Hospitalitech Magazine - October Issue by Ryan Leon Media

October Issue Take advantage of innovative POS technology

Game changing Wi-Fi

The Beauty of Neon Signs

Pages 14-15

Pages 20-21

Pages 26-27

www.hospitalitech.co.uk

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Contents 4

Industry News

Restaurant & Bar Tech Live Show Preview

Bar & Pub Technology

LED & Digital Signage

Recommended Companies

To feature in an upcoming issue or to discuss advertising opportunities please contact a member of the Hospitalitech team; Publication Manager Dean Little - 01227 314 324 dean@warmwelcomemagazine.com Sales & Marketing Manager Michael Amor - 01227 314 324 michael@warmwelcomemagazine.com Editorial Assistant Carol Jean - 01227 314 324 carol@warmwelcomemagazine.com

New Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg combines modern technologies with a feel-good atmosphere Conference area for up to 300 people - relax in the Spa by Sothys Citadines Eurometropole Strasbourg has opened its doors in the Alsatian capital of Strasbourg. Operated by the AEGIDE Group, the new 4-star apart’hotel, within easy reach of the European Entreprise Centre, welcomes business and leisure travellers alike. Citadines Eurometropole Strasbourg’s state-of-the-art conference area includes facilities for seminars, meetings and congresses for up to 300 people. The design of the new 166-apartment property incorporates the theme of nature, which can be found in the studios and apartments as well as the public areas and the green roof terrace. For guests’ well-being, the Spa by Sothys boasts a swimming pool, sauna, hammam and fitness room. In addition, the property has a 100-seat restaurant with a menu designed by Chef Valérian Privat, one of the talents of the Eclore Group. Business travellers can access the ‘Smart Meeting’ service, which allows meetings to be organised with the help of artificial intelligence. The audiovisual equipment is integrated and can be controlled at the click of a mouse (with touch screens, a document sharing system and clickshare display, integrated video conferencing system, BOSE sound system, and connected lighting system). “Our brand new technologyoriented apart’hotel provides all the comforts of a private apartment combined with the services of a four-star hotel.

The unique Smart Meeting offer in addition to the fine-dining restaurant and wellness facilities appeal to both business and leisure travellers. With Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg, we offer a forward- thinking and ecofriendly travel experience“, says Benjamin Kuhn, General Manager of Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg. Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg: a 4-star apart’hotel with the latest technology Citadines Eurométropole, the second Citadines Apart’hotel in Strasbourg, is located near the European Enterprise Centre and about ten minutes‘ from the city centre, making it an ideal location for business and leisure travellers. The apart‘hotel offers 166 comfortable and bright apartments with fully equipped kitchens and 50“ smart TV with Chromecast. The 137 studios are generously proportioned at over 30 square meters each. The 29 one-bedroom apartments can accommodate two to four people, but can also be connected to a studio for group or family travel, providing space for up to six people. The new property also offers numerous digital options. For example, guests can check in themselves with the ‘LoungeUP’ app, communicate with the apart’hotel team via WhatsApp or Messenger and access the door to their room via smartphone to reduce unnecessary contact points. All of the hotel’s meeting rooms have natural light and are fully

flexible. The apart’hotel also has its own underground car park with 166 parking spaces, including 15 charging stations for electric cars. The Braise par Substance restaurant welcomes guests and locals with a gourmet menu, including meat specialties cooked over an open fire and an extensive wine list featuring wines from the region. Chef Valérian Privat has worked in some of France’s most famous restaurants, including the Tour d’Argent in Paris. He is mentored by chefs Matthias Marc (Top Chef 2021) and Tom Meyer (Granite), partners in the Eclore group, which already has seven addresses in Paris. Relax and indulge at Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg A special highlight of the apart’hotel is the 400-square-metre Spa by Sothys, which includes treatment rooms, an indoor pool, a sauna, a hammam and a fitness room with Technogym equipment. Here, both business travellers and holidaymakers can relax and be pampered after a busy day During the construction of the Citadines Eurométropole Strasbourg, a lot of emphasis was placed on sustainability. Environmentally friendly materials were prioritsed, including wood, concrete, green roofs and a green wall in the lobby. This commitment also includes an energy-saving lighting concept, a local recycling system and a bicycle rental service. This approach is in line with the CSR policy ‘Gogreen@Ascott’ of The Ascott Limited and the Aegide Group.

