The Lost Sea Adventure

A Unique ExperienceA Unique Experience

If coasting along America’s largest underground lake sounds like something you’d enjoy, The Lost Sea Adventure has you covered. Located 140 feet below ground, this unforgettable experience attracts hundreds of sightseers a day, all year round. 

A typical visit begins with a trek to the lake. Guests learn about the cave’s extensive history as they navigate steep trails and pathways. Cherokee tribes and Civil War soldiers set up camp throughout these vast cave systems, though it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the cavern became open to the public.

A glass-bottomed boat guides groups along the lake’s surface–which stretches over four acres. While some areas plunge to 80 feet, its true depth is still unknown. 

With so many guests visiting The Lost Sea every day, having the right way to manage ticket sales for tours and inventory for the shops is a necessity. That’s where Artisan came into the picture.  

The Right Tools for Inventory

“We were presented with a few point of sale systems,” explained Brandon Freeman, Manager of The Lost Sea. “When it came time to decide, we went with Artisan due to its inventory tracking abilities.”

It’s not hard to see why The Lost Sea would need to keep tabs on inventory. With a Sweet Shop, Gift Shop, and General Store open throughout large parts of the year, it’s paramount to know what items leave the premises and what items arrive.

To stay on top of their products and sales, the staff at The Lost Sea utilizes Artisan’s reports to their full advantage. “I can’t really think of ones we don’t use,” Freeman said. “But the reports we use the most are the Sales Summary Report and the Inventory by Item Report.” Both reports include vital information, like what was sold when, to what customer, and at what register.

Using the Inventory by Item Report, users can detect any discrepancies that might have happened during a certain time period. The Sales Summary Report provides a nice overview of any sales activity that occurred during a day, week, month, or longer time period. Having these reports on hand makes it easy to chart the company’s finances while ensuring that stock remains accurate. 

“It’s also nice using the accounting reports,” Freeman said. “There’s several to choose from, and they definitely make life easier for my accountant.” 

 Around 25 employees use Artisan during the peak summer season. Handy features, like creating purchase orders, help keep everything centered within the program, which makes training new members easy. “We liked that we could do what we needed to right from Artisan,” said Freeman. “Receiving inventory is pretty easy as well.”

It’s no doubt that The Lost Sea is a one-of-a-kind adventure. We’re glad that having the right tools makes managing this remarkable destination easier than ever.