Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- quintessential / ˌkwɪn təˈsɛn ʃəl / (adj.) – being the perfect example or most important part of something
Example:Paris is the quintessential city for romance, with its beautiful lights, cafes, and famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower.
- propel / prəˈpɛl / (v.) – to push, drive, or cause something to move in a particular direction
Example:The company’s success is propelled by the new technology it released.
- crunch the numbers / krʌntʃ ðə ˈnʌm bərz / (idiom) – to process and analyze large amounts of information or numbers
Example:The manager crunches the numbers to determine how many employees are needed to work at the event.
- transactional / trænˈsæk ʃə nəl / (adj.) – relating to the process of buying and selling
Example:Users can check the transactional records in their shopping app to review past purchases.
- nimble / ˈnɪm bəl / (adj.) – being able to move, think, or react quickly
Example:The company is nimble because it easily changes its products and services when trends change.
Article
Read the text below.
Data and tech are helping ski resorts operate more efficiently.
A New Hampshire mountain destination is using technology to analyze everything from how many ski runs its customers complete to the busiest time for selling hot dogs.
The Black Mountain resort is owned by businessman Erik Mogensen. He calls it a “quintessential independent mountain.” But behind the scenes, the experience is now propelled by a high-tech system designed to increase efficiency at the state’s oldest ski area.
The company builds systems that put lift tickets sales, lesson reservations and equipment rentals online, while collecting detailed data to inform decisions like where to make more snow and how much.
“When you don’t have data to fall back on and you don’t have a marketing plan to fall back on, you’re just kind of, like, hoping that it snows one day. And hoping that it snows is not a business plan,” he says.
So, his team crunches the numbers to monitor exactly what his customers are doing so they can adjust staffing and resources accordingly.
“A lot of general managers will go out and look how many rows of cars are parked and that’s kind of how they tell how busy they are. We really want to look at transactional data, down to the deepest level. When are people buying hot dogs and hamburgers, right? How do we staff the cafeteria and at what time?” he says.
The entrepreneur is betting that technology will be a great “equalizer” with the larger players.
“Vail and Alterra and the large operators, they can do a lot of things at scale that we can’t. They can buy 20 snow cats at a time, ten chairlifts. Those type of things. We can’t do that. But we’re really nimble here at Black. We can decide to change the way we groom very quickly or change the way we open trails,” he says.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Some ski resorts are now collecting detailed data to understand customer behavior and improve their services. What kind of personal information would you be okay with sharing, and what would you want to keep private? Do you think it is enough reason to give businesses your personal information so they can improve their services? Why or why not? Discuss.
- Do you think people should have the option to say no to this? Why or why not? How would it make you feel if a business knew exactly the things you want, your schedule, etc.? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Some independent ski resorts are using creative strategies and new technology to compete with much larger companies. Do you think small businesses have a better chance of success today if they offer something unique or personal? Why or why not? Discuss.
- If you had the choice, would you rather visit a small resort with a local, friendly feel or a big resort with more services? Why? How important is it for people to support small businesses or local places when they travel or make purchases? Why? Discuss.
