Hospitalitech Magazine - November Issue

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

Top tips to make the most out of your outdoor space this summer...

Nothing says summer quite like a pub beer garden – and with around 27,000 across the UK*, and their very own ‘Best Pub Garden’ award at the Great British Pub Awards, it’s fair to say the popularity of outdoor spaces remains as widespread as ever.

Finalist in the 2022 awards, George Greenaway from the Tamworth Tap, a micro-brewery, taproom and off-licence – alongside PPL PRS, the organisation responsible for issuing TheMusicLicence for businesses who use music - share their thoughts on the best ways to enhance the atmosphere and make the most out of outdoor spaces in the coming months ahead.

Pay attention to detail

The details of an outdoor space can be just as important as indoors, if not more –which is why it is important to get them right and create a space that suits both your brand and surroundings. This could be anything from floral displays and hanging baskets, to a fairy-lit alley and candles on each of the tables, which help to create the perfect atmosphere and add the finishing touch that customers are looking for.

Keep your customers entertained

Events can be one of the best ways to bring people into the town and are a great way to attract customers, old and new. Popular ideas include ale and cider festivals, live music events and Belgian beer tasting, all of which can give people a reason to go out, and may be why they choose your business over others.

Know your audience

Less is always more, which means that when thinking about your outdoor space, it is important to have a theme and ensure to make the decor and surroundings relevant to the local area. This way you avoid alienating any potential demographic and can ensure you create an atmosphere that is welcoming and appealing to both your customers and your staff.

Remember to consider the atmosphere

As with any space, the ambience is key, which means, paying particular attention to music genre and lighting is critical. Ambient lighting can help to enhance certain areas of a garden, while playing music, particularly a style that reflects a brand can help to enhance the experience and create a space people enjoy. As George explains, “we have so many comments on how customers have enjoyed the playlists, even asking where they can buy the CD. I’m certain we keep customers a little longer as they can’t leave because of the music. It’s unique to our venue and evokes positive reactions from tourists and locals alike.”

For more information about how to enhance the atmosphere and create the perfect outdoor space visit pplprs.co.uk/success-stories/thetamworth-tap/

*https://www.beerguild.co.uk/news/uks-27000-pubs-with-beergardens-should-be-amongst-the-first-to-re-open-says-bbpa/

Take your restaurant profits to the next level with technology

We live in a digital world and for the hospitality sector this means your guests expect a seamless and continually-improved experience from every visit they make to your restaurant, and every interaction they have with you online.

But how can you better understand which technology will benefit your restaurant the most by adding value, increasing margins, providing really useful functionality, and lowering your purchase and ledger costs?

Admittedly, choosing a new or replacement restaurant reservation, table or booking management system can sometimes feel like a bit of a minefield. There can be way too many choices of software available, and most restaurant, pub, café or bar owners would rather spend their time building their business. However, let’s simplify the choices. It’s clear that

having all of your key data in one place to run a busy restaurant means you need an online, cloudbased system, where everything is available at the touch of your fingertips and 100 per cent reliable and secure.

Not only this but everything within the system needs to integrate flawlessly. It’s impossible to emphasise enough the importance of making sure everything in your existing and future systems works jointly and without conflict, giving you the confidence that the system can be scaled-up as your restaurant grows.

Here are the seven key areas that should be included in any restaurant software choice you make and which MUST integrate effectively:

1. ePOS

On a daily operational basis, electronic point-of-sale, or ePOS,

is a crucial integration. Without this, transactions appearing in one system will have to be manually reconciled to another. An interconnected flow of data between systems means there are never any mis-matches resulting that waste time and money.

2. Payments

Demand for e-payment tech among the public has never been higher. Customers want to book and pay for their restaurant reservations online so connect perfectly with a reputable payment provider such as Stripe, or a consolidating payment gateway like Worldpay to see the cash start rolling in.

3. Marketing

Linking your customer database within your restaurant technology to an off-the-shelf email and SMS marketing campaign programencoyrages new and existing customers to spend more, make more reservations and engage with your special offers.

