A Seamless Transition to a Modern Gift Card Solution
The Challenge
Arena Centar Zagreb, one of the largest shopping centers in Croatia, was using an outdated gift card system based on a banking infrastructure. This setup came with high costs, lacked real-time data, and did not support the issuance of e-gift cards—an increasingly important feature in today’s digital-first world. Seeking a more flexible, cost-effective, and data-driven solution, the shopping center decided to upgrade its gift card program.
The Solution
To address these challenges, we implemented a closed-loop gift card system through SmartGifty. The transition allowed Arena Centar to take full control of its gift card program, reducing operational costs and enhancing customer experience. A key feature of the migration was the ability to seamlessly exchange old banking-based gift cards for new ones, with SmartGifty providing detailed insights into the remaining balances on the legacy cards.
One of the biggest challenges was ensuring a smooth migration from the old system to the new one without disrupting ongoing transactions. Our team successfully completed the entire transition in a single day (Saturday), with zero downtime for gift card issuance and redemption.
The Results
The new gift card system provides Arena Centar with:
✅ E-gift card functionality – expanding the options for customers and retailers.
✅ Real-time data & analytics – offering valuable insights into gift card usage.
✅ Cost savings – eliminating high banking fees and keeping funds within the shopping center.
✅ Simplified clearing system – improving financial management and reconciliation.
By upgrading to SmartGifty, Arena Centar now has a modern, efficient, and customer-friendly gift card solution that enhances both business operations and customer satisfaction.