UTP team up with Visit Pembrokeshire to support member businesses and local charity UTP Merchant Services, a provider of market leading credit and debit card payment solutions, has partnered with Visit Pembrokeshire to provide cost savings and advice for their members while supporting the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust. Following the disruption caused by Covid-19, Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and tourism organisations across the UK have experienced increased demand for specialised financial advice from member businesses, and many have struggled with both with the upturn in demand and complexity of requests. Visit Pembrokeshire, the first DMO in Wales, has been among these organisations, having been inundated with appeals for guidance and impartial advice on how to implement online and Covid-safe payments. The partnership will see UTP support Visit Pembrokeshire’s members’ businesses to alleviate the pressures of updating their payment infrastructures.

For every live deal, UTP will donate to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust. The Trust works to protect and conserve the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, promotes outdoor learning, and provides young people with the practical skills needed for access to local employment opportunities. The partnership was spearheaded by Kevin Betts, Partner Manager at UTP, who said: “During the pandemic, SMEs in all sectors suffered huge disruption and hardship. We initially responded by suspending our fees and working with our merchants to ensure a compassionate and responsible approach to help businesses get back on their feet. However, we felt we could do more. We knew many DMOs / tourism organisations were struggling to meet their members’ demands for guidance and that we could offer our expertise and services while continuing to give something back. We have put together a special offer for tourist boards and as part of the offer, for every live deal, UTP commits to donating to a local

charity so both local businesses and the wider community can benefit.” UTP terminals provide contactless and mobile payments for businesses looking to become more Covid secure. Their Payment Gateways help businesses that are either restructuring or setting up websites for eCommerce, and their Virtual Terminals support businesses that take numerous payments over the phone. The processing fees of current suppliers are reduced and UTP’s Faster Processing offers same day payments, whether in-store or online. Michael Ault, CEO at UTP, added: “Our partnership with Visit Pembrokeshire means we can take much pressure off their internal resource, help stimulate the local economy, and with every deal triggering a donation to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Trust, we can play our part in protecting this spectacular and cherished British coastline.”

Smash: “bowled over” by Lolly Burger specialist says “integrated Lolly tech is the best investment they ever made” About Smash Situated in East London, Smash offers high quality traditional and Halal burgers. The meat is sourced locally, and the quality of the food, as well as the service, is at the heart of everything that they do. Their mission is to give customers a unique experience, the option to eat “on the go” food in a comfortable restaurant, in addition to delivery and takeaway. Preparing to open for the first time Shaz Islam and his business partner started to set up Smash before Covid-19 hit in February 2020, but when lockdown was introduced only a month after, they decided that nothing would stop them going ahead with creating their dream burger restaurant. The money was invested and the plans had started. They wanted their customers to have a fresh and clean environment, but also a sleek and prompt service, so that’s where Lolly came in. Shaz commented: “I wanted to get some great tech in place to ensure that we could provide a very professional service. I also had no previous experience in hospitality, so it needed to be easy and very efficient. “I did look for a PoS company for quite a while with no joy, nowhere seemed to offer what I needed, and it was important to find a company that could advise us on the best approach to take – to ensure quality service at every touch point.

Lolly implemented their Lolly ProServe, self-serve kiosk and also provided the Uber Eats seamless integration to ensure that customers were able to order whenever they wanted, and with ease. The Lolly ProServe provides cuttingedge technology for superior engagement and makes it easy for customers to order independently. Shaz explains that it is brilliant knowing that orders are coming in when he isn’t physically taking them, adding: “Knowing that the orders come in from these products and they will go straight on to the video screens in the kitchen makes everything so efficient.” The Lolly kitchen Screens are digital touch screens which replace traditional kitchen printers and paper ticket systems. The screen acts as the communication link between the front of house and kitchen staff, displaying the orders that have been placed and the time of entry. Online orders are also sent directly to the Kitchen Screens. Once an order has been fulfilled, a simple click ‘complete order’ will clear the order out of the queue and close out the ticket. The LollyEdge manned PoS unit was also installed at Smash. An exclusive product to Lolly in the UK, it is a sleek, smart touch screen till, which includes a printer and a rearfacing customer display.

premises, and at last - now out of lockdown - it was time to officially open and launch the unique burger restaurant. They had no idea what to expect on opening for the first time. Shaz said: “It was so busy at the launch. People had come out of lockdown and food was something to look forward to. We would not have been able to keep up with the huge amount of orders coming through if it hadn’t been for Lolly. At one point, we had thirty orders coming in at the same time, and the fantastic systems in place enabled the communication with the kitchen to flow perfectly. We were able to fulfil every order and live up to our mission.” Lolly products do the thinking for you Keeping an eye on the business from a commercial point of view is vital for Smash and they like to be as proactive as they can. Shaz explains that the amount of information and data Lolly backoffice holds is amazing, adding: “It really helps you to keep control of the operational side of the business, giving you an in-depth analysis of orders placed and where stock needs to be replenished.

