See our connected technology in action
It can be hard to visualise all the different ways connected technology can improve both operations and guest experiences, so we thought we’d show you instead. Click below to explore our connected solutions through the eyes of your customers in our virtual pub, restaurant and hotel, and discover the benefits of integrated hospitality technology at every stage of the customer journey.
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Influence, loyalty and technology: Key guest trends from 2023
An in-depth end-of-year review of the key findings from our 2023 GO Technology consumer research series
Consumer expectations of the pubs, bars and restaurants they visit are ever-changing, and 2023 has proven to be no exception to the rule. This year, consumers have been quick to change their behaviours to match the tightening of budgets brought on by the cost-of-living crisis, and as more and more consumers become digital natives, the shift towards more digital-led touchpoints has continued to grow.
In this in-depth review of our 2023 consumer research series, we explore the three key themes identified from our surveys of 5,000 hospitality consumers; from the influential consumers who make the decisions on where to eat and drink, to when guests prefer digital touchpoints to human interaction during the customer journey, and how guest loyalty has changed as a result of the cost of living crisis.
Download this report to discover:
- 2023’s key hospitality consumer trends
- What factors most influence consumers’ decisions on when and where to go out to eat and drink
- What makes consumers loyal to a brand or venue
- How technology can help enhance the guest experience
Explore our 2023 consumer research in full
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Introducing North Brewing Company
First site, North Bar, opened in 1997
Acknowledged as the first craft beer bar in the UK
The brewery, North Brewing Company, opened in 2015
11 pubs and bars in the north of England and one in Treviso, Italy
“The reason we needed to look for a new technology solution was just due to the mounting challenges that our industry faces at the moment.”Head of Systems & Continuous Improvement, North Brewing Company
The business challenge
Faced with an existing system that was unreliable and failing to meet the requirements of their expanding business, as well as the mounting challenges caused by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, North Brewing Company sought out a new technology partner to help streamline operations across their collection of taprooms and bars.
The North Brewing team knew they needed an established, fit-for-purpose system that already met their requirements without needing to wait for additional functionality to be implemented. The team also wanted a system that would provide them with robust, accurate data that would enable them to quickly and effectively make decisions and respond to trends.
Amidst a difficult trading environment, the team also wanted greater control over their stock management, helping to both save their teams time, as well as reduce costs and protect their GPs at each site.
Dedicated support was also key for the team at North Brewing, with their incumbent system frequently experiencing crashes and no available support to help, leading to trading downtime and sub-optimal experiences for their customers.
“If there are any operators out there that think they might not be big enough to switch to Zonal, I would say don’t be put off by the big names. Our experience was that Zonal tailored a package that was built just for us, was really specific to us, and was designed around our needs and our drive for great hospitality.”Head of Systems & Continuous Improvement, North Brewing Company
The solution
Aware of Zonal’s pedigree in the sector, the North Brewing team worked closely with the Zonal team to put together a package of connected solutions that would elevate their operations and deliver outstanding guest experiences across the business. Zonal’s extensive experience with multi-site estate rollouts meant that upgrading their system was a smooth process, with our dedicated onboarding teams supporting every step of the way, including on-site support on go-live day, resulting in minimal disruption to trading and a smooth transition for staff. The North Brewing team also benefit from unlimited ongoing access to Zonal’s industry-leading, UK-based support, meaning our team are always on hand to keep their sites up and running when needed.
By implementing a range of fully-integrated Zonal solutions, the team have also been able to streamline their operational processes and the way they serve their guests. Zonal’s handheld iServe ordering devices enable North Brewing’s teams to easily take guests’ orders at the tableside and send them through to the bar without the need for any re-keying; and their inventory management has been transformed with more efficient and accurate stock control facilitated by Zonal’s Mobile Stocks solution – providing significant time savings, as well as cutting down on paper usage.
Zonal’s ecosystem of technology also provides the team with centralised, real-time data and reporting, enabling North Brewing to quickly and easily analyse trends from across the business, resulting in more informed decision making to help drive the business forwards.
