|
 S&T looks at how powerful point-of-sale (POS) systems based on InfoGenesis technology are enabling sports stadia of any size to track sales performance and speed up customer service – driving higher revenues.
Improving the ‘guest experience’ A new generation of POS foodservice solutions is helping sports stadia operators to see precisely how much they are selling, as well as where and when, therefore improving customer satisfaction and increasing revenue.
“The current buzz-phrase is ‘Guest Experience Management’,” said Trevor Roberts, business development manager of Triangle. His company, which provides hospitality, retail and performance management systems, is the sole UK provider of InfoGenesis solutions for stadia of all sizes. “POS is a mission-critical activity that has to be done right: processing thousands of transactions simultaneously, capturing data for instant real-time analysis, and providing meaningful reports to managers,” continued Roberts. InfoGenesis is already used at Manchester United FC, West Bromwich Albion FC, Lords MCC, Kempton Park racecourse and Southend United FC in the UK, with many more high profile stadia in planning stages.
Roberts added that the most successful stadia owners and operators are constantly looking for ways to improve their competitive advantage by, for example, adding new facilities such as jumbo video screens, climate control, VIP environments - and enhanced foodservice. “The best POS systems pull together all customer purchase behaviour, and enable food and beverage managers to make far better decisions based on up-to-date facts,” he explained. “Venues can better manage their hospitality business, cross and up-sell more products, and improve their business effectiveness.”
Originally developed for a hugely demanding environment - Las Vegas casinos - InfoGenesis now features in over 90% of the city’s casinos. The system’s client/server architecture combines Microsoft Windows server architecture with a relational SQL database, and features easy-to-use touch-screen terminals plus wireless handheld devices.
According to Sean McErlean, head of IT at Manchester United: “Our old systems were too labour-intensive and inefficient. We mainly had old standalone tills with an over-reliance on manual cash management and input into accounting systems.” He said InfoGenesis delivered “immediate improvements in efficiency and productivity… it also has the necessary flexibility and scalability to meet our needs as we continue to expand capacity and offer better service with wider choices to our customers.” Looking at the benefits Roberts believes the benefits fall into three main areas. First, venues and clubs can build revenue. “You only have very limited time windows for foodservice,” he said. “Because InfoGenesis is so easy to use and highly functional, whether in boxes, hospitality suites or public concourses, it improves customer throughput dramatically, increasing revenue per head per minute.”
For instance, with around 400 terminals, he said Manchester United achieved 9,000 more receipts per game. “With an average receipt being £6, if you multiply that by 9,000 and by 30 games in a season, you can see a major route to increased revenue and a clear return on investment.”
Other opportunities exist: for example, customers can pre-order for half time so they don’t have to queue later. “Customers often have a drink while pre-ordering. And because they get their drink faster at half time, they often join the queue for another. Thanks to the technology, the venue’s serving three drinks to a customer rather than one.”
The second major benefit is cost reduction. “A larger venue may see cash shrinkage of between £3,000 and £5,000 per game,” continued Roberts. With improved accuracy, visibility of transactions and real-time reporting, however, cash shrinkage can fall to between £40 and £60 per game. “We’ve seen this happen. Again, if you multiply this gain by the number of fixtures, the numbers really add up. And managers have far greater control.”
Roving managers can use wireless tablet PCs to see and compare what’s input at a specific sales terminal with what’s actually being served, enabling any necessary action to be taken.
“In terms of overall management, venues don’t have to wait days or weeks to get their sales reports – it’s all real-time,” added Roberts. “The moment trading closes, managers see exactly what’s been sold and where, from the ‘big picture’ down to individual outlets, helping them plan future activity, control stock levels, and so on. This sort of thing is, we believe, pretty unique in the UK at the moment.”
The third key benefit is customer service. “People are served faster and with greater accuracy,” outlined Roberts. “Customers don’t have to wait as long, and get the right change every time.”
He added that using handheld devices in VIP areas and boxes is another important development. Traditionally, stadia had one member of staff per box; they would write an order, walk to a dispense bar, wait for it to be fulfilled, and return. Customers would need to request their bill at half time to give enough time to collate it on paper – and then, it may not have been accurate. Now, one staff member with a wireless device can service four boxes, moving constantly between them. Orders pass immediately to the serving area, with runners delivering the goods. Bills can also be generated and printed immediately, with secure credit card payment available from the box. “Customers can order more, and do so,” said Roberts. “This not only improves service but also reduces costs and makes better use of staff and resources. It’s a win/win situation.”
He summed up: “This technology is simply another way for venues to provide an enhanced guest experience while seeing sustained ROI. The payback period is typically within two to three years, and the same level of payback is achieved whether you’re a large venue or somewhere with only 20 terminals. The ROI, percentage wise, is the same.”
InfoGenesis POS: key facts
· Client/server architecture combines Microsoft Windows Server Architecture with a relational SQL database.
· Highly scalable, developed for high-transaction, multi-revenue outlet environments.
· Standards compliant and based on an open architecture: integrates with existing systems.
· Menu-driven, graphical interface for ease of use.
· Customisable to meet highly specific requirements.
· Built on Windows 2003 and Windows 2000 to support multi-threaded applications, built-in security features and RAID.
· Zero-downtime functionality: advanced offline capabilities so POS terminals can process transactions even if connectivity is interrupted. For further details visit: www.triangle-group.com
This article was seen first by people who receive the monthly newsletter, join them.
|