The big opening

“I can run the business from home if I want to, I can get the stats that I need, anytime, anywhere. The Lolly HQ dashboard tells me when the peak times are, so I know what to expect. Lolly has taken our business on a true digital journey, and I would not be without it.”

It was six months on from being handed the keys to the Smash

For more information please visit: www.itslolly.com

Shaz says: “The till is so easy to use and it provides so much useful information”

“An online search led me to finding Lolly. From the first call, they have been so helpful and have known exactly what we needed. Their knowledge has filled me with confidence.” Getting the ‘big launch’ right with Its Lolly Lolly knew exactly what technology Smash needed to ensure that their customers would experience the best digital journey. 7

Food safety specialist says Fish & Chips must modernise as takeaways have taken over Here in Britain, we are renowned for our traditional cuisine, from Sunday roasts and bangers and mash to full English fry ups and, of course, fish and chips. However, whilst these dishes remain traditional, they must up their game and modernise the ways in which they serve food in order to keep their plaice within the food industry. Currently, there are an estimated 10,500 fish and chips shops in the UK and almost a whopping 2 million #fishandchips posts on Instagram, proving just how popular the traditional British cuisine really is. In 2019 almost one in five Brits stated that they visited their local chippy once a week, with a staggering £1.2 billion spent annually, demonstrating its demand with British consumers.

More recently, almost one in five people ordered fish and chips the night before all UK lockdown restrictions came to an end and after more than 18 months of uncertainty, consumers continue to seek consistency and familiarity. Marking the date with a meal that is nothing short of satisfactory – this is exactly what they get when they head down to their local fish and chip shop. Daniel Reid, chief marketing officer of digital food safety consultancy Navitas Safety claims that competition will nonetheless remain high, particuarly as new takeaway and at-home cooking offerings have hit the market therefore fish and chip shops must modernise. 1. Evolve with edible trends Trends such as veganism and vegetarianism are on the rise in the

UK, with 3.1 million people following a vegetarian diet, 2.5 million people considering themselves to be pescatarian and 1.5 million vegans. “Fish and chip shop owners must include meat-free and trendier offerings, which is why it is so imperative for businesses to expand their services,” said Dan. “Playing on the regional delicacies for tourists to try out. Whether it’s a Scottish battered Mars bar, or a Southern pea fritter, offering something unique on the menu can help you stand out from the crowd, especially at a competitive seaside town.” “The same goes for allergens, and alternatives for those with the likes of dairy, gluten and wheat intolerances should be provided.” A great example of this is awardwinning fish and chip shop The Cod’s Scallops, with restaurants situated across the midlands, it offers ‘Veggie Monday’s’ and ‘Gluten Free Tuesday’s’. 2. Create Insta-worthy eating out With social media savvy customers coming through the doors, fish and chips shop managers must implement a positive marketing culture. “From using humour such as fish puns on menus, right through to developing an appealing presence for your premises – for instance using neon signs and adopting takeaway packaging that stands out, can attract consumers to take photos and share them to social media - enhancing your reach online. Making the experience more memorable along with your brand name and visuals makes your business more recognisable. New generations of consumers want to see you and look for authenticity so add some personality to your brand - and on your social media profiles!

Enhancing this with a 5-star safety rating that is effectively communicated to customers via your website, and social channels can also reassure potential consumers of the high levels of food hygiene and safety that they can expect upon their visit.

purposed into compost and how correctly disposed of fryer oils can be used as animal feeds, commercial products such as paint or repurposed into biofuels.”

3. Appealing to the conscious consumer

For many busy fish and chip shop owners, improving efficiency is at the top of their priority list. Daniel believes that introducing modern technology can be a key ally to save time and manual effort, allowing fish and chip shop owners to focus on what truly matters to them. He said: “What better way to modernise traditional cuisine than with advanced technology? From automatic fridge and freezer temperature recording pods, through digital food probes which monitor food temperatures and use by dates, there’s a lot to gain in terms of efficiency.”

Consumers are no longer only after a satisfactory meal, but one that is environmentally friendly, whilst maintaining high levels of food hygiene and safety standards. Sustainability is something that has been on people’s minds a lot recently. But even more so since the beginning of the pandemic, with 60% of people reporting that they have been making more ethical and eco-friendly purchasing decisions ever since. Both consumers and business owners alike are becoming more apprehensive about not just what they eat, but the way in which the food is produced. Or in the case of a fish and chip shop, how a fish is caught. Daniel explains that sustainability can be implemented in various ways. He said: “Consumers are keen to learn about where the food they are eating is from, and the impact that can have on the planet.”

4. Improving e-fish-iency: digital technology in your kitchen

“From a recent poll we conducted among Fish and Chip shop owners, 37% of votes mentioned that getting staff to do safety tasks correctly was their biggest food safety challenge. That’s where digital cleaning schedules and opening/ closing checklists can help. This ensures that staff complete their safety tasks correctly and easily,

whilst preventing anything from slipping through the net. It is proven. that with the right digital safety set up your business can save 20+ hours per month in manual work by having everything centralised and automated 5. Introducing hybrid services Lockdown restrictions may be no more, however consumers are still as keen to be surrounded by a safe and secure environment, and businesses are expected to provide such a thing. “Allowing consumers the opportunity to mitigate risk of infection even further by providing a pre-payment and collection hybrid-alternative, will reduce queue times and busy periods,” said Daniel. And The Cod’s Scallops also offers a collection service, alongside its delivery and eat-in services, proving that smaller franchises and local fish and chip shops can, too, provide hybrid eating opportunities. For more information on the food safety and modernisation of fish and chip shops, please visit: www.navitas.eu.com/fish-and-chips/

“So fish and chip shop owners should try to source their food, and in particular, their fish, from local fish markets and suppliers and where possible, organic and ASCcertified suppliers.” “Food and packaging waste is also a massive contributor, so the provisions of recycling bins on the premises should be considered as well as understanding the ways in which food waste can be effectively managed.” “Partnering with other businesses can also assist this, think about how potato peelings can be

The Restaurant Group’s leisure division leverage’s Yumpingo’s on and off-premise intelligence to optimise guest experiences across brands The Yumpingo platform gives each brand a competitive edge as they operate with greater agility and impact than ever before. Yumpingo, the guest experience management platform for hospitality, has been selected by The Restaurant Group’s Leisure division, to drive optimal guest experiences throughout its Frankie and Benny’s, Chiquito, Coast to Coast, Est, Filling Station, and Firejacks brands. After a successful pilot in April, TRG’s Leisure division progressed its partnership with Yumpingo across all of its 126 sites. The move has fortified the group’s position as leaders in hospitality and innovation by leveraging the untapped intelligence of brand performance to optimise the guest experience. TRG’s Leisure division teams now receive over 2,000 live reviews per

venue, per month, with Yumpingo’s proprietary one-minute review process. The review is easily incorporated into any in-store and digital customer journey to collect a greater volume of insights that accurately define how operations are performing against guest expectations. “Yumpingo offers a solution to keep our frontline teams focused on the areas of improvement that will have the greatest impact. Receiving that level of insight with Yumpingo’s Smart Actions has already proven to drive action where it matters most,” said Jon Knight, managing director of leisure and concessions business. Yumpingo’s newly released Smart Actions, the prescriptive analytics component within the platform, builds a weekly game plan for GMs that helps them address critical guest feedback impacting the

customer experience. With this addition, GMs can confidently control the course of the week by working with the right teams on the right tasks that will drive the greatest impact. Gary Goodman, CEO and Founder of Yumpingo, commented, “It’s important to the entire team at Yumpingo that we understand new market challenges and priorities and adapt our solutions around that. The Smart Actions component of Yumpingo could not have come at a more critical time in the industry as restaurateurs face staffing and supply chain shortages. We are grateful to work with TRG’s Leisure division and provide their team with a new wave of insights that can change the course of how any operational function performs.” For more information, please visit: www.yumpingo.com

