STADIA - MICROS Hospitality Management - July 2007
Peace of mind: Facilitating a worry-free environment for stadia through POS solutions. Stadia Magazine, July 2007
What keeps information technology management of large professional stadia up at night? What causes those who are responsible for ensuring successful concessions operations to toss and turn in their sleep? The root of their unrest often stems from worrisome “what if” thoughts related to technology within large eventdriven facilities. What if a major outage occurs; what if we experience extensive downtime; what if we’re not able to receive timely support? Fortunately, many have discovered the remedy to this “what if” syndrome: MICROS System Inc’s fully integrated Point of Sale (POS) solution – MICROS 9700 Hospitality and Retail Management System (HMS).
Built on years of experience in the large venue market, MICROS recognises the POS solution benefits that management valuethe most. A system that provides measures against downtime and helps to increase game day revenue is by far one of the fundamental advantages. Hardware resiliency, high availability, robust software, and 24/7 technical support contribute to this desired situation and are among the multiple features that MICROS has built into the 9700 HMS solution. In turn, these factors simplify job functions and offer stress-free operations. Delaware North Companies Inc, which manages concessions operations for some of the most well-known stadia in the world, has experienced peace of mind by employing the 9700 HMS.
Tailoring solutions
MICROS provides Delaware North flexibility in tailoring the solution to fit each stadium’s requirements. Together with MICROS 9700 HMS POS hardware options, key tools include suites management; centralised business intelligence and web-based reporting; perpetual inventory; sales and catering; and high-speed credit card with chip-andpin support on fixed and mobile devices. Running on MS SQL, Oracle and multiple Windows platforms, 9700 HMS is technology independent, plus its web-delivered and enterprise-enabled modules facilitate easeof- use and reduce total cost of ownership. Its high level of scalability streamlines the deployment of hundreds of terminals within a complex stadium environment. This was demonstrated when Delaware North selected MICROS to deploy more than 800 work-stations at Wembley National Stadium in London, England, the world’s largest installation of MICROS products to date. “We have gained a high sense of comfort in partnering with MICROS,” states Greg Lesperance, vicepresident of technology and business process solutions for Delaware North Companies. “MICROS’ multiple platform offerings and versatility fulfils our requirements and is a good fit for Delaware North.”
MICROS’ highly resilient hardware minimises Delaware North’s frequency of hardware failure. Delaware North’s need for durable POS hardware is built into all MICROS 9700 HMS hardware options; including the low maintenance Workstation 4 (WS4) POS appliance, the fully functional standalone PC Workstation 2010 (PCWS 2010) PC, weatherresistant Keyboard Workstation 4 (KBWS4) terminal, and hand-held touch-screen Mobil MICROS terminal. Each hardware device is spill resistant and modular, with an array of connection options and multiport design for numerous POS peripherals.
As the hardware resiliency of MICROS 9700 HMS reduces interruptions in operations, its ‘always on’ feature also helps Delaware North lessen costly downtime. Constructed on Microsoft .NET framework, the robust infrastructure allows Delaware North to concentrate on guest service versus having to contend with availability issues. System terminals are capable of running while disconnected from the POS network, enabling continued operations even during network disruption or outages. In addition, hand-held units provide mobile POS functionality, including signature capture and local printing from virtually any location in the stadium. The fewer disruptions in handling customer orders and processing transactions alleviate Delaware North’s concerns about lost revenue. “When we were evaluating technology providers, the primary deciding factor in selecting MICROS was the level of network redundancy built into MICROS 9700 HMS,” comments Lesperance. "Knowing that we would be able to continue operations in the event of an outage was highly valuable.”
Living in luxury
Suites management, centralised business intelligence and web-based reporting, and perpetual inventory are among the various solutions that help yield greater efficiency and accuracy for Delaware North. The Suites Management application (SM9700) permits luxury-box owners to place advance orders for food, beverage and retail items through a customised website, phone or fax. Upon capture of orders in the SM9700 system, the related data is used to generate production and distribution reporting, in addition to prep labels and order confirmations. Orders are then sent to the POS system on the event day, where individual guest checks are easily created for each suite or luxury box. The mymicros.net product, which manages overall food and beverage operations, provides centralised business intelligence and web-based reporting. The solution delivers near real-time, multiple-level reporting from summary sales and usage totals to transaction and check detail, plus reliable audit capabilities. Perpetual Inventory, a new back office tool via MICROS’ acquisition of TangentPOS, enables control of inventory at any given time.
MICROS provides 24-hour-a-day, 365- days-per-year support coverage to Delaware North via a toll-free 800 number and MICROS WebSupport interface. The MICROS Support Center is made up of industry and product specialists. Each MICROS support analyst understands the industry and has either come directly from within, or has received extensive training. This ensures Delaware North that not only will they deal with someone who understands the product, but also someone who understands the details of their business, and someone who understands the impact of some issues and the urgency in getting those issues resolved. In addition, MICROS prides itself on its extensive global service network that provides responsive on-site service and maintenance to large venue customers throughout the world. MICROS has a global sales and service distribution network with company-owned subsidiaries in over 40 countries and distributors in over 50 countries.
Security Issues
MICROS 9700 HMS also aids Delaware North in addressing one of the industry’s hottest topics: security. It is one of the few POS solutions certified by VISA’s Payment Application Best Practices, which stems from VISA USA’s Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP) and the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard. MICROS 9700 HMS not only offers access control, with operational, configuration and reporting privileges, it integrates with directory services and extends to the POS client with features designed to provide complete security, auditing and analysis of all workstation and user-based activities. Straightforward tools sort through auditing data, providing rapid analysis and capability to spot trends. MICROS 9700 HMS also features video surveillance capabilities that supply playback of digital video from within the auditing tools. These modules all work together to help Delaware North tackle today’s meticulous security requirements. “We don’t have to worry about regulatory compliance because we know MICROS will proactively address PCI upgrades in a timely manner,” states Lesperance.
“Above and beyond the many benefits that MICROS 9700 HMS offers Delaware North, MICROS has worked to establish invaluable confidence and trust with our organisation,” adds Lesperance. “We are extremely pleased with the service they have provided and look forward to further developing our partnership in the future.”
MICROS understands that today’s stadium operators require robust, scalable hospitality management solutions that encompass all areas of large venue operations. “MICROS’ solutions not only provide security and high availability, but also provide companies like Delaware North the ability to deliver high-quality products and services without worrying about systems availability or outages,” states Geoff Murtaugh, director of large venue solutions at MICROS Systems Inc. “We are able to consistently provide that peace of mind throughout the venue.”
For more information on MICROS enterprise EPOS technology or to get a quote for any of the MICROS-Fidelio technology solutions for the pub industry, contact us on +44 (0) 1753 536 969 or email mfuksales@micros.com
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