Te Papa

A Next Payments Cash Recycler Case Study

Changing to the Next Payments Cash Recycler from a manual float system has saved the finance team over 10 hours per week and our customer facing teams handling the cash has saved a combined total a further 15 hours per week.

About Te Papa

Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand’s national museum, located in Wellington.

As one of the country’s most visited cultural institutions, Te Papa hosts a diverse range of experiences – from exhibitions and events to retail and hospitality services – all operating within a high-traffic, multi-revenue environment.

With large daily visitor volumes and multiple points of sale, efficient and secure cash management is essential to maintaining smooth operations at both the front and back of house.

Learn more about Te Papa here.

The Challenge: Managing High Cash Volumes with Inefficient Processes

Prior to installing the Next Payments Cash Recycler, managing cash across a complex, high-volume environment presented several operational challenges.

These included:

Time-intensive cash handling across multiple departments
Float preparation and reconciliation delays
Increased risk of human error and discrepancies
Limited visibility over real-time cash positions

In a venue like Te Papa, where operational efficiency and visitor experience are equally important, these manual processes created unnecessary work for internal teams and upper management.

With Te Papa operating seven days a week, 364 days a year, and extended opening hours, a large number of front-of-house staff handle cash transactions – often leading to inconsistencies and challenges with accurate record keeping.

The Right Solution: Reducing Staff Workload with Automated Cash Management

In 2023, Te Papa invested in the Cash Recycler (TCR) from Next Payments – a purpose-built solution designed to automate and streamline end-to-end cash management.

By installing the TCR, Te Papa was able to:

Automate cash counting, sorting, storing, and dispensing
Simplify float management across multiple departments
Improve reconciliation accuracy with real-time reporting
Enhance cash security through controlled access and traceability
Reduce reliance on manual cash management processes

Changing to a TCR from a manual float system has saved the finance team over 10 hours per week and our customer facing teams handling the cash has saved a combined total a further 15 hours per week.

The Results: Greater Accuracy, Visibility and Reduced Risk

Over the past three years, the Cash Recycler has become a critical part of Te Papa’s operational infrastructure.

Key outcomes include:

Significant reduction in time spent on manual cash handling
Faster and more accurate float preparation and reconciliation
Improved cash visibility across departments
Reduced risk of discrepancies and errors
Increased operational efficiency across teams

By automating routine processes, staff are now able to focus on delivering better service and supporting the overall visitor experience.

We have full visibility over transactions and have minimal discrepancies and time spent reconciling. This investment has been hugely beneficial to Te Papa not only for time saved but for safety of our cash handling staff. They feel comfortable that their transactions are recorded and visible and their risk is reduced.

Why Next Payments

Next Payments is a leader in the payments and technology sector and pride themselves on delivering exceptional user experiences that bring efficiencies and improve security and reconciliation. The company’s product portfolio offers payments hardware and software solutions tailored for the hospitality and gaming market.

Next Payments is AML compliant and ISO 9001 accredited. Next Payments has offices in Australia and New Zealand.

This investment has been hugely beneficial to Te Papa not only for time saved but for safety of our cash handling staff.

Kirstin Mathews | Manager Financial Processing | Te Papa