Tablets - Considerations For The Hospitality Industry Oracle

TABLETSConsiderations forthe Hospitality Industry

Most operatorsnot using tabletstoday expect thatto change verysoonHow to choose the righttablet - Considerationsfor the HospitalityIndustryMobility is everywhere. According to Statista, the overallnumber of mobile phone users reached 4.61 billion in 2016 andis expected to grow to 4.77 billion in 2017. Consumers haveembraced mobility in ways that we could never have assumedpossible 20 years ago. So, where consumers go, restaurateursand hospitality operators are following. Of the operators wesurveyed, 89% suggested there is a good chance they will usetablets in the future, and 39% are actively looking. Hospitalityoperators across the globe now find themselves lookingfor long-term mobile solutions that not only will serve themtoday, but will have the agility to adapt to tomorrow’s inevitablechanges.

So where do youbegin? How do youchoose a mobile devicethat’s right for you?There is a plethora of questions facing those embarking on ajourney to mobility, but among the most pressing facing thehospitality:Do I really need a rugged device?Should I just choose the consumer brand I useat home?To answer those questions, Oracle Hospitality commissioneda research study surveying U.S. and UK operators who areactively using mobility in hospitality. The objective: understandthe lessons they have learned from their experiences andcompile a list of considerations for the hospitality industry.We know that tablets and mobile POS clients improve speedof service and enhance the guest experience. We also knowmobile reporting delivers the capability to make immediatebusiness decisions with real-time analytics. But here are otherkey considerations when choosing the right device for yourenvironment.

How will you calculatereturn on investment?Return on investment can be difficult to measure, especiallywhen dealing with devices that generate benefits that aredifficult to calculate – for example, improving customerperception. But it is important to consider all benefits,including so-called “soft” ones. Many operators we surveyedsuggested they had initially discounted mobility and viewedthe investment as too great. But when they considered thevast array of use cases that mobile devices can support, manyrecognized mobility’s true value. Survey participants saidmobility’s benefits far exceeded their original expectations,with 68% experiencing faster service, and 43% recordingfewer guest complaints.68%experiencingfaster service

Faster servicetops the list ofbenefitsoperatorsexperience dueto handheldtablet useHaving decided to take the plunge, mobile operatorsmust consider a variety of factors for each device such as:How long will the device last in terms of lifecycle?How reliable is the device?On average, how many times will the device need tobe replaced due to breakage?Are additional devices required to supplement thosethat are charging?If a battery fails, can you just replace it – or must theentire device be replaced?What additional security and protection need to bepurchased to safeguard your devices?78%of operators said they purchasedadditional cases to furtherprotect their devices.

How will the devicebe used?One of the most important factors to consider before selectinga mobile device is understanding how it will be used now andin the future. Initially, operators may think they only want touse mobility for order taking. But our research shows that thevast majority of operators are using their devices for a varietyof business functions. Among the most popular: order entry,reservations and back-office management functions. Otheruses include customer marketing, customer entertainmentand employee training.We’re in arestaurantenvironment, sowe absolutelyneed a ruggeddeviceORDERSOperators must consider the device’s primary and secondaryroles and then base their selection on suitability and versatility.Consideration also should be given to hospitality venues’unique environments and the challenging conditions they oftenpresent, including dropped drinks, spilled soup and splatteredkitchen grease. Devices will take some abuse, and they mustbe rugged enough to endure them.

How easy is the deviceand the software it runsto use?Simplicity of use – of the device and its software– is critical. In fact, survey respondents said theyvalue ease of use above all else when selectinga mobile solution for their operations.siderConsider thescenarios yourservers will face:How easy are menusto navigate? Howoften will serversneed to return tothe central POS?Where will theystore their deviceswhen not in use?“In the future,it’ll probably be acombination of bothtablets and traditionalPOS systems. Thebar is an exampleyou probably needonly one commonPOS system, butthere will probablybe some conceptswhere you don’tneed them at all.”Full servicerestaurantOperators carehighly about ease of use when purchasing tablets.This applies to both hardware and software. Becauserestaurants tend to be fast-paced environments, itis important that people using tablets – whetherthey are staff members or customers – are ableto do what they need to do efficiently.