4. Social media

It’s difficult to imagine a modern restaurant which doesn’t allow customers to book via Facebook. Any software products you review that don’t feature this integration should be treated with caution, because without this additional sales channel you will be missing out on revenue.

5. CRM

Contact Relationship Management or ‘CRM’ systems take basic email marketing platforms to the next level by delivering a far more granular approach to managing customers’ data. They essentially provide an A-Z customer journey with a range of tools that allow the restaurant to interact directly with their audiences and better understand their spending habits.

6. Booking channels

Restaurant reservation systems will always offer online booking on

the restaurant’s website. However, in an increasingly competitive sector this might not be enough to fill the restaurant to capacity and unless the restaurant management software has an integration with the channel in question there will be a lot of time-consuming manual data transfer to deal with. Do yourself a huge favour and pick a fullyintegrated system which will accurately transfer bookings, customer data and transactions between platforms so you can concentrate on running your restaurant to the maximum.

7. Deliveries

The boom in dine at home, particularly during the pandemic, created a lifeline for many restaurants and has seen significant growth in a number of national and international brands. The best restaurant reservation and pre-ordering systems will integrate with a range of partners, or even one multi-consolidating partner, to converge the orders into consistent and manageable information which is automatically sent to the site’s main system.

A platform like Favouritetable’s online restaurant management system features all of the above and more as a single suite of functionality that turns compliance into happy customers, including modules for online booking and pre-ordering, special event bookings, table pre-ordering and payment, and timeslot scheduling.

Add to this an intuitive booking diary, graphic table plans, marketing module and customer database, and you’ve got a system that’s been built by a team who are restaurateurs at heart, and understand the everyday challenges your business faces.

Of course, the other and perhaps most revolutionary aspect of Favouritetable is its price. We opted for a fixed, monthlysubscription model, rather than top-slicing the restaurant’s hard-earned cash like so many of our competitors do. This being the case, just switching to Favouritetable alone will have a positive impact on your restaurants’ finances – food for thought!

Game changing Wi-Fi

Mr Yum makes major acquisition to personalise dining experiences

The pandemic has accelerated our adoption of new technologies. Without consistent internet and suitable Wi-Fi, many hospitality venues are impacted by loss of revenue.

Mobile ordering and payments company Mr Yum has acquired leading hospitality Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and marketing company Sprout.

Here we catch up with Ben Jones from Roxy to talk about how they stay connected with Switch Networks.

The two London-based companies will combine, with Sprout’s fulltime staff joining Mr Yum to create a global team of more than 260 employees, who will continue building innovative tools for hospitality and entertainment venues in the UK and around the world.

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.

Mr Yum CEO and Co-founder Kim Teo says the acquisition will accelerate the company’s mission of connecting venues with their guests in meaningful and valuable ways.

“This deal is an evolution of a successful partnership between our two companies, with Sprout integrated with Mr Yum in many shared locations over the past year,

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

including Boxpark and Swingers crazy golf venues,” she says.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Sprout into the Mr Yum family. They’ve built a world-class team and technology solution and we’re excited to pour fuel on the fire and dream big with the innovation that’s possible by combining our two offerings.”

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.

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?

“We’re going to make a real difference in the way people experience dining. You’ll walk in the door and the host will know your name, your favourite table to sit at, the pinot noir you enjoy and that you love spicy food.

Teo says consumers are eager to have more personalised dining experiences and the acquisition will accelerate the development of sophisticated new products to enable hospitality operators to deliver bespoke service to their customers.

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.

“Together, we’ll build things that have never been done in hospitality before. Our venue customers are screaming out for innovative ways to create ongoing, meaningful relationships with their guests, like being able to offer unique discounts or to let them know their favourite item is back on the menu,” she says.

“By combining our products at an incredibly deep level, this vision will soon become a reality.” Sprout is the leading CRM and marketing platform for hospitality venues with brands including Nando’s, Shake Shack and Accor Hotels using the company’s technology in thousands of locations across the UK, Australia and the US.

