How Push Notifications Transformed Membership Communication + Boosted Engagement & Revenue
“Push Notifications are an effective tool for member communication and enhance engagement for members and visitors.” — Natalie König, Membership Manager, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens: At a Glance
The San Francisco Zoo & Gardens, a premier cultural and educational institution, serves as a hub for wildlife conservation and public engagement. Through hands-on programs, exhibits, and community events, the zoo fosters a deeper connection between people and wildlife.
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Attendance: 200,000+ / year
- Members: ≈16,000
- Founded: 1929
Overview
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is a renowned conservation and educational institution dedicated to inspiring care for wildlife and wild places. Spanning 100 acres along the Pacific Coast, the zoo is home to over 2,000 animals, including some of the world's most endangered.
Visitors enjoy immersive experiences through diverse exhibits such as the African Savanna, Grizzly Gulch, and South American Tropical Rainforest. The zoo also offers educational programs, from wildlife encounters to conservation workshops designed to promote environmental stewardship.
Members benefit from unlimited zoo access, exclusive events, and reciprocal privileges at over 150 zoos and aquariums through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Reciprocal Membership Program.
Modernizing Membership Communication
The San Francisco Zoo sought to modernize its operations and enhance member engagement by reducing reliance on physical membership cards and traditional communication methods. The zoo needed a solution that would streamline processes, improve communication efficiency, and align with its sustainability goals.
Despite perceived challenges, including a wide range of age groups and digital literacy amongst its diverse audience, the zoo required an intuitive and scalable system to ensure a smooth transition and ease of adoption for all users.
With email open rates on the decline and the cost of direct mail being a financial burden, push notifications appeared to be a perfect solution to overcome these challenges and increase the effectiveness of their communication channels.
The Challenge: Improving Membership Interaction Effectiveness
- Ineffective communications. Over 50% of members reported missing critical updates due to dependence on email newsletters. Lack of real-time communication resulted in low impact from quickly outdated announcements, events, and messages.
- Manual membership management & fulfillment. Staff spent an average of 12 hours per week printing, packaging, and mailing physical cards.
- Negative environmental impact. The zoo's physical cards contributed to unnecessary waste and carbon emissions, conflicting with its values around environmental conservation.
The Solution: Mobile Wallet Push Notifications Powered by Cuseum
The San Francisco Zoo partnered with Cuseum to implement a digital platform designed to streamline operations and enhance communication through the power of mobile wallets and push notifications.
- Automated workflows ensured fast, accurate distribution.
- Real-time updates transformed how the zoo engaged with members.
- Cuseum provided tutorials, hands-on support, and expertise to ensure a smooth transition.
Operational Effectiveness & Cost Savings
- Scheduling options and automated alerts eliminated the need for manual tasks, saving staff hours weekly.
- Automated workflows streamlined and improved related messaging retention and card adoption.
- Reduced costs and labor associated with printing and mailing physical cards and related mailings.
Enhanced Member Communication
- 400% increase in interactions. A single push notification for a member-exclusive event resulted in over 200 RSVPs, compared to 40–50 previously.
- Real-time updates. Members received reminders for events, renewals, and special offers directly on their smartphones, augmenting the shareability of the zoo's content.
- Improved reach. Push notifications achieve a 75% open rate and are opened within 30 minutes of being received, far exceeding the impact and performance of traditional email campaigns.
Sustainability & Environmental Impact
- By eliminating physical cards, the zoo significantly reduced its use of paper and plastic as well as the carbon emissions related to postal mailing.
- Within 2 months of launch, over 80% of members embraced digital cards.
- Paper and printing waste was reduced by over 90%, furthering the zoo's commitment to environmentally friendly practices and sustainability goals.
Higher Engagement & Increased Attendance
- Effortless member management. Automated card creation and messaging distribution simplified delivering information to new members. Digital cards were instantly generated and delivered, enabling members to receive their cards days or weeks sooner than previous physical methods.
- Improved engagement. The zoo leveraged push notifications to send real-time updates to members, significantly boosting event attendance and overall engagement with the zoo's programs.
Testimonial
With digital cards, members don't have to search for their physical cards anymore, and the quick directory on the back gives them access to all their benefits. The questions and calls we used to get about membership have definitely gone down because everything is there in their phone.
— Natalie König, Membership Manager, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens