Competition is tough in the hospitality sector, and nowhere as much as in quick-service and casual dining. From global chains to single-store operators, the cornucopia of choice offered to Irish diners is nothing short of astonishing, truly a dizzying array of options.
Also, a front for competition, though one less-visible to diners, is the technology backing the sector up.
Captiva POS, an Irish firm that offers an integrated suite of cloud-based tools including point of sale (POS), prep stations, driver stations, enterprise back office, integrated card payments, SMS and marketing tools, and more, is the current market leader with restaurants from Belfast to Cork choosing Captiva systems, to manage, develop and promote their business.
New entrants into the market, principally from the US, do not scare Captiva POS, said Ed Carty, chief executive and co-founder, as the company is confident that its offering cannot be matched.
“We welcome it. What’s important to know is that Captiva POS has set costs, we don’t charge commission, unlike the competitors,” he said.
Captiva charges a flat fee, starting at €65 per month for a single POS terminal and, crucially, does not take a percentage of turnover.
“We offer real value to restaurant owners, not only through our flat pricing structure but also through the value our technology offers, driving repeat business and increased average orders,” Carty said.
This is in stark contrast with typical POS operators, which typically charge between two and three per cent for in-person transactions – a figure that soon adds up to a sizeable chunk of revenue.
Restaurants need help, so anything that either increases the order value, helps to drive repeat business, or reduces the workload, can only be a good thing
Captiva also differentiates itself with its range of offerings, all designed to make life easier for restaurant owners and staff, as well as to encourage customers to choose what they really want. As a result, orders can be processed – whether they are taken at the counter, on an in-store touchscreen kiosk Captiva can supply, or on a mobile phone via a QR code and app; again developed and supported by Captiva.
“We’ve focused on our all-in-one platform, meaning restaurants can get orders in from all devices, including kiosks, in-store POS, handheld devices, QR codes read by smartphones, everything. It’s smooth, frictionless ordering, including the ability to offer meal deals,” he said.
While kiosks are an increasingly common sight, some owner operators may wonder at their cost-benefit ratio. In fact, Carty said, they are very beneficial, as they reduce stress on the customer, thus allowing them to make their choice.
“The thing that some smaller restaurants may not understand about the kiosk is that, when using it, the customer has more time to put the order in. It’s not just upselling, it’s about taking your time and not feeling under pressure, so you can order what you really want,” he said.
For quick-service and casual dining establishments with seating, QR code-based ordering has a similar effect, notably because Captiva’s implementation – called Captiva Connect – takes diners to an interactive menu that allows ordering, not just a PDF of a menu.
“QR codes have an even stronger response. You scan it and you can browse the menu, choose what you want, and look at meal deal offers. Sometimes we’re seeing double value on orders made via QR code,” Carty said.
One recent application is with Irish Ferries, which has added Captiva’s QR code ordering to boats, on several routes.
“Additionally, we integrate with outsourced delivery services, offering innovation in our tech solutions,” he said.
In today’s economic environment with concern about interest rates, inflation, and Vat, Carty said, any advantage a restaurant can get is a big help.
“Let’s face it, the restaurants need help, so anything that either increases the order value, helps to drive repeat business, or reduces the workload, can only be a good thing,” he said.
With Captiva’s cloud-based software, orders, regardless of how they are made, are all processed in the same way, immediately on going into the kitchen and are recorded for accounting purposes, reducing both repetition and paperwork.
“There’s no printout that needs to be carried in, no double entry of order, it goes automatically to the kitchen,” Carty said.
This integration is a major selling point for Captiva, and it is backed up with a commitment to exceptional customer service and technical support.
“Most other systems, particularly online, claim to be easy to install. We know from 30 years’ experience in the business as POS leaders in Ireland, having a team of engineers on the road doing this job for the restaurants is much more valuable and makes it easier for restaurants.
“Our on-call team is available seven days a week to support our tech systems in restaurants, so owners have that trust and reliability with us. Every install comes with training for the restaurant teams.
“When we say we’re ‘on the ground’ with restaurants, we mean it,” he said.