Mr Yum is the global market leader in mobile ordering and payments for restaurants, with offices across Australia, the UK and the US. The acquisition follows Mr Yum’s £58M capital raise in 2021.

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

Sprout co-founder Andy Marcus says combining the two companies will drive the creation of a global best-in-class growth platform for hospitality and entertainment venues.

“Together we’ll be able to rapidly scale solutions to provide venues with deeper and more seamless insights into their customers, which will enable them to provide superior and more meaningful hospitality experiences,” he says.

“Integrating our powerful and intuitive CRM into Mr Yum’s industryleading platform will help create elegant, data-driven one-to-one conversations between venues and their guests for the first time. We are incredibly excited about what the future holds for the company.”

Mr Yum has grown from 12 to more than 260 full-time staff in the past 24 months, with teams in London, Sydney, Brisbane and the Melbourne headquarters.

Mr Yum has 15 million users and more than 1500 venues on the platform globally.

www.mryum.com

Cultural change to digitalise the guest journey

By Ryan Haynes, Director, Haynes MarComs - travel and hospitality marketing - technology expert

Staffing hotels in a recruitment crisis to meet guest expectations

When solving one problem, you can often find ways to solve other problems. When speaking with the CIO of RBH Management, I discovered technology was helping in many other areas.

RBH Management recently undertook a full redevelopment of

one of its properties. The central London hotel needed to keep costs low without compromising on guest expectations, by developing digital touchpoints within the hotel it was able to improve operations and maintain guest satisfaction. Being one of the UKs leading independent hotel management companies with a portfolio of more than 45 hotels, RBH is responsible for maximising returns for hotel owners, no easy feat when costs are spiralling out of control, guests expectations are higher than ever, and there’s a major recruitment crisis in the industry.

Working with prestigious brands like Hilton Hotels and Resorts, IHG Accor, Wyndham Worldwide and Marriott International, RBH has benchmarks to fulfil. Vibhu Gaind, CIO has been leading the digitalisation journey across the group’s portfolio. Although the group was already making technological changes, Vibhu explains how COVID19

accelerated the process. But at the core of the development the overall aim is to use technology to make contacts with guests “more meaningful”.

The group has installed staff-less check-ins and digital dining, and is experimenting with a pilot project with lobby ambassadors at the central London hotel. They can check guests in on iPads, or at kiosks. Meanwhile, they engage, answering questions about hotel services and the best places to visit.

Vibhu explains why the strategy depends on location. “You have guests in the leisure market who love in-person check-ins and want to know about the facilities and service levels. It’s a portfolio where staff-less check-in would not be considered.” But at corporate hotels in city centres, busy corporate guests often want to go directly to rooms without interacting. “You’ve used technology to enable a quick experience for the transaction. And

you interact with guests at a more meaningful level.”

Vidbhu explains why it’s also important to consider typical guest behaviour because some hotels may have different strategies during the week and at weekends, when leisure guests arrive. “It’s not about how do I get the check-in done now, it’s about how do I service the guests? Make them feel welcome to give them that unique experience, that personal touch?”

Removing receptionists also allows the hotel to deploy more staff for services like F&B. “Suddenly you’re open to a level of staffing where everybody’s trained in all factors and customer service truly becomes a synergy across the hotel,” he says. “It’s about getting away from the nitty-gritty and focusing on customer service. It’s part of a big cultural shift.”

At this point, Vibhu says the hotel can look to hire multi-skilled individuals from outside the sector. “We’ve seen many peers transition to other industries over the last couple of years and we need to be bringing people in from these other sectors,” he says. Adopting the new technologies, though, does not require as much training as it once did and PMS systems are more user-friendly. But training is crucial. Vibhu also speaks about how the group has changed its approach to its tech stack to become more “Microsoft heavy”. “That makes adoption easier,” he says. But the company also considers innovative new entrants into the tech space.

He explained that they install systems that are appropriate for a particular property, rather than just having a specific system. “It is customised to each hotel. But if we see a specified system is better suited for the leisure market, we’ll use that for those hotels.”

Listen to the full conversation between Ryan Haynes and Vibhu Gaind on Travel Market Life podcast

Hop Software

Hop was developed by hoteliers with over 40 years of experience in the industry, but not only that, but the majority of the Hop staff also come from a hospitality background. Therefore, as a team, we deeply understand what precisely overnight venues need to reduce stresses, increase direct bookings, and lower commission spending. We set out with a purpose to take our past learnings and develop a tool that would assist us, and now it can help you too!

Hop is an all-in-one, cloud-based Property Management System that has been expertly developed by hoteliers - with you, your team, and your guests in mind. At Hop, we aim to deliver an easy-to-use, reliable, and affordable system that will significantly increase revenue through increasing direct bookings, reducing time spent on additional admin and making your guest’s experience seamless.

Our HopPMS will assist in providing excellence for hotels in various practical ways.

1. Our Booking Engine is seamlessly integrated, commission-free and optimised for mobile, allowing reservations directly through your website 24/7.

2. HopPMS links with OTA’s, allowing for distributing and updating listings all from one platform. OTA’s include Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Airbnb, Hotels.com, HotelBeds and more.

3. We have further developed an Event Management tool within our PMS, allowing hotels to manage events from initial enquiry through to post event feedback.

4. Reporting has been implemented across all areas of the HopPMS, allowing hotels to pull data on any information they need at the click of a button.

5. Managing guest and corporate profiles have never been easier than using our embedded CRM.

6. Got Multiple Properties? HopPMS can centrally manage Hotel

Groups, including reservations, inventory, rates distribution and maintenance plans.

7. As an add-on, hotels can have their own bespoke HopApp allowing for easy access for guests to book, check-in and out, order food, make payments and access property information.

Our software has been developed with the genuine desire to help simplify processes. Clients can manage listings, reservations and guests from one simple, easyto-use dashboard. In addition, our PMS has a built-in academy that is regularly updated, making learning the system accessible to everybody.

With our hassle-free PMS, properties will instantly benefit by saving money and, as a result, increasing revenue; this can be achieved by reducing hours spent on admin, increasing direct bookings and having more time to give guests a high level of attention.

It’s Lolly launches carbon food scoring app

It’s Lolly, the hospitality technology specialist, has launched carbon food scoring functionality in its app. The new tool is designed to help customers to understand the carbon impact of the food and drinks they order.

The carbon food scoring tool is able to calculate the Co2e value1 for each product with an at-a-glance visual scale enabling the user to understand the CO2e score and where it is on a scale of low to high. These measures help customers understand the impact their food choices make on the planet. It helps to put them in control of making informed carbon food choices and reducing their individual carbon footprint.

They are advised, as an example, that an enchilada comes in at a score of 50 Co2e (medium), whereas fish and chips are rated very high at 300. When a customer makes their food choices, adding, deselecting or amending items, they can see the ordering system adding up or subtracting the overall carbon rating. Uniquely,

operators can send encouraging messages relating to the CO2e such as ‘your CO2e is 100 Co2e against an average of 200 Co2e’. And as they can see the score by individual product –they are knowledgeable about how environmentally sound their decisions are. A major client of It’s Lolly, who is launching this functionality is committed to combining the Co2e of all its staff, and offsetting it monthly.

Peter Moore, CEO at Lolly, comments: “Just as it has become mandatory for some businesses to clearly and prominently display calorie counts, at the point of choice, it could only be a matter of time before sustainability measures are a ‘licence’ to operate. In which case, we’re helping our hospitality customers get ahead of the game.

“With the UK government’s drive to slash carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and reach Net Zero by 2050, businesses are under increasing scrutiny and will be subject to everstricter regulatory requirements not

only to measure and report on their energy use, but to report on how they plan to decarbonise.

“Over the last few decades, we have moved from brands that ‘look good’ to brands that ‘do good’. Ethical consumerism in the food sector is growing and now wider society expects brands to act as corporate citizens and demonstrate how they play their part in finding solutions that add care of the planet and people to their measures of success.

“Once the consumer has all of the CO2e facts they can decide how they manage their carbon scores, giving them choice. Harnessed well, this will enable hospitality providers to align with their customers’ preferences and demonstrate how they are playing their part as corporate citizens, in turn, they’ll experience greater levels of customer loyalty.”

For more information visit: www.itslolly.com or call 0800 038 5389

Conker launches most powerful devices to date

New 8“ NS85 handheld tablet and NS105 10“ tablet most powerful when it comes to RAM and storage capability for logistics productivity

Conker, which provides reliable devices for mobile workforces, will be prototyping its new NS85 8” handheld tablet and 10” NS105 tablet at this year’s Final Destination Logistics event.

The latest products are Conker’s most powerful yet when it comes to memory (RAM) – standing at 8 GB (upgraded from 4 GB), and data storage of 256 GB, (compared to the current range at 64 or 128 GB). They are launched in response to client demand for driving logistics productivity during these competitive times – with a view to increasing operator efficiency and uptime, due to the faster processing capacity.

The tough dustproof, drop-proof and waterproof devices run on the

Windows 10 operating system with a powerful Intel I5-8200Y processor. They are touchscreen, have a 2D barcode scanner, and can work in storage temperatures of minus 25 to plus 80 degrees centigrade and operational temperatures of minus 20 to plus 60 degrees centigrade.

James Summers, CEO at Conker, said: “Our focus is centered around continued innovation to support the logistics sector in driving operational efficiencies - these latest launches are testament to that mission. With massively increased storage and memory, the new devices will remain quick to respond for the operator, whilst storing vast amounts of data – helping to improve workflows.

“The Conker team will be demonstrating the NS85 and the NS105 at Final Destination Logistics and inviting companies to be part of the prototyping. Conker will be

testing them thoroughly and once fully tested they will hopefully be released in later 2022.

“All Conker devices have a wide range of features essential for the workplace. The NS85 and NS105 are also IP65 rated for ruggedness - with a real focus on supporting mobile workforces with reliable devices.”

All Conker products come with a free one-year ‘Relax’ accidental damage warranty, which means customers are covered on all their devices, whatever happens, no quibbles. Three- and five-year accidental damage warranties are also available with no small print and no exclusions, with comprehensive cover to include fire and theft, batteries, and a 20 percent reduction on fees for full replacements.

For further information, please visit www.weareconker.com

The risk of credit card fraud rises while traveling

Cybersecurity

experts warn

travelers after discovering 4M payment cards for sale online

According to the latest data, credit card fraud resulted in $28.6 billion in losses worldwide last year. Cybersecurity experts at NordVPN say that the chances of being affected by this type of fraud are much higher for people when they are away from home. Cybersecurity experts, in cooperation with thirdparty researchers, have recently discovered a global database of 4M stolen payment cards for sale online and want to warn travelers.

“While on vacation, people often forget to check their bank accounts and are more likely to spend money in places they would not usually trust or lose their wallet. The database that we analyzed only proves how easy it is for hackers to bruteforce payment cards and then use this data to perform fraud,” Daniel Markuson,

a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, explains.

How can credit card fraud affect travelers?

Having a person’s financial information is very valuable for hackers. They can sell this data on the black market, drain a person’s savings, open new bank accounts, take out loans under the victim’s name, and otherwise steal their identity. This can forever ruin a person’s credit score, making it hard for them to bounce back from credit card fraud.

For travelers, the consequences may cause significant stress during their journey. Imagine being stuck in a country without money because your payment card has been skimmed and all of the money has been taken. Situations like that, unfortunately, happen all the time.

What can travelers do to avoid credit card fraud?

1. Use alternative payment methods while traveling. Pay by cash or use a prepaid card for your journey. Such cards carry fewer security risks. If leaked, they can’t be used to steal your identity. They don’t affect your credit score, they don’t give access to your savings, and it’s much easier to freeze them, so they are your best bet for traveling.

2. Watch your bank statements online even on vacation. This step is important because most hackers will test your card before hacking you or purchasing your details on the dark web. They will make a small charge to see whether the account is active. Only then will they drain your account.

3. Inform your bank before going on vacation. Before you leave, contact your bank to let it know when and

where you will be traveling. Some card issuers will freeze cards if they detect out-of-the-ordinary activity that could indicate fraud.

4. Be extra careful when using ATMs. Consider whether you really need to use an ATM in a travel destination and if you must, always choose a reliable bank ATM located in a well-lit and busy area. Also, look closely at the machine you will be using because some ATMs can be modified with a skimmer that copies the magnetic information on your card or scans your RFID chip. This info can then be used to clone your card details. You can protect yourself by always inspecting the ATM card slot for anything that looks out of place or loose.

5. Don’t perform financial operations on public computers or Wi-Fi. Many people like booking their hotels or travel tickets while they are on the road. However, doing so is not a good idea,

especially if you are connected to an unsecured public network. While you might think you have taken all the necessary credit card safety measures on public Wi-Fi, the internet traffic could be intercepted and your credit card number stolen. If you still choose to book accommodation or tickets on public Wi-FI, use a VPN. A VPN helps to encrypt your traffic so hackers and snoopers can’t see your financial information or what you do online.

NordVPN is the world’s most advanced VPN service provider, used by millions of internet users worldwide. NordVPN provides double VPN encryption and Onion Over VPN and guarantees privacy with zero tracking. One of the key features of the product is Threat Protection, which blocks malicious websites, malware, trackers, and ads. NordVPN is very user friendly, offers one of the best prices on the market, and has over 5,000 servers in 60 countries worldwide. For more information: www.nordvpn.com.

Roxy Lanes in Bristol-a striking & brilliant new Bowling Alley And Bar decided to use

NETVIO for all their Video AV Hardware & Software solutions.

Roxy Lanes, a brand new ten-pin bowling destination that offers so much more than just bowling. Set to become one of Bristol’s go-to destinations for mate-date socials, Roxy Lanes is more than just a bowling alley – with tons of activities to try out under just one roof.

Run by Roxy Leisure group, renowned for their fun-filled entertainment venues Roxy Ballroom across the country including Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool and Leeds, the company has now opened a new site on Bristol’s Union Street this May 2022. Offering a range of activities besides ten-pin bowling, you and your mates can have a crack at the likes of beer pong, pool and ice-free curling.

The Union Street location, opened from May 27, boasts eight full-size

bowling lanes, batting cages, screens showing live sport, shuffle boards, duck-pin bowling, full size pool tables, basketball shooting hoops, beer pong, arcade games and ice-free curling, meaning there is something for everyone to get involved in. Plus, the people of Bristol will be able to sing their hearts out to their favourite tunes as Roxy Lanes also offer karaoke rooms for up to 20 people-

Roxy Leisure Group chose installer Rob Woodhouse from Media Frenzy to produce a video switching system - simple for staff to switch sports and signage to displays as required. Rob asked ‘NETVIO’ to help with the project and the quality the control app (Go) blew the customer away. Rob says:

‘’The live preview streams in the app make it so easy to switch the right

content to the displays even for new staff.’’ ‘’So much less time for the integrator on programming as Netvio Go is programmed in minutes.’’

The AV solution involved P4 AVoIP & Netvio Go app control – as the system was too large for a matrix. Rob explains: ‘’Other control solutions are too complex and expensive.’’ The zones are 6 sources and 12 displays - 6 zones.

Rob chose NETVIO for this project as control interface is a step up from a matrix. The IP is so modular and flexible. Rob mentions: ‘’The software was the same on the Netvio from matrix so it was easy and Netvio’s support was amazing’’.

The client explains : ‘“This app is amazing - it’s like the future, it just works.’’

Valor Hospitality announces addition of upcoming Portrush Luxury Hotel and Spa to Global Portfolio

The new hotel overlooks the world famous Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, home to The Open Championship in 2019 and again in 2025

Valor Hospitality Partners, a global, full-service hotel acquisition, development, management and asset management company has announced it has been appointed to manage The Dunluce Lodge, a new build 35 room, five-star luxury hotel and spa. The hotel will be built overlooking the famous 4th fairway at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, with views of Portrush town, Donegal headlands and The Skerries.

