifies her to check the sizes of the bikes and helmets required. She’s also informed about a new experience opening at the Gateway which is offering 25% off after 3pm.
During visit
- Upon arrival, ANPR recognises the family’s car. They enter the site and are directed, via their app to their pre-booked parking space. Their app is pinged to let them know their table at the restaurant is ready.
- After lunch they collect their bikes and equipment. The app unlocks the bikes from the stand for a seamless collection.
- Every mile they drive, or cycle is tracked by the app and the family take part in a competitive game with other visitors to the Gateway, tracking carbon used and seeing where it can be offset.
Post-visit
- The family are rewarded with loyalty points relating to the carbon impact of their visit to the Peaks, which they can use to get discounts from the Gateway’s retailers or a future visit.
- The family stay engaged with events taking place at the Gateway and plan a visit for October half term.
