Hospitalitech Magazine - September Issue

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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

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.’’

What the future holds for the hospitality industry

And how your technology choices can help your business thrive during financial pressure and plummeting consumer confidence

Recent research suggests that the number of vacancies in the UK hospitality sector are close to 178,000, up by 56% on pre-pandemic numbers. Findings by CGA state that 79% of operators are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about the cost-ofliving crisis, and 83% are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about inflation.

Daniel Rodgers, Founder of order and pay platform, QikServe shares his predictions for the hospitality industry.

Restaurants across the globe are struggling to recruit staff to keep up with demand. This is adding cost pressures as they look to attract workers with higher wages and benefits. In fact, 51% of North American restaurant professionals say recruitment is their number one challenge. Staff are also being hit by the declining cash crisis, affecting their ability to supplement their income through gratuity. In addition to a staffing crisis, a costof-living crisis risks compounding the woes of restaurant operators.

It is becoming clear that the hospitality industry should brace

itself for a precarious 12–18-months as they battle competing market forces. As the demand from lock down dries up and consumer spending power declines, over 80% of UK operators say they will have to pass on increased food and drinks prices.

Now is the time for operators to put strategies into place to protect their revenue.

As these pressures continue, consumer behaviour is predicted to change as leisure spend decreases and the frequency of eating out declines or consumers move down

market. This is in response to the squeeze on discretionary spend from what will feel like a recession, although we may not end up in a technical recession around the world. Operators are urged to think about how they can deliver distinctive customer experience in consumers’ homes, as well as affordable, but memorable experiences for the fewer times they venture out.

Consumer-confidence is plummeting, and discretionary spending is significantly reducing due to increasing prices and skyrocketing inflation. According to PwC, discretionary income will fall 19.5%. This is underpinned by the cost of essential items rising by 49% and discretionary items rising by 41%.

One of the hospitality industry’s defining successes during the pandemic was the rise of technology, and business’ reliance on it for survival. Operators are now evaluating the technology choices made over the last couple of years and are taking the decision to ‘double down’ on the digital restaurant and commit to strengthening their technology strategy.

As research shows, consumers are retreating to their homes again and assessing their spending. Hospitality business owners must be able to provide a seamless ‘sofa experience’ to stay relevant and close to consumers. The home delivery market will continue to dominate, however, they face increased competition as operators adopt own brand whitelabel digital ordering platforms. Implementing such technology will provide higher margins and negate hefty commissions.

Key things to consider when adopting order and pay platforms are:

• Accessible digital journeys

• Technology that allows the operator to entice and engage with

loyal customers

• Easy payment

• Slick operational integration with POS and fulfilment technology

On-premise dining will encounter the greatest challenge in the industry as they’re facing a surfeit of cost rises including rent, food, fuel and staff. Sensitively weaving technology into the customer experience journey can help address costs, improve sales, and drive operational efficiency for merchants. Use of order and pay technology has become an essential part of the occasion. Where technology is placed at the heart of the experience, it can be exceptional. Innovative brands like Wahaca where the payment experience is fully integrated now see tech adoption at 95%. The solutions that can drive the biggest benefits are:

• Pay at table

• Open check ordering

• Self-service kiosks

• At-table order and pay

For example, Centre Parcs adopted QikServe’s technology over lockdown and achieved a weekon-week increase in spend and, across the 21 weeks that Center Parcs was open and using the QikServe technology in 2020, it welcomed more than 303,000 guest orders.

“There are many operational features available within the dashboard and, as we are becoming more acquainted with the solution, we are beginning to see the role these will play in enabling us to achieve our future goals.”

The time to take action is now and technology can play its part. Get in touch with QikServe to find out how you can offer safe, contactless experiences that forge greater loyalty and, vitally, boost revenue streams.

The Power of Personalisation

Introducing DTM Print’s invaluable label printing system for POS applications

According to the Oxford Dictionary “to personalise” means to “make (something) identifiable as belonging to a particular person.” However as simple as the description behind this concept may sound, the implementation is very diverse especially when it comes to product personalisation. The ever-growing desire for exclusivity through uniqueness is a market development that encompasses many industries including cosmetics, food, drinks and hospitality.