The nine-acre site, which was originally privately owned, is due to open in 2023 and has received both political and local support, as well as backing from 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke, who also resides in Portrush. The inspiration behind the plans for The Dunluce Lodge is to replicate the original house on the site and sympathetically blend into the landscape. The Dunluce Lodge comes on the heels of one of Valor Hospitality’s most recent management agreements, the renowned Scores Hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland further expanding the brand’s global portfolio.

This development will be the first of its kind in the north coast region of Northern Ireland, with no other fivestar hotel existing within a 60-mile radius. The five-star status for the area has been a need for many years, with Tourism NI, Causeway Coast and Glens Council all welcoming this investment to the region.

The idea for The Dunluce Lodge was devised by the U.S. owners, Jonathan Harper and Robert Covington who established investors for the project through the Links Capital Collection. As true lovers of links golf, they visited the area many times and loved the spectacular links golf

along the North Coast. They realised there was a gap in the market which they could fulfil, serving international travelers, golfers and locals alike.

The Dunluce Lodge will bring significant economic benefit to Portrush and wider areas across Northern Ireland. The owners and management share their excitement to work and engage with the local community, with an emphasis to recruit a team of local professionals for the project and on completion, approximately 80 people will be employed.

With more than 80 hotels in the Valor international portfolio, the company brings a wealth of global experience to the project and will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the property. Food and beverage will be at the core of excellence the property offers and given the uniqueness, style and vision for the hotel is without compromise, Valor will engage the services of its partner and UK head of culinary - renowned Scottish chef, Roy Brett, owner and operator of the multi-award winning Ondine Oyster and Grill restaurant in Edinburgh. Roy will be instrumental in assisting in the design and development of the restaurant, whilst sourcing a well-known Irish head chef to take charge in creating a first-class dining experience for residents and locals to enjoy.

Euan McGlashan, CEO of Valor Hospitality has also announced the recent appointment of Wilma Erskine, OBE, BEM, former manager of Royal Portrush Golf Club for some 35 years, as the brand ambassador for the company. Wilma’s knowledge of the golf and hospitality industry is a perfect fit for Valor, as this will be the first project for the company in Northern Ireland. Wilma is well known in golfing circles, both in the UK and USA, and has a great commitment and enthusiasm to see the legacy of the 148th Open being achieved on the North Coast.

Brian McCarthy, managing director of UK and Europe at Valor Hospitality, said: “We’re very excited about our plans for The Dunluce Lodge, not only for what it means for Valor’s growth, but also the opportunities it will bring to The Royal Portrush Golf Club and local area. With its five-star status, this resort will attract visitors from all over, and with our experience in managing luxury resorts around the globe, including golf projects in South Africa and in the U.S., we are more than ready to apply our expertise to our first development in Northern Ireland.

“In 2021, Valor’s UK portfolio doubled in size, marking a real stake in the ground for our growth ambitions going forward. As we expand further, it’s particularly special to be working on a project such as this, where we have been involved since its inception and we’re looking forward to seeing the development progress.”

The appointed architects at The Dunluce Lodge are Maxwell and Company, Inverness, who are specialists in designing luxury resorts, castles and hotels such as the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, Glenborrodale Castle and Inverlochy Castle Hotel, with the lead architect being James Maxwell.

Sustainability is at the heart of this project, and a key feature of the Valor brand. The project has been designed to meet building regulations that achieve the government’s nearly zero energy performance target. A decentralised energy supply system based on energy from renewable sources will also be employed for the spa, and the landscape design principles are based on the creation of improved biodiversity and regeneration.

For more information visit: www.valorhospitality.com.

Adactus launches new customer service suite for independent hospitality, leisure and small business owners to drive lifelong customer relationships

Adactus, which has 20 years transforming some of the biggest names in hospitality from TGI Fridays, Pizza Hut Restaurants to the Pride of Britain Hotels, has developed a new suite of customer service solutions for independent hospitality, leisure and small business owners to build personalised, connected customer experiences.

