HOSPITALITY
19
MAKING HOSPITALITY IT PAY
N
early every media deadline is
getting good mileage out of the
current economic turmoil. But it is
perhaps in the travel, leisure and hospitality
sectors of the retailing industry where the
economic shockwaves are being felt most
keenly.
Holidays, eating out and going down the
local for a drink are the ½ rst things consumers
focus on when looking to tighten their belts.
So how can operators in these sectors still
ensure their share of such discretionary
spending for those that aren’t feeling the
crunch?
Seán Jackson, marketing director at
data migration and business intelligence
vendor, Kognitio told Retail Technology these
businesses would not ½ nd the answer in
targeting consumers with new services
or products, but in delving into their own
operations, cutting out unnecessary costs
and driving more pro½ ts out of their existing improve food gross margins by reducing “Waiting staff can now also search and
businesses. waste and shrinkage,” he added. select a table number using their Chip &
Jackson asked: “Have they looked at But one area that Matthew Roots, PIN handset and the PoS [point of sale] will
optimising their dining room capacity to marketing manager for payments specialist automatically send the correct bill details to
increase customer appeal? There’s no use Commidea felt would be worth new the handset, using Bluetooth, for payment, “
having a restaurant full of tables for four if investment was that of speedier payments. added Roots. “This reduces errors, speeds up
patrons want to dine in pairs.” “Providing a good service to customers is a the process and is much more likely to result
He also advised they look at stockholding, priority for the hospitality industry – especially in a happy customer who will come back for
work¾ ow in their kitchens and their when increasing footfall is essential to stay in more.”
front-of-house staff patterns to optimise business,” said Roots. Whatever strategies hoteliers, travel
customer service. And he questioned: “Is “Contactless payment is the latest operators and restauranteurs alike decide to
their management focusing on driving sales, development, as transactions under £10 can employ to maintain their share of consumer
maximising revenues and ensuring customers be paid for by a quick wave of a specially spending through these tough times, it will
are happy? Or are they too busy bailing enabled bank card. It provides comfort be those who not only harness the power of
out their staff and dealing with inef½ cient for customers who are short on cash and the data already within their systems to work
processes?” limits the number of people tapping in PIN smarter, as opposed to harder, that will be in
Evan Grossman, RedPrairie managing numbers for a £3 sandwich,” he continued. a position to also innovate.
director of retail productivity solutions
in Europe, Middle East and Africa took
up Jackson’s focus on the back of½ ce to
introduce ef½ ciencies and reduce waste.
WHITBREAD OUTSOURCES FINANCE
“Modern food back-of½ ce systems can help
Whitbread has announced it has signed a ½ ve-year contract with European IT services
improve gross margins by accurately tracking company, Steria to provide outsourced ½ nance and accounting (F&A) services.
waste versus shrinkage; by helping optimise The contract, which will go live in early 2009, will see Steria provide a comprehensive
inventory levels while reducing out of stocks;
F&A service, delivered 100% from its offshore locations.
and by providing accurate prep and thaw
Whitbread is the UK’s largest hotel and restaurant company, whose brands include
plans for pubs and restaurants,” he said.
Premier Inn, Beefeater, Table Table, Brewers Fayre, Taybarns and Costa Coffee.
To Grossman, such businesses were “stuck
While the contract is the ½ rst signi½ cant deal between the two parties for some years,
Steria and Whitbread worked together prior to Steria’s acquisition of Xansa in 2007 – the
between a rock and a hard place, having
1990’s saw Whitbread PLC outsource its IT function to Steria.
to contend with declining drink sales and
Andy Pellington, Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants ½ nance director, said “This signi½ es an
increasing costs”. “And the shift in business
important step in Whitbread PLC’s ongoing organisational review, ensuring we operate in
from drink to food has made it even more
the most ef½ cient and cost effective way.”
important to put systems in place that can
NOVEMBER 2008 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
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