Smart client
BTC City has a rich and dynamic history that began in 1954 and has evolved over several decades. In the last 30 years, the company has directed its development towards a trade and business concept. Today, BTC City is a recognized shopping center in Slovenia and one of the largest shopping, entertainment, and business centers in Europe (https://www.btc-city.com/en/ljubljana/shop). Similar but smaller centers are also located in Novo Mesto and Murska Sobota.
Smart reason
Despite its focus on innovation, in 2023, BTC City still utilized a gift voucher system. However, the company aimed to revamp this system to enhance the customer experience, better leverage the potential of digital solutions, and improve operational efficiency. The digitization of the card was one of the company’s goals for 2023.
In addition to the familiar features of traditional vouchers, such as predetermined amounts and usability in only one store, the existing system required manual tracking of vouchers using tools like Excel. This led to administrative burdens and potential accounting errors, causing delays in financial transactions or requiring a significant amount of additional manual work, which meant more time or more personnel.
With the introduction of gift cards, online sales of electronic gift cards, known as e-gift cards, were also implemented. The usability of these cards extends to smartphones, either through displaying a barcode or by using Google and iOS wallets where the card can be stored.
Smart Solution
The versatile use of the voucher: SmartGifty enabled the use of vouchers in all stores within BTC City, regardless of the amount, thereby increasing flexibility for customers. Alongside the integration with the provider of various payment methods, Lab4Pay, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or API connections directly with the merchant’s cash register are used for redemption.
Automated system for efficiency: The SmartGifty platform was integrated with internal process tools, automating tracking and accounting processes. This integration helped reduce manual work and the risk of errors. It significantly simplified the accounting process, making it more accurate and time-efficient.
Results and impact: SmartGifty has played a crucial role in modernizing and automating the entire purchasing process, offering customers a modern and highly acclaimed product. Additionally, BTC City optimized its real-time management system, providing 24/7 oversight and numerous data reports to assist in future planning.
Smart Result
The SmartGifty solution has transformed BTC City’s voucher system into a more flexible, efficient, and financially beneficial model. This transition has not only enhanced the shopping experience for customers but has also streamlined business processes for merchants, effectively demonstrating the advantages of the SmartGifty system over traditional voucher systems.