Zapaygo sponsors Great British Pub Awards waiving sign up fees for all attendees Zapaygo, one of the UK’s leading order and pay apps, has been announced as sponsor of the Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2021. To celebrate this sponsorship Zapaygo is waiving all fees for attendees, including finalists, of the GBPA. This exclusive special offer includes free set up and 12 months of no monthly fees. Elliot Hall, Founder and CEO of Zapaygo, said: “The Great British Pub Awards is an iconic competition that we are privileged to be sponsoring. Zapaygo is already helping many pubs and other hospitality businesses to drive excellent customer service and connect with more people. We are witnessing how technology is being embraced in every aspect of life. There has been a shift in how people interact with their local pub and venues, and we are right there with them. From being more convenient and more efficient to being safer and more hygienic, there are a multitude of reasons

why order and pay apps, such as ours, are becoming increasingly popular.” A recent survey commissioned by Zapaygo, found that 63% of hospitality businesses said they saw their mobile order and pay system as strategically important to the growth of their business. The survey also showed that pubs, bars and stadiums were most likely to agree that customer satisfaction levels had risen since introducing a mobile order and pay system. In terms of customers and users, Zapaygo found that 76% of respondents preferred to order and pay from their table versus going to a bar and 67% said they were likely to continue using into the future. Chris Duffett, Commercial Director of Great British Pub Awards said: “We are delighted to be working with Zapaygo and thank them for their support of the GBPA. They are a brilliant and fast-growing company that are going to go from strength to strength.”

Restaurant and Bar Tech Live Restaurant and Bar Tech Live is making its much-anticipated return to London’s ExCeL on 9th & 10th November. This is the ultimate in person event showcasing the future of the restaurant and bar sectors and we couldn’t be happier to be partnered with them this year! Technology is constantly progressing within the food and drinks industry, whether it’s to help efficiency in the kitchen or making payment methods as smooth as possible. In a constantly developing industry, success is reserved for those who take the new developments in their stride, and that’s why YOU need to be there.. Restaurant and Bar Tech live is a curated hub of engaging educational content and innovative exhibitors

paired with unrivaled networking opportunities. The show boasts a strong line up of keynote speakers from companies such as Punch Pubs & Co and IIko. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to soak up all their knowledge, giving you insights into the industry that will send you home inspired, ready to keep pushing your business forward. The event will give you and 15,000 other industry-defining leaders access to 1,000 exhibitors and their diverse range of innovative products, 500 inspirational seminars and panel debates all as part #FES21. So what are you waiting for?: Save the 9th & 10th November in your calendar and secure your FREE ticket now at

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NOV. 2021 ExCel, London

Europe’s Leading Event For The Technologies Driving The Profits Of Restaurants And Bars 300 VISIONARY SUPPLIERS

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INNOVATION AWARDS

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Connecting Restaurants And Bars With The Technology Of Tomorrow

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0117 990 2107

Take advantage of innovative POS technology During the last 18 months, the pandemic has forced many hospitality venues to face unprecedented challenges and adopt new practices in order to stay afloat in a turbulent landscape. Technology has been a key enabler and, as a peripheral manufacturer, Star has observed a huge technological shift when it comes to delivery, takeaway and dine-in. With this trend continuing, innovative POS technology has an increasingly important role to play in meeting higher customer expectations as well as demand for greater levels of convenience and choice. David Pearce, Technical Director, Star Micronics EMEA talks about the printing technology available for order and pay apps and web-based ordering systems for hospitality.

What different ways are you seeing hospitality venues enabling customer ordering? Many restaurants are using a separate app from the POS which is sometimes quicker to get up and running than adding required new features to the existing POS system. Some are using kiosks or BYOD as entry systems and for food ordering. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a web site versus an app for customer ordering? This will differ for each venue depending on the customer base, budget and required features. We’ve seen customers adapting an existing e-commerce site or setting up a new web site for food ordering which allows them to get online quickly initially. Alternatively, a native app can offer a wider range of features, encourage repeat