Probably the easiest way to make a product more special, more unique, is by personalising its label. Either by offering a selection of name variations, different colour and design templates, personalised messages or by including individual photos. The possibilities are almost endless. Nevertheless, you should decide carefully how much room for individuality you are willing to offer to customers without risking

that the label production turns into a money pit.

As a business, you can either offer personalised labels as an additional service through your website or you can decide to go for an on-demand printing solution, which allows customers to personalise a product with a label that contains a photo or individual text before having it printed live at the point-of-sale (POS) to take away. The main advantage of such POS live printing solutions is exactly that it doesn’t take days or even weeks until you receive the personalised product. You just wait a few moments and then can take it home. Same speed is required for hospitality applications such as entry tickets and wristbands, visitor badges or ID tags.

Since space in stores is limited and expensive the required space for such in-store solutions must be as small as possible. If this is the case, using live printing services at sales promotions such as road shows, festivals and concerts are also possible. In addition, the print

quality has to mirror the quality of the product and the solution itself must be as maintenance-free as possible. And you should keep in mind that only a minimum number of labels are produced at once. In fact, most times customers using your POS printing service will just print one or two labels for the product they would like to purchase. Same applies if you’re looking for a solution to print your entry tickets or badges right at the venue or event location.

First Step: The Printer

DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for specialty printing systems, offers a wide range of label printers for a fast and flexible on-demand personalised label production including the DTM CX86e Colour Tag Printer.

Meeting the requirement for a compact solution suitable to place at any POS the DTM CX86e is the logical choice with a footprint of just 20 x 38 cm and a height of 19.5 cm. This printer is the world’s smallest LED dry toner label printer and is therefore perfect to produce versatile and professional colour labels and tags directly at your POS. The DTM CX86e uses the latest digital LED technology. Meaning the produced labels are pin sharp, waterproof and UV-resistant.

Because of its small size and low weight (9.5 kg) the printer can be used almost anywhere and is easy to transport. If placed in your store, restaurant or hotel reception desk, you can print full-colour labels, ID tags with photos, entry tickets, visitor badges or wristbands, value-added receipts, price and promotion stickers, coupons and vouchers featuring special promotions or you can customise your product adding a personal message to a label directly in your store and on-demand.

Another aspect to keep in mind: a possible downtime of the printing hardware (e.g. during cartridge changes) should be as minimal as possible. Nothing is more frustrating for customers than having to wait for their individual label

longer than planned. Therefore, special attention was paid to a simple operation. All you need to do is change a toner cartridge that guarantees thousands of prints and the device is ready to use again in just a few seconds. This eliminates the need to stock individual toner cartridges, which saves money and simplifies inventory management. Further components of the printer such as drum unit, transfer belt and fuser have been designed for a long service life with more than 100,000 prints and can also be replaced in a few seconds. You also feed your dry toner approved labels and tags externally via roll, continuous feed paper in zigzag folding or single sheet. Operation should be intuitively, easy and fast not only for the customer when printing the personalised label but also for the staff maintaining the printer or replacing consumables without great effort.

Second Step: The Label Material

There is a vast variety of label materials available. The texture, feel, look and functionality should correspond with the purpose the label fulfils. Depending on the application the label for example has to be water- or UV-resistant, has to convey a natural and organic feel, has to be thicker (e.g. for name tags or tickets). Hence, choosing the right label material is supporting the message of your label.

To guarantee the best print results DTM Print recommends its Genuine DTM Dry Toner Label Stock. A wide range of approved matte, semigloss and high-gloss materials are available, allowing you to precisely match your substrate requirements. DTM Print has many standard sizes available and any material is available as custom made size.

The DTM CX86e is a powerful and cost-effective printer for POS applications that enables you to produce versatile and professional colour labels and tags that maximize advertising impact to attract the customers’ attention and to ensure higher sales.

More information about the DTM CX86e is available at: www.dtm-print.eu

Why you can’t ignore building data management in 2022

By Matthew Margetts, Smarter Technologies Group Director of Sales and Marketing

The world around us is becoming increasingly connected, which has only been further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Building owners and developers are reimagining and transforming their premises to create healthy indoor environments and adopt buildingcentric IoT offerings.

Building owners who understand emerging smart building technology trends and data management will be positioned at the forefront of innovation and be able to command higher valuations for their properties. The good news is that today’s sophisticated software uncovers opportunities and improves building performance for the long run, allowing building owners to reap the cost-saving benefits of analytics.

