25-06-08 Ambassador Theatre Group put Zonal on centre stage

The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has a complex business model that sees them combine ticket sales with food, drink, retail and pre-ordering via vouchers. It was essential for ATG to find a hospitality EPoS provider that had experience in all these areas to ensure that the tens of thousands of people visiting ATG’s ten theatres in London’s West End as well as the 13 regional theatres across the UK each week continued to receive the best of service at all times. ATG prides itself on providing premium service to its customers and demands the same of its suppliers.

After looking closely at a number of options, only Zonal had the quality of solution and breadth of experience to meet ATG’s requirements. Colin Chester, ATG’s Head of Retail Services understands the importance of EPoS and believes that “sales across our bars including merchandise are vital to the overall success of ATG and it is important that we have an EPoS system that assists our staff with the smooth running of their individual theatres (and cinemas) and also benefits the company overall.”

Latest technology

With Aztec, Zonal brought in the latest in EPoS technology to help Colin maximise ATG’s revenue earning potential. After installing Zonal’s Z509 terminals with integrated customer displays, Chip and PIN devices, cash drawers and receipt printers, Colin was able to dispel a few myths about the theatre industry, he said “there is a perception that the retail side of the theatre industry is outdated and we are proving that this is not the case.”

Stock control

Aztec offered ATG a number of key benefits over the various different incumbent solutions, most notably being stock control. Zonal’s stock control module, being one of the most powerful and well proven EPoS stock systems available, allows ATG to report on stock holding and usage down to individual recipe ingredients for the food side of the business, while maintatining more straightforward stocks for bar sales and retail. Colin concluded “All the sites purchase their stock on an individual basis and the Zonal EPoS allows them far better stock control than they have previously had. We are also able to record all sales from mobile staff, for example those selling ice cream and programmes as the amount of stock they are given is noted at the start of their shift and again at the end.”

Sales analysis and reporting

Aztec provides extensive reporting for both Site Managers and Head Office staff. This enables individual theatre managers to monitor trading and employee performance and take action more quickly if products and prices need to be adjusted or an employee needs additional training.
Colin added, “It also allows management at Head Office to see the overall picture of sales, for example what is and isn’t selling as well as stock levels across the sites. Before Zonal was introduced there was no capability for Head Office to see sales information. Now, however, we can view information immediately and also print off a wide variety of reports.”

Preordering for intervals

“There are unique challenges in running theatre bars, in as much as there is limited time in which to serve customers, and this is also the case on the food and merchandise side of the business.” One of the best ways to address this challenge is with a slick pre-ordering system.

ATG’s voucher system allows customers to pre-order drinks, ice cream and merchandise before the showing or even before they have even arrived at the theatre. Customers are issued with a voucher which they can then exchange for the relevant products. Colin is proud that “We are a forward thinking company and want to make going to one of our theatres (and cinemas) as an enjoyable experience as possible. The voucher system is a way of speeding up service for our customers and has proved very popular.”

“Each time a voucher is handed over, a staff member touches the voucher button on the EPoS terminal and it records the individual item that has been purchased.”

Colin also has other ideas about how to maximise ATG’s revenue earning potential – “we are keen to develop the corporate side of the business, whereby companies can hire out bars for conferences and meetings,” and the Bookings module that forms part of Zonal’s EPoS solution is more than capable of helping Colin achieve his goal.

Zonal’s solution has been a great fit for ATG, Colin believes that “Zonal has delivered what we wanted from them; a quality easy-to-use system that benefits the entire retail operation within ATG.” However, where bespoke enhancements were needed “Zonal has been happy to work closely with us and develop solutions to meet certain operational issues within ATG.”

Since the installations started ATG have also “been very impressed with the in-depth training for staff and the excellent levels of service and support.” Zonal has now installed its hardware and software at six of ATG’s flagship theatres, namely; the famous Donmar Warehouse in London’s Covent Garden; The Theatre Royal, Brighton; New Victoria Theatre, Woking; The Playhouse, in the West End and Milton Keynes Theatre. The remaining 17 sites will be rolled out in the coming months.