business and has the advantage of being able to use locally connected printers over USB or Bluetooth. Progressive Web Apps allow a hybrid approach with a single development suitable for any operating system supporting web browsing in HTML5. Web apps now support the use of device hardware for QR scanning for example, but printing customer orders and receipts has sometimes proved challenging in the past. Star has produced several services and protocols allowing POS or kiosk vendors to print directly from a web-based app to a local, network or cloud-based printer. What type of printing technologies have been required with the growth of online ordering and order at table software? With the increased use of apps and web-based software, printing an order directly to a kitchen or bar printer saves time and increases order accuracy. Our support team has been helping software developers and web design companies with standard drivers and SDKs for printing from POS systems, Android and iOS tablets as well as technology to enable webbased printing without having to worry about browser settings such as margins and headers across different platforms. We’ve seen strong demand for cloud technologies which are able to pull orders directly from an online ordering system at defined intervals and print these remotely in a kitchen or bar without requiring an additional tablet or device to key in the order. Auto-printing simplifies operations and staff do not have to worry about anything other than receiving the orders. The technology extends across thermal printers and dot matrix kitchen printers for paper tickets as well as food labels. In fact, Star’s unique CloudPRNT™ label printers allow the user to connect the printer to centrally held allergy labelling software and online databases of product ingredients for printers in multiple locations to directly print label updates as needed.

CloudPRNT is relatively simple to set up using your own host server and Star’s intelligent printers. However, for those who prefer a fully managed service with no backend knowledge, Star has recently introduced StarPrinter.online which is a dedicated service for retail and hospitality owners to manage their printer estate with zero to minimal set up time, and cost. This allows printing direct from an ordering website via API or even via email with zero integration, just forward your order email directly to the chef’s printer for preparation. Which additional printer features can make a real difference when using online ordering or order and pay apps?

This means the chef can receive a remote order, prepare it, and simply scan the receipt back to the server to alert the in-restaurant staff, delivery company or purchaser that the order is ready for transit. We’ve also seen an increase in the use of bump bars attached to the printer to accept/reject orders to the cloud service.

Visit Star at Restaurant & Bar Tech Live (Stand G70) to find out how we can help your venue take advantage of innovative POS technology. www.Star-EMEA.com

A seamless ordering process means hospitality owners can fully focus on managing a potentially large number of customers ordering their food and drinks from any location.

Technologies which effectively ‘tether’ tablets to the network enable tablets and mobile devices to remain online without having to connect by WiFi, removing the possibility of missing orders. The fact that some of the printers can also act as a hub with a connected barcode reader to directly inform the server that an order is ready without any manual keying is useful.

The Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo The Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo is finally back inperson! #RTIE21 will be transforming the ExCel London into THE innovative and inspirational space for industry-leading professionals like yourself on the 9th & 10th of November. Have you registered for your FREE ticket to the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo yet? You won’t want to miss out on a curated speaker line up of industry experts like David Sturdee the COO/CCO of Pizza Hut, Brandie Deignan the ex-managing director of Pierre White and Zhong Xu the CEO and Co-Founder of Deliverect

The show serves up the perfect combination of engaging educational content complimented by unrivaled networking opportunities, guaranteeing you walk away full of ideas, and with the contacts needed to keep developing and pushing your business forward. The Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo runs alongside 5 other key industry events, collectively forming #FES21, creating the perfect environment for business growth. So, what are you waiting for? Save the date and grab your FREE ticket here: https://bit.ly/3kpznoF

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Game changing Wi-Fi The pandemic has accelerated our adoption of new technologies. Without consistent internet and suitable Wi-Fi, many hospitality venues have been impacted by loss of revenue. Here we catch up with Ben Jones from Roxy to talk about how they stay connected with Switch Networks. Ben Jones Commercial Director of Roxy - Please can you give us an intro on Roxy. Roxy is for social people who want to embrace their playful side, Roxy brings the playground to the bar, with a huge variety of games, and massive rock & indie tunes. Their venues provide a range of entertainment including pool tables, ping pong, bowling, shuffleboard, mini golf, arcade gaming and karaoke. Tell us about the Roxy experience and how Switch Networks help you to achieve this? We want customers to get the most out of visiting our venues and always wanting to come back for

more, that’s why it’s important for our venues to run seamlessly and we invest heavily into our network to ensure the customer experience is excellent. Everything from our bookings system, telephones, drink QR codes and tills are networked so having a good infrastructure is key to delivering a successful offering. We always get Switch Networks involved early in our build process to ensure we have the required infrastructure and over the years we have used more and more of their services. In a time where your operations rely so heavily on technology, how have Switch Networks helped your business to adapt? As the world changes and ever more technology runs on internet we have realised the need for a reputable company who can help with networking and IT. We started using Switch Networks years ago just to supply our IP telephone system so we could link all our businesses with our head office easily, we now use them to look after everything Network related from CCTV installs and upgrades to leased lines and secure guest networks.

