Consistently utilize potential with data management

Our article from MountainManager 4/2023

The digital age has arrived in the cable car industry, and not only in the construction of cable cars alone, but above all in the areas of snow management, access technology and marketing. The MOUNTAIN MANAGER spoke to Robert Sölkner, CEO of ARENA PistenManagement, about the value and benefits of bits and bytes.

In times of digitization, ski resorts also collect a vast amount of data. What can you do with it?

Robert Soelkner: Much and much more is possible. We have many systems like snow depth measurement, fleet management, control systems, and huge amounts of data are generated in these systems. In my opinion, making this data usable is the need of the hour. There is simply enormous potential in the collected data. In recent years, mountain railway companies have invested heavily in snow depth measurement, so data is available. Now it's about using this data and making data-based decisions possible. There are ski areas that have 1.000 snow guns and more in use. This apparent strength, the valuable data collected, should now form the basis for a targeted analysis. We at ARENA PistenManagement want to encourage and make our tools available so that this strength can be used for strategic and efficient development in the ski area in the future.

Digital slope and snowmaking status.

What is the situation at the moment when it comes to handling and using the data accordingly?

There is hidden potential in many areas. For example, snow guns and snow groomers are in operation for many days in winter and collect data in the process. In order to benefit from the data obtained, a professional and efficient evaluation is necessary. It's about finding out what this data says in order to develop an appropriate strategy for the next year in terms of snow depths, preparation logistics and slope management. It's about learning from the available data. This enables ski areas to make data-based decisions and thus act in a targeted manner. We did that last season e.g. B. seen in Gastein. Despite little snowfall, well-founded data material has made it possible to significantly reduce water and energy consumption in basic snowmaking. You can see the potential of consistent data management. In recent years, a lot of money has been invested in snow depth measurement systems in many places. Snow groomer drivers use this data when preparing, and the data also plays a relevant role when making snow. However, the potential provided by the millions of measuring points goes far beyond that. Valuable insights can be gained from them through a corresponding analysis, which are useful to implement. That should definitely be used.

Consistent networking of snow groomers and snowmaking.

Why is it that data is not yet being used to the extent that it could be?

Education and training is a huge topic. The cable car operators often come to the cable car as electricians, take a course for operations managers and then gain practical experience. It becomes clear that the position of an operations manager involves much more than just the technical aspects. It's about personnel management, dealing with customers, making efficient and responsible decisions. It is always important to stay on the ball, constant learning is required - and this also applies to digitization. We at ARENA have started an initiative and teach the 3rd graders in Hallein as part of their training to become ropeway technicians in the form of a seminar on “Sustainable Piste Management”. This was well received by the vocational school and we were able to impart a lot of know-how. We then also saw from the reaction of our seminar participants how eager for knowledge these junior staff are and how well the content is received. There is still a lot that can be done here.

How much training do manufacturers provide in terms of snowmaking and grooming?

Every manufacturer offers basic training. As far as I know, ski resorts are quite willing to free up budgets for this. On the other hand, this is of course only the absolute basis. The snowmaker, for example, is now a job in its own right and requires an enormous amount of know-how. The requirements cannot be covered with a one-off course. From the perspective of the cableways, it is worth placing more emphasis on employees undergoing ongoing training and gaining higher qualifications. The control systems that control a snow machine are now highly complex. Employees who still come from the analogue systems must be trained accordingly. There is still a lot of catching up to do in terms of digitization. Being active here is absolutely necessary, because by using these possibilities, snowmaking and slope management can be made really more efficient. Not the feeling should decide - but the data in the system should be the basis for the decision. The goal is to make data-based decisions. If this is started in a ski area with slope management, a 10 percent gain in efficiency is the minimum, even in the first year of the project. In the long term we are talking here of up to 20 percent, often more. Change is not always easy. However, if you start with digitization and especially with data management, you can benefit enormously - and that applies not only to large but also to small companies. The correct handling of data is essential for all of us.

What opportunities does ARENA Pisten- Management see to focus more on the efficient handling of data?

Training and further education is an important topic for us. I could imagine founding an academy where the aim is to provide further training for drivers and snow-makers and where the topics are broader than has been the case up to now in line with everyday requirements. Here the cable car companies would then also be required to motivate their employees for further training or to promote individual initiative in a targeted manner. For this purpose, ARENA PistenManagement has developed a system for digital and sustainable slope management under the title "PistenEnergie" with which we want to raise snowmaking, preparation as well as team management and team leadership to a completely different level. Process optimization based on big data analyzes and digitization provides a dedicated team with exactly the right tools to get fit for the challenges of the future in the area of ​​slope work.

Share on:
Cookie Consent with Real Cookie Banner