In today\u2019s rapidly changing world, traditional industries have been forced to adapt their business and operating models because of the increasing prevalence of new technologies, including internet, cloud and mobile platforms. Vail Resorts, a public company that owns and operates a portfolio of premier mountain resorts, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Park City, and Whistler Blackcomb, has been an example of a company in one of these traditional industries that has undergone a digital transformation to stay competitive.<\/p>\n
Bringing RFID Technology to the Mountain<\/strong><\/p>\n RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology has been implemented in many industries, such as in Retail for tracking inventory through a supply chain. In 2008, Vail Resorts announced it would be using RFID-enabled identification technology in ski pass cards and implementing an \u201ceasy scan\u201d system at its many lifts, bringing this RFID technology onto the ski mountain. [1] Vail Resorts partnered with Zebra Technologies to create a system that provided instant identification of ski pass holders through skiers\u2019 coats without the need for skiers to physically pull out and scan printed lift passes. Additionally, the cards featured a Unique ID (UID) serial number that could not be duplicated or altered, which greatly reduced forgery of lift passes. [1] This technology allowed Vail Resorts to cut down on the number of staff required at the lifts as well as reduced potential lost revenue from forgeries. For guests, this technology brought more convenience and less wait time, leading to a more enjoyable experience on the mountain and creating additional customer value.<\/p>\n EpicMix: Taking RFID to the Next Level<\/strong><\/p>\n As consumers participated ever increasingly in social media platforms and with growing mobile application technologies, Vail Resorts contemplated ways to better connect with guests to enhance the vacation experience and to capture incremental value from the guests. In 2010, the Company unveiled EpicMix, an online and mobile application that allowed guests \u201c\u2026to effortlessly utilize technology to digitally capture their ski and ride experience and share it with friends and family.\u201d [3] The digital application was able to leverage the existing RF technologies embedded in hard-card ski passes and installed on lift scanners to capture the activity of guests throughout their time on the mountain, allowing for a much more personalized experience. [3] The app allows users to track their vertical feet, lift rides and days on the mountain, to check out weather and grooming conditions of specific runs, and it recognizes special accomplishments by awarding commemorative digital pins. Guests can then share their data or stats on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, can create private chats with groups of Facebook friends, and are alerted when Facebook friends enter the resort. [3]<\/p>\n \u201cEpicMix takes the fun of playing and sharing online and marries it with the very real experience of skiing and riding\u2026EpicMix has the ability to track your physical accomplishments\u2026and then combine it with the community experience of location-based social media…\u201d \u2013Rob Katz, CEO and Chairman of Vail Resorts<\/em><\/p>\n Today, EpicMix has grown to include a whole array of interactive components, including EpicMix Photo, EpicMix Time, EpicMix Challenges and EpicMix Academy and EpicMix Racing:<\/p>\n Not only has EpicMix encouraged more skiing and driven increased lift ticket sales through the collection of pins and tracking and sharing of days skied with friends, but also it has served as Vail Resorts\u2019 own system of free advertising and marketing as users share information with their friends, creating a new, more personalized way to reach consumers. [5]<\/p>\n Additional\u00a0Opportunities & Potential Concerns of Digital Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n Through the implementation of its RF technology, Vail Resorts has been able to collect a significant amount of data on its visitors and aggregate this across its portfolio of mountains, from number of visits and length of time on a particular mountain to patterns with shopping\/dining and staying at its retail and lodging components associated with the mountains. [6] While there are potential areas for expansion to create additional value to both guests and the Company by integrating its business on mountain with retail and lodging, such as providing guests up to date wait times at restaurants or allowing guests to order snow gear or equipment direct from its retail stores, there are many who have voiced concerns over right to privacy and just how much data is being collected and tracked. [2]<\/p>\n (792 Words)<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] PRNewswire: New Zebra RFID Card Printers Help Vail Resorts Improve Skier and Snowboarder Experience: http:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/new-zebra-rfid-card-printers-help-vail-resorts-improve-skier-and-snowboarder-experience-65153012.html<\/a><\/p>\n [2] ESPN: RFID Use Raises On-Slope Privacy Concerns: http:\/\/www.espn.com\/action\/news\/story?id=5810585<\/a><\/p>\n [3] Vail Resorts Press Release: Vail Resorts Announces EpicMix\u2122 a New Online and Mobile Application, Allowing Skiers and Riders a Seamless and Effortless Way to Digitally Capture and Share Their Mountain Experience: http:\/\/news.vailresorts.com\/corporate\/vailresorts\/vail-resorts-announces-epicmix-new-online-and-mobile-application-allowing-skiers-and-riders-seamless-and-effortless-way-to-digitally-capture-and-share-their-mountain-experience.htm<\/a><\/p>\n [4] EpicMix: How It Works: https:\/\/www.epicmix.com\/How-It-Works.aspx#epicmix<\/a><\/p>\n [5] The Washington Post: Tracking How Much, Often You Ski: https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national\/tracking-how-much-often-you-ski\/2011\/01\/28\/ABCLF9G_story.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n