Imagine using smart management systems to continuously offer simple and meaningful information about what is happening inside a building. This data can be used to:

- Develop smarter maintenance protocols

- Increase efficiency

- Create a healthier building environment

- Lead to happier tenants

- Improve ESG tactics and reporting

- Work towards net zero goals

On the flip side, a building with no analytics in place leads to equipment breaking down, issues with temperature and air quality, costly downtime and massive inefficiencies. Without concrete data at your disposal, you don’t have the information you need to resolve these issues as quickly as possible (never mind detecting them in the first place). Simply put, if you’re not capitalising on data analytics in buildings in 2022, you’re not building or operating a truly smart building.

How to achieve a smart building through data analytics

Collecting the data is one thing, but its usefulness is only as good as its management and analysis. A robust system will simplify and analyse complex data patterns to conduct root-cause analysis,

identify, and monitor equipment and energy use. This allows building managers to optimise their operations and prioritise opportunities to reduce costs, enhance sustainability, and improve comfort.

A smart building comprises a system of connected sensors transmitting data via a secure network to intelligent data analytics software that offers helpful insights for automation, maintenance, and efficiency opportunities. An example is Smarter Technologies’ SmarterView building data management platform, which provides powerful, real-time insights that allow you to optimise your operations effectively. Here’s how:

1. Smart sensors and tags turn everyday objects into smart IoT devices

2. Data from tags is transmitted wirelessly and in real time

3. You can then command, control, monitor and manage your assets on SmarterView

This comprehensive asset management overview allows for

immediate action, automation and analysis. Through smart data analytics, buildings benefit from system-wide opportunities for building a healthier environment, developing efficiencies, and improving comfort levels for tenants—all while reducing overhead expenditure.

The benefits of smart data analytics

A building management system that includes smart data analytics offers numerous benefits for building owners:

- A system-wide, high-level data capture of your entire estate and operations

- Ensuring a healthier building environment through air quality control, security and HVAC monitoring and automations

- The ability to balance energy load, saving energy and energy consumption during low occupancy or off-peak periods

- Eliminating waste through intelligent sensor data

- Offering guidance for performance improvements for individual assets

- Addressing equipment maintenance as actual need dictates (as opposed to relying on fixed schedules)

- Advanced automation capabilities and actionable results that reduce manual tasks, eliminate errors, and improve efficiency

Building the bottom line

Using smart data analytics can result in significant cost savings. So, where do these savings come from? Some examples include:

Air quality and temperature data

Along with revealing valuable information for creating a healthier, more comfortable environment for tenants, monitoring temperature and air quality also presents a prime opportunity for energy and cost savings. For example, a HVAC system can control temperature according to occupancy, reducing energy wastage from empty rooms being cooled or heated.

Eliminating waste

Smart technology combined with data analytics can enable many forms of waste elimination. For example, sensors can be used to monitor building necessities such as office supplies and break room inventory, ensuring that these are only replenished when necessary. Building managers can also use the data to identify and get to the bottom of unusual usage patterns.

Transforming maintenance and repairs

Preventive maintenance is an essential aspect of efficient building management. But although manual routine maintenance is important, it’s not always truly necessary, and thus not always the most efficient use of time and resources. An alternative is to use smart data analytics to monitor and identify the need for maintenance before breakdowns happen. This extends the life of your important assets, prevents costly downtime, and also allows for more efficient maintenance procedures.

Energy load balancing in action

One of the most useful applications of building data management in the current climate is effective energy management. For example, smart data analytics enables

energy load balancing and phase readings that enable you to reroute power to a battery between units to balance your electricity consumption more efficiently.

IoT company Smarter Technologies used data analytics software to conduct an initial assessment of three client sites to show where costs can be recouped with proper energy management. All clients were experiencing wasted energy. One client, in particular, was wasting 46% of its total energy use in 24 hours, amounting to 34% of its annual profit.