Since implementing Zonal’s technology across their estate, North Brewing have benefitted from:
- An established, fit-for-purpose enterprise EPoS solution, enabling greater control at both head office and site level
- Robust, feature-rich stock management solution included as standard – no extra costs or hidden functionality
- Handheld ordering devices for staff with no re-keying required, speeding up service times and reducing mistakes
- Mobile Stock management solution, fully integrated with the EPoS stock solution, eliminating the need for printed count sheets and manual count entries
- Centralised, real-time reporting, enabling North Brewing to better track and act upon trends from across the business
- Full integrations to Airship & Toggle, enabling them to track customer loyalty and drive additional revenue
“The customer support from Zonal has been fantastic, not only did we have everyone on-hand on the day, but after the installations we’ve been able to get in touch with people from head office. The helpline is so useful.”Stacey Godward, General Manager: North Taproom – Sovereign Street, North Brewing Company
Results
Featured solutions
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Assessment 3:
Speeding up service
Zonal’s Speeding Up Service self-assessment
Answer a few short questions to identify whether your tech helps you deliver the consistently high levels of service that your customers expect. At the end you’ll get personalised guidance to help you turn more tables and generate maximum yield.
Take our other self-assessments to see if you score just as well across other key areas.
1: Reducing administration tasks
Find out if your tech helps you remove manual tasks that sap time and resources, and enables you to improve speed and…
2: Driving revenue
Let’s focus on your bottom line, and examine how your tech helps you to drive additional revenue. In this quick but…
Assessment 1:
Reducing administration tasks
Zonal’s Reducing Administration Tasks self-assessment
Answer a few short questions to identify whether your hospitality tech helps you combat any admin time-sinks or manual tasks that could be automated. At the end you’ll get personalised guidance to help you maximise your staffing resources and remove the manual grind.
Take our other self-assessments to see if you score just as well across other key areas.
2: Driving revenue
Let’s focus on your bottom line, and examine how your tech helps you to drive additional revenue. In this quick but…
3: Speeding up service
Fast service is a key factor in improving the customer experience and turning more tables. Our third 5-minute…
Join us for another series of podcasts exploring every aspect of running a pub to help you grow your business and, ultimately, boost the bottom line, featuring some of 2023’s best pub operators! Fill your ears with advice, tips and ideas from some of the best pub operators in the business with this podcast series for publicans from Zonal and the British Institute of Innkeeping.
Missed our 2022 series? Dive into the entire podcast series now!
Episode 6 - Joe Buckley and Flo Pearce, The Tollemache Arms
In the first episode of our Pioneering Pub People 2023 podcast series in partnership with the BII, we sit down with this year’s BII Licensee of the Year champions – Joe and Flo from The Tollemache Arms – to talk about all things Tolly. From Tolly Fest and running effective pub marketing campaigns, to sharing their experience entering the BII Licensee of the Year Award for a second year running, discover what makes The Tolly the hub of the local community.
Episode 7 - Michelle Gilmour, The Old Windmill
In the second episode of our Pioneering Pub People 2023 podcast series in partnership with the BII, Molly is joined by 2023 Licensee of the Year Award finalist Michelle Gilmour of The Old Windmill in Coventry to talk about how she got started in the industry, what keeps people coming back to The Old Windmill, her approach to managing staff, and the challenge of keeping hungry customers in-venue whilst still remaining a wet-led pub.
Episode 8 - Ollie Coulombeau, The Turk's Head
In this episode of the Pioneering Pub People Podcast, Molly is joined by Licensee of the Year Award 2023 finalist Ollie Coulombeau of The Turk’s Head in Twickenham to talk through what makes his pub such a success! From the differences in managing different customer-bases between locals and visitors for Twickenham Rugby, to his career in hospitality, developing his team and what’s in store for the coming years!
Episode 9 - Keris De Villiers, The Pig & Whistle
In this episode of the Pioneering Pub People Podcast, we’re joined by Licensee of the Year Award 2023 Finalist Keris De Villiers to explore what makes her pubs so great – from sustainability, to putting together, managing and developing a great team, and sponsoring local sports teams!
Zonal has a wide range of technology solutions designed to make life easier and businesses more profitable. Find out more about our range designed specifically with pub tenants and licensees in mind, here!
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
Subscribe to get the latest news, product announcements and industry updates
People vs Tech: What guests want in 2023
Exclusive research into hospitality consumer attitudes towards technology as part of the overall guest experience
The role of technology in hospitality is evolving – not only are guests used to seeing technology in-venue, they now expect it to be present. But the importance of human connection for which the hospitality industry is known and loved so well, is not to be underestimated.
Produced in partnership with CGA by NielsenIQ, we asked 5,000 UK hospitality consumers to find out their views on technology in hospitality.
With 55% of those surveyed believing that a balance between technology and a human touch delivers the best hospitality experiences, ensuring you’re meeting the expectations of ever-increasingly digitally-savvy guests, will be key for success now, and in the future.
What's in the report?
- When guests prefer to use technology versus interacting with staff
- How guest preferences change at different stages of the customer journey
- Average spend by tech natives versus those who prefer a human touch
- How attitudes to tech may develop over time
