Mobile and tableside electronic-point-of-sale (EPoS) are emerging as leading technologies for customer engagement within the hospitality sector.
How to serve guests that live a digital lifestyle is top of the agenda for restaurant and hotel businesses and as a result the industry is seeing aggressive installation plans in place for mobile payment, tableside payment and tableside ordering.
Key findings of a Customer Engagement Technology (CET) Study by Hospitality Technology magazine show that the number of restaurants with mobile EPoS facilities is about to go through the roof with 68% of respondents planning to accept mobile payments in 2015, more than four times the current figure. Fast food restaurants currently lead the mobile payment adoption rates with all other restaurant types expected to follow soon. Tableside EPoS for ordering and payments are also both expected to triple to 42% and 44% respectively by 2015.
Meanwhile hotels are seeing similar EPoS technology scenarios with the biggest growth area being the use of mobile tablet devices for check-in/ check-out. By 2015 the adoption of this technology is expected to quadruple to reach 64%.
According to Hospitality Technology magazine: “Mobile is at the heart of every restaurant’s CET strategy and is playing a vital role in how guests engage with their favourite restaurants. Customers want to be empowered, and mobile is their vehicle of choice because it offers convenience, connectivity, and easy access to information to assist with purchase decisions”.
Supporting this claim, Dan Brown owner of EPOS.CO.UK a specialist in electronic-point-of-sale technology for retail and hospitality said: “We’re currently experiencing a surge of interest in both mobile and table-top technology from businesses looking for a cost effective and smart way to serve their customers”.
The advantages of mobile and tableside EPoS reach both the customer and business. For the customer they include a faster and more personalised service, and also more control over their order and payment. In return these deliver increased loyalty, turnover and sales, as well as competitive advantage to the business owner. The mobile nature of this type of EPoS is also particularly attractive to businesses in terms of its flexible usage and cheaper running costs in comparison to the more static and traditional EPoS.
The latest hospitality companies to invest in mobile and tableside EPoS include restaurant chain YO! that claimed to raise service efficiency and improve its payment process for customers through a mobile payment solution. Restaurant waiting staff can capture and track orders electronically, and also raise bills on the spot when requested by the customer. According to the mobile EPoS provider, Omnico: “This handheld device-based software puts full EPoS capabilities at staff’s fingertips. Order accuracy and efficiency have been boosted, the payment process transformed, and the YO! Sushi dining experience has gained a new service edge”.
Pizza Hut meanwhile is a trialling an interactive table that allows guests to build and order their pizza using a table-top touchscreen. After sending the order, customers can also play games at the interactive tables while they wait for their pizza.
For more information on EPoS visit www.epos.co.uk.