Whitbread unifies card payment system

Whitbread will aim to maximise saving via the consolidated system

Hospitality group Whitbread hopes to save more than £1m a year with the implementation of a consolidated card payment system across its businesses.

The unified platform will aim to simplify transaction processes at the group’s businesses Costa Coffee, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Premier Inn.

The software will allow staff to access bills, take card payments, enter gratuities, split payments, print full VAT receipts and close bills, all by the customer’s side

A phased roll out started in November, with the introduction of automatic data exchange between PIN pads and tills at Costa Coffee. Beefeater and Brewers Fayre will complete their system implementation this month, followed by Premier Inn hotels later this year.

“With the new system, we are no longer liable for fraudulent payments and have also benefited from an improvement in transaction rates as a result of the shift to chip-and-PIN,” said Whitbread’s project manager Stephen Deakin.

“The platform provides Whitbread with complete transaction visibility which it did not have – now the business can track individual transactions and understand customer spending behaviours to improve targeted marketing initiatives,” he said.

“By enabling card payments to integrate with all point-of-sale systems, data duplication and manual error have been removed while delivering quicker payments, enhancing the atmosphere for both staff and customers. And centralisation of the payment infrastructure provides Whitbread greater visibility of the business as a whole through a centralised reporting structure.”

Suppliers Smart Technology Solutions (STS), Fidelity National Information Services, IBM and VeriFone are providing the integrated system to Whitbread.