They have a wealth of knowledge and have helped design a reliable network infrastructure within our estate of 10 venues. City centre locations have notoriously poor internet connections. How have Switch Networks helped you overcome this? City Centre internet is some of the worse internet speeds and is inaccessible which is unbelievable considering how much it has progressed over the years. Switch have helped us manage this by sourcing leased lines in all our venues and project managed from ordering through to install of the lines, they have even helped some of our neighbouring bars that we have shared our lines with. Switch also recommended 4G back-ups in all venues in case our primary line lost connection which is a great comfort considering how much we rely on the internet. To find out more about Switch Networks please visit: www.switch-networks.co.uk/ or call on 01653 917000

REFRESHINGLY GOOD WI-FI Designed for the hospitality sector Call us on 01653 917000 or Email us at info@switch-networks.co.uk www.switch-networks.co.uk 21

Are your customers being digitally served? Covid has fundamentally changed the experience customers expect from a hospitality venue. They want to be safe, relaxed and entertained, while businesses need to be compliant, innovative and profitable. Technology is the key to attracting and retaining profitable footfall.

How advances in technology can be used to drive profitability Tony Ford, Managing Director of Marston’s Telecoms, explains:

“The internet is now part of the DNA of hospitality as much as great food and drink, superb service and a carefully curated ambience. With consumption of technology ever increasing, venues need to provide more and more connectivity. It’s not unusual for a hotel guest to have three devices using the broadband at once, and venues need the right connectivity in every corner of their premises. Making sure customers stay longer, spend more and rave about a venue on social media is not just about comfortable beds, sourdough pizza or craft ales. It’s about putting a complete technology solution in place. Robust broadband and great WiFi are the enabler for hospitality venues to drive greater profitability by offering customers not just access to the internet that is fast, free and everywhere but the advantages that come with it: from having their Netflix account up and running on the TV in their room when they arrive, to using an app to see whether a table for lunch will be free in 20 minutes. It’s about future-proofing hospitality’s tech infrastructure as venues become more experience driven, so they can give customers a fabulous visit, increase dwell time and raise order values. 22

Both customers and the business benefit. A portal such as Marston’s Pints N’ Bites not only makes table ordering quick and easy, it also offers speedy payment that eliminates the cost of staffing tills. Similarly, our Hotspot WiFi portal provides businesses with customer contact details, increasing their lifetime value through targeted marketing. With footfall mapping and Epos data comes the opportunity to count how many people are in each part of a venue, how long they linger, how much they spend and what on. Venues can build a complete picture of their customers and use that intelligence to boost profitability – by changing a particular room theme, or reducing staff at certain times of day. Why trust Marston’s Telecoms? We are the only internet service provider owned by a pub company and have been serving the hospitality industry since 2008. We are on a journey with business owners to create the hospitality venue of the future – ready now for what customers will be demanding in three years (or even six months!)” Please contact:

www.marstonstelecoms.com 01902 283 300

SIHOT empowers hoteliers to work smarter New business intelligence tool SIHOT.INSIGHTS offers dynamic, comprehensive reports built on extensive data capabilities SIHOT, one of the leading, modular hotel management software systems, is empowering hoteliers with a new Business Intelligence tool. SIHOT.INSIGHTS lets hoteliers review performance by department, and overall revenue contribution with tailored reports for specific business insights. Within unpredictable markets, hoteliers can proactively respond to changing conditions utilising historic and forecast values for custom time periods. The new tool provides real-time comprehensive reports, presenting commercial performance insights in a highly visual and dynamic way. Making it easy for users to interpret the extensive data capabilities, the user interface is intuitive, accessible to senior management and revenue and operational teams of all levels. “Hoteliers value data in making smart business decisions, but too often, we found hoteliers getting bogged down in creating reports or interpreting what they were looking at,” said Carsten Wernet, Executive Board Member, SIHOT. “The new SIHOT.INSIGHTS tool is designed for hotel teams to have a single source of truth, providing a visual snapshot of operations and revenues for any moment in time. This will help them make informed decisions about the direction of their business.”

