For The Wolfsonian, technology touches nearly every part of the museum. From servers, networking, and security to audiovisual systems, digital signage, CRM, and payment systems, its IT team is responsible for keeping a complex technology environment running smoothly.
Before Veevart, too much of that time was spent troubleshooting the museum's CRM and the hardware supporting it.
Today, The Wolfsonian has a more reliable, user-friendly system, fewer technology issues, and more time to focus on creating better experiences for staff and visitors.
"Veevart has become an integral part of how The Wolfsonian front line operates. Beyond streamlining ticketing, membership, and retail in one platform, we are collecting data we can actually build into our decision-making, helping us see how people engage with the museum and where we can improve the experience for our visitors and patrons."
Casey
Assistant Vice President, Collections + Museums Shared Services, The Wolfsonian
"The shift to Veevart changed the equation almost immediately."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
Too Much Time Spent Keeping the System Running
The Wolfsonian's technology team oversees a broad technology environment that includes file, domain, and application servers, security and firewalls, network architecture, audiovisual systems, and digital signage.
The museum's previous CRM created another layer of technical maintenance.
The system relied on PC-based hardware and web browsers such as Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Because browsers update so frequently, those updates could break the CRM, requiring troubleshooting and maintenance.
"Maintaining that PC environment, with updates, security patches, and reboots, was constant work, not to mention time-consuming."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
The physical setup created additional challenges. PCs and monitors sat on top of cash drawers and cabinets and took up valuable counter space, while receipt printers and credit card terminals were not wireless.
For the IT team, the biggest challenge was not simply the technology itself. It was the time required to maintain it and get help when something went wrong.
The previous vendor's lack of responsiveness made that challenge even more difficult. Even relatively simple questions or issues could require significant effort to resolve.
"Getting support when issues came up was harder than it should have been, and that ate into my time and that of my colleagues. This is time that we couldn't afford to lose."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
A Technology Environment That Worked With the Museum
Moving to Veevart changed the day-to-day experience almost immediately.
The Wolfsonian moved away from its previous PC-based environment to an iPad-based system with wireless payment technology and a more streamlined physical footprint.
The difference was not just technical. The technology fit better within the museum itself.
"The iOS platform, especially for front-end use in museum settings like ours, is less prone to needing constant maintenance. The devices also looked more elegant, and they matched nicely with the aesthetic in a museum setting."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
The museum also gained something it had been missing from its previous vendor: responsive support.
The Veevart team became a resource the museum could rely on when questions or issues arose.
"Instead of chasing down support, we have a team that's quick to engage, and we feel like they are clearly invested in getting things right for us."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
Fewer Issues. Less Troubleshooting. More Innovation.
One of the biggest changes has been the amount of time spent troubleshooting the CRM.
While the museum did not track an exact percentage reduction, the improvement has been clear. There are fewer hardware and software troubleshooting calls than with the previous CRM.
"I get called in far less often to troubleshoot hardware or software issues with Veevart than I did with our previous CRM. That dropoff alone tells me things have improved quite a bit."
That reduction has had a broader impact.
For a technology leader responsible for most of the museum's systems, time is the most valuable resource.
"When you're put in charge of most of the tech at any organization, it's easy to get stuck putting out fires all day. If you don't manage things quickly and efficiently, you can run out of time to do the work that actually matters."
That additional time has created room to experiment,
Less time maintaining the CRM environment means more time can be dedicated to other technology initiatives across the museum, creating room to experiment, innovate, and improve the technology experience for both employees and visitors.
"Having more time back from less troubleshooting is allowing us to focus on things that matter more to us, like technologies outside the CRM that build better experiences for our patrons and guests, and even for ourselves."
Technology That Stays Out of the Way
The benefits extend beyond the IT team.
Fewer hardware and software issues have contributed to a more user-friendly experience for museum visitors.
The museum is seeing almost no customer complaints across:
Retail
Admissions
Ticketing
Membership
When technology works as expected, staff can focus on serving visitors rather than resolving technical issues.
"We're seeing almost no complaints by customers about their experience with retail, admissions, ticketing, and membership, and as a result, I think our organization is seen in a better light than it may have been in the past."
That improved experience has helped The Wolfsonian create a more positive environment for its visitors and staff.
The Value of a Vendor That Answers
For an IT team managing a wide range of technology across a museum, reliability is only part of the equation.
Support matters just as much.
With Veevart, The Wolfsonian has gained confidence that when an issue does arise, there is a team available to help resolve it. That relationship has also created peace of mind that was missing with the previous CRM vendor.
"When something does fall outside Veevart's current capability, we know there's a team at Veevart that genuinely cares and works to make sure that we eventually get what we need. That gives us real peace of mind, and I believe that kind of relationship is a major advantage and strength for our institution."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
Why The Wolfsonian Chose Veevart
A More Elegant User Experience
The Wolfsonian wanted a CRM that was easier for staff to use and created a smoother experience for customers.
Less Technology Maintenance
Moving away from the previous PC and browser-dependent environment to an iPad-based front end reduced the amount of maintenance and troubleshooting required from IT.
Responsive Support
The museum needed a vendor that would be available when questions and issues arose. Veevart delivered that responsiveness.
More Time to Innovate
With fewer CRM issues competing for the team's attention, more time is available for technology improvements across the museum.
The Advice for Other Museum Technology Leaders
When asked what advice he would give another museum leader, the answer was straightforward:
"With technology, it's not a matter of if something will break, it's a matter of when. So be careful who you choose as a technology vendor, and make sure their support is genuinely available and responsive enough to get you answers when issues come up."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
Technology issues are inevitable. The difference is how quickly they can be resolved and how much internal time they consume.
For museums evaluating technology partners, responsive support and reliable service can be just as important as the technology itself.
"I'd definitely recommend Veevart to anyone choosing a CRM for a museum."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian
The Wolfsonian Has More Time to Focus on What Comes Next
Veevart did more than replace The Wolfsonian's CRM.
It helped reduce the day-to-day troubleshooting burden on the technology team, improve the experience for staff and visitors, and create more time for innovation.
For a museum technology team responsible for keeping an entire organization connected, that time is valuable.
"We feel stronger because we can comfortably rely on Veevart to do exactly, or very close to exactly, what we need."
Sul
Associate Director, Information Technology, The Wolfsonian