Technology: Going mobile
New hand-held terminal technology is set to bring the pub till to the table.
From home working and hot-desking to mobile phones and i-Pods, 21st century technology is creating a new culture of mobility in which people no longer have to stay in one place for pleasure or work. Fortunately, they still go to the pub to eat, drink and socialise. But there are ways in which mobile, wireless technology is beginning to have an impact on that experience and the operation of hospitality businesses.
Surprisingly, it is the relatively mundane introduction of Chip & PIN payment methods that is proving to be the catalyst for a breakthrough in EPoS (electronic point-of-sale) that could one day see fixed tills on the back-bar entirely replaced by hand-held terminals.
At least that's the view of Mark Keohane, product marketing manager at Fujitsu Services, which has recently been asked by a restaurant chain to supply just such a system.
"Chip & PIN was something of a eureka moment," he says. "It really forced the issue and stimulated new thinking about ways of bringing the till to the table."
With pubs selling more high-quality food, and several leading operators making table service a part of their offer, hand-held order terminals have already started to become a feature in food-led outlets.
The cost has so far deterred many pubs from following suit. But Mark believes that if these devices can do much more than take orders - in fact, become mobile tills in their own right - that objection will be overcome.
Fujitsu's new B-Pad, a wireless mobile computer that can take orders and payment, print receipts, manage stock and double as a mobile phone, is attracting "enormous interest" he says.
"It would be very expensive if you were just using it to take orders but the extra functions make it more affordable and the price stacks up against fixed-terminal tills. The B-Pad can do everything a till can do and in trials it has produced definite improvements in customer service and reduced the time people wait to be served by up to 25 per cent.
"I think there is a strong possibility that outlets will go mobile. It means you can get staff out on the floor, serving customers and up-selling through prompts on their hand-helds. It opens the door on a new customer experience."
Fujitsu is also looking at ways of introducing mobile tablet PCs which will enable diners to order their own food at the table.
"Self-checkouts at supermarkets are going like a train and people are already familiar with controlling transactions themselves," Mark says.
"These tablets are, in effect, pocket computers with a desktop-sized screen. They are wireless, battery-powered and spill-proof. They could be effective where labour costs and staff turnover are high or where quicker service is needed for lunchtime trade."
And that's just scratching the surface of what might be coming. "All the technology is there," he says. "It's about getting the application right and bringing the benefits."
Sharp takes flexible approach
Sharp is claiming the most user-friendly EPoS touch-screen terminal yet in its new UP-X300, a flexible all-in-one solution that can be used as a stand-alone unit or as part of a network and specially designed for pubs, bars and restaurants.
"The hospitality industry has very specific requirements and many new features have been incorporated alongside table management, split bills, time-sensitive promotions and cooking to customer-specific tastes," says Shaun Wilkinson, general manager of Sharp's EPoS division.
Software features include on-screen table arrangements with table alert and automatic table search functions and drag-and-drop bill separation. Downloadable bitmaps enable words to be replaced with iconic images for instant recognition of drinks and dishes.
Promotions can be activated over defined periods and managers can track and report on all staff front-of-house actions.
Cost issue addressed by XN
To many tenants, lessees and freehouse owners, using EPoS hardware and software is seen as a costly option that delivers little benefit to them and is more suited to large managed house chains.
However, a solution introduced by leading hospitality technology provider XN Checkout shows that EPoS can be delivered cost effectively into the independent pub sector and play a key role helping publicans improve the operational efficiency of their businesses.
Many of the company's systems were originally developed for managed house groups and the company has now adapted the technology for use in independent outlets.
The delivery of a solution for the individual licensee had to address a number of issues aside from cost. Reliability and support in the event of breakdowns are both key considerations for independent publicans who, unlike managers, cannot fall back on a head office support desk infrastructure.
To address the cost issue, XN has established a rental scheme that covers both hardware and software and at a stroke eliminates the single greatest barrier to EPoS adoption for tenants and lessees - namely capital outlay.
"When we set about developing a product for the independent sector we wanted to ensure we could offer full functionality but at a price that would encourage adoption of the solution and overcome barriers to resistance," says XN Checkout chief technology officer Ed Dayan.
"Importantly, we decided we wanted weekly rental to cover hardware and software as well as all installation, training and support and we wanted to offer a comprehensive standard package as well as a series of options. We came up with a solution that enables licensees to run a system for less than £20 per terminal per week."
The solution offers a full range of front-of-house and back-office functions. As well as rugged, colour touchscreen terminals it allows licensees to access a national hospitality database which enables them to upload product data to their terminals eliminating the need to re-key data and saving time.
It also provides comprehensive business reporting that tracks staff performance and enables the pub to create a variety of promotions, while another module generates purchase orders without the need to stock count.
Options also include Chip & PIN compatibility through to kitchen printing for food orders and stock and line checks.
And for operators with more than one site, group reporting allows them to keep tabs on performance across all their outlets.
"This solution brings big business benefits to small independent operators," says Ed. "Many licensees have not enjoyed the type of support they need to really optimise their businesses. We are working to change this."
EPoS performance boost
Punch lessee Paul Shelton is already proving that independent licensees can benefit from EPoS after installing two XN Checkout terminals at the Dog at Whittington, Staffordshire.
Before that, he used a till that required regular reprogramming whenever there were price and product changes and since moving to EPoS he has seen a significant improvement in overall business performance and major time savings.
"I was sceptical about EPoS from a cost perspective as well as whether it would be relevant for my business but now I've got it I'm absolutely converted," he says. "It saves time and allows us to work much more efficiently, and the business reporting modules enable me to pin-point potential issues before they become real problems.
"As a pub with a strong food offering, we price up our daily fresh food easily and it also allows us to present itemised bills to customers."