Driven by automation for ease in generating frequently-used reports, SIHOT.INSIGHTS integrates with SIHOT’s wider product portfolio, making the company one of the only PMS providers with a fullyintegrated Business Insight solution. SIHOT.INSIGHTS is easily incorporated as part of hotels’ wider Microsoft tech stacks and accessible across all devices working. It can work with other data sources or power existing applications utilising SIHOT as a flexible and open structure. Through SIHOT.INSIGHTS, management and departments can assess performance and booking lead times and market segments across multiple properties to understand customer value. SIHOT. INSIGHTS will soon be complemented by F&B reports to support a wider total management strategy. “Like all our products, SIHOT.INSIGHTS has been developed by hoteliers for hoteliers,” continued Wernet. “It’s important to us that it makes life easier for hotel teams, giving them all the information they need at their fingertips to empower them to make smart business decisions. Whether working as part of our PMS or calling on information from multiple data points, SIHOT.INSIGHTS will help hotels set their strategy and assess its performance.” To find out more about SIHOT’s hotel management systems, visit www.sihot.com

The Beauty of Neon Signs Neon signs have helped businesses really stand out since the 1950s. There is nothing quite like the artisan form of hand bent glass in vibrant striking colours to get you noticed. These classic designs will set you aside from your competitors and like boats drawn to the port lights will bring customers to you from far and wide. Neon signs have several advantages over other signage:Curb appeal The number one reason our customers choose neon is to get noticed. They are highly visible from long distances and are hugely appealing with a look like no other from the warm, welcoming light that neon gives. LED’s are bright but can appear cold and harder on the eyes than the attractive glow of Neon. Design is limitless There is great potential for customisation with the endless

curves and 3D shapes that can be created with bent glass plus an incredible pallet of colours.

filaments they stay cool to the touch so are very safe in busy hospitality environments.

The unlimited design options and high visibility are the main reasons they remain so popular in high tourist areas like Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York. Just send us your logo and we can tell you what we can do.

Good for business

Longevity Our in-house craftsmen have many years of experience and know the correct way these should be designed and constructed to give you years of use. A skilfully made neon sign, well maintained can last up to 12 years with very little upkeep while conventional alternatives can fail within the year. Efficient Neon signs use very little electricity so go well towards your green credentials and since they don’t use

Neon has a long history in advertising for very good reasons of eye appeal. Customers are hugely attracted to neon signage so as well as getting a great first impression they will spot you are open at a long distance. Neon can literally increase the footfall into your business. Our HQ is based in Peterborough with our workshops in Kent. Our own teams provide installation UK wide and overseas too. As outdoor suppliers we also do a full range of goods like furniture, planters, screens, plants, parasols, heaters and lighting. Contact us on: sales@cafeculture.biz visit: www.cafeculture.biz or call 0800 9175526

CafeCulture Ltd - Unit 5 Flag Business Park - Peterborough - PE1 5TX www.cafeculture.biz - sales@cafeculture.biz - 0800 917 5526

Lightboxes & Illuminated Displays With sustainability and the environment a hot topic, Signwaves LED light boxes are environmentally friendly, offering 60% less energy costs and much improved life expectancy compared to alternative fluorescent technology. Both the Best Buy LEDbox and the Lockable Weatherproof Smart LEDbox offer low voltage power supplies ensuring very low running costs whilst being completely safe for users. Both LED Light Boxes also boast a simple plug in power supply meaning there is no need for a qualified electrician to install your units. The Lockable Weatherproof Smart LEDbox is available in three popular poster sizes; 30” x 40”, A0 and 40” x 60”. Designed for outdoor use, this LED light box extends poster visibility well beyond the short daylight hours during winter months. The front-opening 35mm satin silver Snapframes make poster change quick and easy whilst the locking frame (using the security key provided), offers a tamper-resistant poster display solution.

With wall fixings provided, the LED Light Box can be mounted either in portrait or landscape orientations whilst the concealed cable entry ensures the frame offer a low profile appearance. The Best Buy LEDbox, for internal use, is available in single or doublesided poster display and is offered in a wide range of standard poster sizes from A4 up to A0. The front opening Snapframnes are in a silver anodised finish as standard, but a wide choice of custom colours are available on a minimum order quantity of 5. The long-life maintenance free Osram LED’s ensure an even white illumination across the poster display whilst the anti-reflective poster cover sheet provides clarity of poster message. If you’re looking to enhance your standard poster display and would like a cost-effective light box solution, contact us for further information and prices on enquiries@signwaves.co.uk or call our sales team on 01493 419300.

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Features in next months issue are on: • Hospitality Management Software • Hotel In-Room Technology • Music & Sound • Training & Recruitment

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