Charging Up Conservation Efforts at ZSL London Zoo
Background
For nearly 200 years, the London Zoo has made studying and conserving wildlife their number one priority. As the world’s oldest scientific zoo, situated within a Royal Park, the London Zoo draws far more attention for its historical significance than its cutting-edge technology. It also draws a lot of tourists. And with tourists, come mobile devices.
Challenge
After witnessing several visitors fall victim to the same battery-draining mishaps, ZSL’s interim retail manager, Alison Lumsden, had an idea. She could improve and modernise the customer experience, and raise more money for conservation efforts in one move: a device charging kiosk.
“We are a charity. We don’t receive government funding. So nearly every penny we make goes back into conservation, and we are always looking for ways to generate extra funding,” said Alison.
She set out to find this paid device-charging amenity she had in mind, and at RetailEXPO, she met LocknCharge sales manager Craig Foster. Together, they made it a reality. After a series of conversations about the goals for this project, they landed on a FUYL Tower Charging Locker as the ideal phone charging station solution. The FUYL Tower features 15 individually lockable compartments that can accommodate anything from mobile phones to laptops.
Solution
Unlike some of the alternatives such as portable charging batteries, the FUYL Tower stays put. It’s right where you leave it every time. Additionally, Alison liked being able to customise the Tower to fit her retail space. Their custom wrap and signage include step-by-step instructions for using a locker along with pricing for the locker and cord rentals. The Tower matches the ZSL brand seamlessly.
With intelligent remote management, the FUYL Tower puts the zoo staff in control of assigning specific compartments to single users. Admins can remotely open doors, deny access to a reserved locker, and stay on top of any abnormal usage or technical faults. The digital keypad controls compartment security and gives visitors peace of mind to leave devices behind as they wander the grounds.
When the FUYL Tower lockable charging station was delivered to its spot in the gift shop adjacent to the zoo’s exit, it was unboxed, assembled and immediately put to the test to figure out which of Alison’s four operational ideas would work best. Zoo staff and LocknCharge representatives worked as a team to make sure they had addressed every worst-case scenario. They had the Tower up and running in less than a day. Also exceeding expectations: the Tower’s profitability. They’ve had a steady flow of zoo visitors putting the FUYL Tower to use.
“I was very impressed with Craig and the whole team. Everyone was super helpful, and that partnership is really important to me. I’d give customer service at LocknCharge a 10 out of 10,” said Alison.
To download a PDF of the London Zoo Case Study, click here.