By using the data to rebalance the load for these sites, Smarter Technologies was able to help clients unlock further opportunities, such as:

- EV charging stations utilising excess power that would otherwise go to waste

- Battery storage of excess energy, which can be used to offset higher energy costs down the line

- New/better equipment using recovered costs

- Improved maintenance work using recovered costs

The answer lies in analytics

Today’s cloud-based systems deliver detailed, real-time reporting on all aspects of network activity. This performance data is powerful. It can be used to improve efficiency, enhance the comfort of the occupants, reduce energy usage, reduce costs, and help organisations futurefit their operations. Data is a key commodity in any business; better visibility of business operations at any level has proved time and again to enable management to make better decisions.

Causing a stir at industry conferences

The events marking the future of hospitality tech

pre-pandemic, business traveller numbers are only now beginning to return - albeit chaotic and reduced.

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

Pent up demand is providing a riddle in travel, with airlines struggling to man flights, airports scrambling with luggage, and hotels balancing high occupancy rates with staff shortages. While demand from consumer travellers has bounced back stronger than

Despite teething problems in travel, there is plenty of positive buzz at industry events. Attendee numbers may be reduced - nearly 30% down on 2019 - but people are returning with enthusiasm and focused agendas. Q2 was a busy time for the industry as event organisers committed to their dates and hosted a myriad of shows.

Over the past few months, there has been a lot of activity and investment as people seek to (re) build their network, source the right partners, and identify the solutions to reboot business.

The adoption of mobile digital technologies during the pandemic has bolstered understanding

and necessity. A priority theme across most events has been how hospitality and travel can deliver digital experiences and hybrid services that are accessible to guests and staff.

Let’s look at the events that have taken place and what we learnt:

International Hotel Technology Forum (IHTF): the 121 hosted buyer event returned for the first time since 2019. Senior hotel leaders and the hospitality technology industry connected to discuss the latest challenges and innovation of technological advancement in the hospitality sector.

The event brought together hoteliers, management companies, OTAs, and solution providers to discuss the learnings and challenges of 2020-21, and how technology is transforming the

industry with a particular focus on guest experience and operational efficiency.

The big message from hotel groups was the need for deeper integration and connectivity within the hotel tech stack, with SIHOT and Worldline speaking of the importance of integrated frictionless omnichannel payment solutions.

Arabian Travel Market was one of the first international travel events to take place post-pandemic without social distancing requirements. This made it one of the liveliest editions ever and as a result elevated its position among influential trade events.

While Arabian Travel Market was largely designed to facilitate commerce for inbound and outbound tourism professionals, it was the perfect excuse for global service providers and technologies to meet customers and partners. As a result, numerous innovative travel technology providers gave food for thought, including Arvoia challenging the status quo of hotelretail to make a convincing case for AI.

HITEC is the largest and oldest hospitality technology conference, attracting the attention of the biggest technology companies, innovations and start-ups

alongside technology and digital executives working in hotels.

Its packed and dynamic programme delivered insight and education from top hospitality technology experts with a focus on hotel tech stacks and revenue drivers. This year, HITEC returned with a vengeance, with more firsttime exhibitors than ever before focusing on ancillary products, payments and human resources.

PhocusWright Europe explored innovative technology solutions in the market and those that are making a real impact across the industry. With an audience of senior travel industry professionals, the programme was a mix of networking, roundtables, and interactive breakouts.

The team at PhocusWright pulled together a diverse programme that covered a large cross-section of the industry, with specific focus on digitalisation, technology investment, and addressing the challenges the industry is facing. Yet it was a travel company, It’s July, that connects families on their travels to win Phocuswright Europe’s Innovation Launch Award.

TravelTech Show (formerly known as Travel Technology Europe) brought together global decision-making technology buyers to help them find new innovative technology

solutions for their travel business. This event was held in partnership with Business Travel Show and The Meetings Show and proved particularly beneficial to resort, corporate and conference hotels as a place to meet partners and discover the innovations across the sectors.

Upcoming Events for 2022

With so many events still to happen in 2022, it’s important to consider what your plans and strategic aims are, and prioritise those for attendance.

Some of the upcoming European based trade shows and industry events on our radar include:

- The Annual Hotel Conference, 34 October: ideal for investors and senior leaders of brands

- Independent Hotel Show, 4 - 5 October: specifically for independent and smaller brands

- WTM, 7 - 9 November: global travel exhibition for inbound and outbound market

- HOSPACE: 17 November, senior hotel executives and technology experts

Why not connect with me on LinkedIN and let me know what events you are attending.

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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