Didcot Railway Centre
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Nestled in the heart of Oxfordshire, Didcot Railway Centre has captivated visitors for decades, offering a unique glimpse into the golden age of steam. However, behind the scenes of this heritage railway museum, the team faced a modern challenge: a fragmented and sometimes unreliable payment system.
The challenges of an outdated payment infrastructure
Didcot Railway Centre found itself grappling with a myriad of issues stemming from its EPOS system. "The tills regularly lost connection," says Sarah Jermyn, events coordinator at the centre, "which would lead to a lost connection with the credit card machines." These crashes disrupted operations and frustrated staff and visitors alike.
The centre relied on three payment providers across its online, shop, cafe, and ticket office sales. This fragmentation resulted in inefficiencies, increased workload for the centre’s team, and made it challenging to accommodate phone bookings.
The fix: Streamlined payments from a single provider
Recognising the need for change, Didcot Railway Centre turned to us for a tailored payment solution. "One of our directors had been to one of the other steam railways and seen Dojo working well," says Sarah. "It’s a railway that often has a high volume of visitors, and they saw how Dojo handled that without any issues."
We created an innovative and impactful solution for the centre. Setting up an integrated payment system, we were able to offer reliable in-person payments via the robust Dojo Go card machines, and remote transactions through our online payments.
- Reliable payments: Dojo Go delivers fast payments at all times – thanks to our robust payment processing platform featuring 99.99% uptime.
- Smooth integration: Our technology syncs seamlessly with vTicket Rail (a booking and ticketing solution for heritage railways).
- Easy online payments: Visitors can conveniently pay online using their card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay for a smooth checkout experience, wherever they are.
- Up-to-date performance insights: All transactions can be viewed and managed effortlessly through the Dojo for business app.
By switching to Dojo for their integrated in-person payments, online transactions, and using Dojo’s virtual terminal for phone bookings, Didcot Railway Centre saw immediate improvements: "We've not had one single outage at the ticket office since switching to Dojo." says Sarah.
The versatility of the Dojo Go card machines has also proven to be a game-changer. With built-in 4G connectivity, the machines provide uninterrupted service even if the WiFi or internet connection goes down. Additionally, if vTicket encounters any issues, the Dojo Go can switch automatically to non-integrated mode.
"We've not had one single outage at the ticket office since switching to Dojo."
Reaping the rewards of smooth service
The transition to Dojo’s payment processing platform has been hugely beneficial for Didcot Railway Centre. Reducing payment outages and consolidating multiple revenue streams to a single payment provider has greatly enhanced their efficiency. "We like the fact that Dojo saves us time through its full integration with vTicket,” says Sarah. "You don't need to think about it. It just does what it needs to do without any issues at all."
Improved reliability and seamless integration has also helped to reduce running costs for the business. As a charity, every penny is vital for Didcot Railway Centre. “The switch from three separate payment providers to a single provider in Dojo has been hugely beneficial and certainly saved us money,” says Sarah.
Perhaps most importantly, the partnership with Dojo has elevated the visitor experience. With dependable in-person, online, and phone payment options, Didcot Railway Centre can focus on what it does best – bringing history to life.
A model for heritage sites across the UK
Didcot Railway Centre's journey with Dojo is a blueprint for heritage railways and museums nationwide. By embracing innovative payment solutions like integrated Dojo Go devices, online payments, and the virtual terminal, these cherished establishments can not only streamline their operations but also ensure their longevity in an increasingly digital world.
As Didcot Railway Centre continues to transport visitors back in time, its partnership with Dojo takes it into the future. With streamlined payments, uninterrupted operations, and a focus on visitor experience, Didcot Railway Centre is well-positioned to keep the magic of steam alive for generations to come.
