Museum pass always at hand thanks to mobile app

The museumpas, the largest museum subscription in the country, has been encouraging museum visits in Belgium since its physical launch in 2018. This yearly subscription formula grants access to more than 240 participating museums.

The digital version of the pass was launched on 15 April 2022, which has already been downloaded more than 130,000 times.

Why a digital museum pass if you already have a physical one?

The museum passSmusées and publiq’s main mission is to increase the number of visitors to Belgian museums. A big part of this is making museum access as easy as possible.

Imagine this: you're at the museum, reach for your wallet, and... oops, you forgot your museum pass. Sound familiar? Thanks to the digital museum pass, that scenario is a thing of the past. With the museum pass app, you always have a personal QR code on hand that serves as your entrance ticket. Just show your smartphone at the museum counter, and you're in right away.

In addition to this primary mission, Publiq also had other objectives they wanted to achieve through digitalization:

• Reduce costs associated with processing and sending physical cards.
• Decrease the number of helpdesk tickets related to purchase and registration.
• Increase the number of registered passes to enhance customer loyalty.

The digital museum pass is an instant success

Two years after the launch of the museum pass, museumPASSmusées and publiq can look back with great success:

• 72% of new users opted for the digital museum pass.
• 98,5% completed their online purchase and registration.
• 28% of all active museum pass users no longer use a physical card.
• Satisfaction with the digital pass is high, with only 1% placing an order for a physical pass.
• The number of helpdesk tickets per sales transaction has decreased by 25% compared to 2019.

🙌 Achieving these goals allowed the investments in the digital museum pass to pay off in less than 1 year!

The entire digitization process has had a significant positive financial impact for museum passSmusées and publiq

5 benefits of the digital museum pass

The success of the digital museum pass is no accident. museum passSmusées and publiq have fully embraced the process of digitalization with the museum pass, resulting in numerous advantages for both the end-user and museum passSmusées and publiq.

1.  Increased efficiency

Digitalization reduces manual intervention and errors. Tasks that once took hours or days can now be completed in minutes. The digital museum pass is instantly available via the app, eliminating the need to wait for a physical card to arrive in the mail.

2. Improved accessibility

Digital processes ensure that information is accessible anywhere. With the app, you always have the digital museum pass on hand. No more frustrations about forgetting your physical card at home. Moreover, digitalization offers a more personalized experience, leading to higher customer satisfaction. You can customize the app by saving your favorite exhibitions and museums. Additionally, you can search for exhibitions based on your personal preferences and location.

3. Better analytics and insights

Digital systems like the digital museum pass generate vast amounts of data. By analyzing this wealth of information, Publiq gains insights into trends and user behavior. This allows them to quickly assess the usage and success of implemented features and make necessary adjustments.

4. Environmental sustainability

The success of the digital museum pass means fewer plastic cards need to be produced, reducing the CO2 footprint associated with manufacturing physical cards.

5. Less helpdesk tickets related to purchase and registration

Thanks to a well-developed step-by-step process, purchasing the digital museum pass is straightforward. As a result, there are fewer inquiries to the helpdesk during subscription purchases or renewals.

The success of the digital museum pass explained: "Small step, big impact"

The digital museum pass is a prime example of how digitalization has a positive effect for both users and the provider. But what is the secret behind a successful digitalization project? According to Erika T’Jaeckx, Director at museum passSmusées, a digitalization process doesn't need to start on a large scale to make a significant impact. It's about starting with the feature that provides the most value to the end-user.

"From a survey of pass holders, it became clear that new users didn't like waiting for the physical museum pass to be shipped", said Erika. "There was a strong interest in a faster digital version. New pass holders now receive the digital museum pass immediately after purchase. They can start exploring right away, which is a huge improvement, especially in times where contactless is the new norm."

So, the first step for Publiq was clear: offering a digital access pass.

Engaging end-users in the development of new features

"We then went back to listen to the end-users", explains Erika. "After all, they know best what will encourage them to use the app even more. This led us to digitize the catalog, making more than 200 Belgian museums and exhibitions available within the app. This way, the app becomes not only an access pass but also a source of inspiration to discover more and different museums."

Thanks to the extensive search options, by theme and also by location (near you), you can embark on a journey to explore new museums. Within the wide selection, you can mark your favorites or invite someone else, for example, to visit the museum together.

"This incremental approach, where we closely involve the end-user, ensures that we always focus on a 'super' feature that will encourage the end-user to interact more with the app and visit more museums", says Erika. "The next feature on the roadmap is a searchable map where you can easily find museums in your area."

The future of the Museum app? 📱

With the launch of the mobile app, Publiq is investing in a new channel. This initial step has already led to many benefits, but this channel offers much more potential. Further investments in improving and promoting the app will enable Publiq to become more agile, customer-focused, and competitive in an increasingly digital market.

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