Does the mobile solutionwork with your existinginfrastructure?45% of respondents said using mobile devices had indeedreduced the number of traditional POS systems they had.An additional 35% said they would be reducing POS in thefuture due to mobile use. However, very few respondentssaid they would remove traditional POS entirely from theirestate.The vast majority felt that a mixed or hybrid estate wasthe best way forward. Such an outlook means operatorswill need mobile devices that work in tandem with theirexisting technology – and feature a similar look and feel toease training and reduce user confusion.“ As far as the tabletsthemselves, we neededsomething that wasuser friendly and wouldwork with our existingsystems.”Fast casual restaurant

Most operatorsexpect tablets toprovide usersHow long will thesolution need to last?four to five yearsof supportedoperation.On average, survey respondents expect their tablets tolast for 4.35 years, which may seem perfectly reasonable.However, operators need to recognize that not all tabletsare designed for that much usable life. Many tablets arebuilt primarily for consumer applications, for instance,the occasional use at home. They were never intended forcontinuous use, especially in harsh work environments.They weren’t meant to be dropped, knocked around orsplashed. When considering a device, it is important toevaluate its durability and ruggedness to ensure a 4-5 yearlife span. (Also, it is advisable to check whether supportand device “refreshes” are available throughout that timeframe.)

Tablet batteriesare expected tolast at least10 hoursHow much battery lifedoes the device need toprovide?On average, survey respondents said they expect thebattery of their mobile devices to last 12 hours. Suchbattery length is needed given the typical hospitalityshift stretches 8-10 hours, and managers need additionaltime to access the devices for back-office reporting andinventory. However, very few consumer mobile devicesin the market can provide such extended battery life,especially under continuous use. Key factors to considerfor battery operation:Does the device offer easy charging?Can batteries be swapped?Can such an exchange occur while the device remains“live” – or will the device need to be rebooted?Can additional batteries be purchased?

Additional considerations are how many devices will bein use and how many devices will be on chargers beingprepared for the next shift. Interchangeable batteriesprovide end users with an opportunity to reduce thenumber of devices and potential software licenses orimages.

Document and measureyour perceivedchallengesMany operators put off large scale projects such as mobilityfor fear of the possible challenges and risks associated.However, of the tablet users we spoke to only 19respondents had stopped the use of tablets and themajority of those did so due to employee misuse. On theflip side one of the overriding results, which came from ourrecent survey, was the fact that the anticipated challengesthe operators identified before the project rarely came tofruition. In fact 26% of operators experience no challengesat all.

What works for homewon’t always workfor the businessOur research discovered a significant difference betweenrespondents’ brand affinity for personal use and for thehospitality environment. Many operators begin their searchexpecting to select a device they personally preferred andused at home, but quickly discovered that it wouldn’t besuitable for work for a myriad of reasons, including harshconditions and software incompatibility.Consumer brands also often lack the extended lifecyclerequired to support the additional test, pilot and deploytime frames that the operators required. A key takeawayfrom the research: Don’t begin your selection process withpreconceived ideas; devices for home use and devices forwork can be fundamentally different.

ConclusionUndertaking a mobility project that changes the way youinteract with your staff and your customers may seemdaunting, but the rewards make the endeavor worthwhile.In the current climate, increasing sales, improvingcustomer service and reducing complaints are all greatlyneeded – and mobility promises a path to achieve them.By properly researching options and solution partners,you can significantly mitigate risk and move confidentlyforward. Remember what operators highlighted as keytraits and features to seek in devices:Capability to perform in harsh environmentsChoose a device with and extended life cycle andsupport lifeExtended operational periodEase of useSeamless compatibility with POS softwareDurable designNets real business benefitsThe Oracle MICROS Table 720 combines the usabilityof traditional mobile devices with rugged featuresand extended battery life to meet the unique needs ofhospitality operators, bars, casinos, cruise lines, hotels,restaurants and stadiums.Long life cycle and extended support of 5 years and beyondmean the Oracle MICROS Tablet 720 aligns easily with timeframes involved in the pilot, test and rollout of a national –or even global – project. Such longevity enables operatorsto provide consistency across their operation as one devicetype and software version can be used across the estate.It also reduces training and familiarization for those whomove between sites. The hot swap capability significantlyreduces investment in two major ways: Operators needonly buy additional batteries, not additional devices, tocover for charging, and no extra licensing is required asa result.

Our portfolio ofhardwareand softwaresolutionsBetter Togetheroptimizesperformance– while reducingIT cost andcomplexity.Oracle Hospitality delivers cloud technology systems to foodand beverage and hotel enterprises, enhancing managementand operations to elevate the guest experience. Our portfolioof hardware and software solutions optimizes performance– while reducing IT cost and complexity – for an array ofhospitality entities, including restaurants, hotels, bars, coffeeshops, stadiums and casinos.With its purpose-built hardware – engineered to workseamlessly with Oracle software for better performance,reliability and energy use – Oracle has pioneered hospitality ITinnovations for more than 35 years and become the industry’spreferred solutions provider. Our technology, including pointof sale, property management, loyalty, reporting, mobility,inventory management, labor management and lossprevention, is used in more than 200,000 locations across 180countries and facilitates 34 million transactions per day.