Recent reports show that over 80% of today’s customers will leave a company after just two or three bad experiences, with around the same number saying that the experience of a company is as important as the products and services they buy. Today’s customers are ever less tolerant of bad service and, if treated like a number, will have no hesitation than to take their business elsewhere.

“Whether you’re a restaurant, hotel, hairdressers or vets, the challenge for smaller or independent businesses is competing against the larger chains when it comes

to delivering a customised service that today’s customers expect”, said Scott Muncaster, Managing Director of Adactus. “From the point of booking to the after-sales service, customers want brands to interact, expecting a tailored experience that they’re in control of however, this often means significant IT investment and a variable monthly cost which can be out of reach for some.”

Now the technology specialist has adapted and developed its tried and tested software for smaller businesses, launching a range of configured, easy-to-use and implement products available on a fixed monthly fee – Adactus Orders, Adactus Reservations, and Adactus Intelligence.

Users can get a single view of their customer with Adactus Intelligence. A stand-alone product or used in conjunction with Adactus Reservations and Adactus Orders for a more powerful combination,

it tracks how customers are using brands through integration with all touchpoints, from website, social media, instore WiFi, to ordering and reservation systems. Intelligence flags an individual’s preferences and gives businesses the permission and insight to continue personalised and relevant customer conversations.

“We live in a customer-driven world”, continued Scott. “Our technology has and still supports the enterprise sector however our vision has always been to offer our products to smaller businesses to compete and grow. We offer an affordable and consistent monthly rate so users know where they are on costs, with no surprises while the software adds value to your service.

“Our reservation systems mean businesses can capture sales that might of otherwise been lost, whether that’s a customer that wants the certainty of pre-booking or to enable staff to add a customer to a waitlist. While our ordering system from order-at-table, delivery, collection or kiosk, means customers can manage the pace of their visit.

“Through every order or reservation businesses capture valuable customer intelligence, informing where, when, and how individuals like to interact with your business, their likes and dislikes, dietary requirements to their birthday, so you can keep tailoring your communications and add value to their experience. For example, a vegan customer wants to know when it’s a vegan day or, if you know your customer enjoys that glass of champagne on arrival you can be ready, leaving a positive, longlasting impression. Now businesses, no matter how large or small, have reliable and accurate technology to do this.”

To find out how we can help your business visit, www.adactus.co.uk or contact us on 0184 269090

Butlin’s brings in Code Computerlove to boost bookings

Butlin’s, the home of entertainment, is partnering with design-led transformation and technology company Code Computerlove to revamp its online customer experiences.

Code will help Butlin’s to improve the effectiveness of both its Butlins. com platform as well as its Butlin’s Big Weekenders site for adult breaks. Butlin’s is looking to migrate both sites onto a new content management system as well as call on Code’s expertise to introduce industry best practices for its booking engine based on user research and testing.

Joanna Montgomery, Head of Digital at Butlin’s, said: “With so much great awareness-building work going on – from our exciting new ATL campaign to PR and social activity – it’s essential that we’re

giving audiences the best experience of Butlin’s when they reach our websites.

“By creating the most effective booking process tailored to our audiences, we can capitalise on all of the new audiences we’re attracting and make the start of our guests’ break-booking journey as enjoyable as it is when they’re staying at one of our three UK resorts.

“Code’s approach and methods for finding value-driven solutions will enable us to identify and plan the best ways to articulate and realise our plans.

“The overall goal of this set of initiatives is to not only provide a positive brand experience of Butlin’s and our Butlin’s Big Weekender breaks but to add persuasion to

improve conversion through the booking funnel.”

Rob Jones, Managing Director of Code Computerlove, adds: “Working with Butlin’s is a fantastic opportunity for us to call on our experience within the leisure and hospitality sector to support the Butlin’s brand, and importantly get a deeper understanding of the specific motivations of their customers to take them from browsing to booking.

“We’ll be taking learnings from our insights to help Butlin’s develop digital services that drive a commercial return and contribute to the company’s vision. We’re looking forward to the fun we’ll have along the way too – it’s a fantastic brand to be working with that is all about making life more enjoyable!”

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