ePub: what's new?

A Europe-wide survey has shown that venues with wireless internet access can attract web surfers and build customer loyalty.

Research commissioned by Dublin-based Free-Hotspot.com revealed that 84 per cent were more willing to spend money in businesses with wi-fi and 96 per cent would return.

Half the 1,000 wi-fi users questioned had come to the location specifically for the service and the other half were regular customers.

"These statistics confirm existing market studies that show locations offering free wi-fi attract a broad and highly profitable client base", says Joe Brunoli of Free-Hotspot.com. "Creating a sense of loyalty in both new and existing customers cannot help but increase footfall and therefore sales."

www.free-hotspot.com ​

• Casio has enhanced its QT-6000 touchscreen point-of-sale terminal to give managers more control over staff, stock and customers, aiming to simplify opening and managing tables, splitting bills and issuing customer receipts.

The new system will also make it possible to issue customers with loyalty cards that can give them discounts.

When a member of staff logs on, the screen shows only the tables they have opened, colour coded according to whether they are free, occupied, billed or split billed.

Programming is also easier and the manager can change an item or price without technical support.

www.casio.co.uk​

• Audio management company GMS (Recordings) has created a software system that gives access to its library of more than 75,000 tracks to create a bespoke musical ambience for pubs and bars.

A monthly fee allows licensees to download and store up to 990 tracks a year, and music can be programmed to change throughout the day according to tempo, style, year and theme.

It can be instantly updated, allowing pubs to play the latest chart music or change the mood to suit the customers.

Advertising and announcements, such as special offers, health and safety messages and closing alerts, can be programmed into the system.

"It took five years for the managed music industry to change completely from tape to CD and I predict that the move to online will be even more rapid," says M4UO managing director Finlay McRae.

www.music4uonline.com​

• The POS Store is a new web-based system for tailored point-of-sale. It enables licensees to create professionally executed messages on PoS material, which is delivered in 24 hours, for a speedy reaction to changing market conditions.

www.theposstore.co.uk​

• Everards has become the latest brewer and pub operator to adopt K3's DrinkIT integrated IT solution following a nine-month review of its systems.

"We have been working towards an integrated software platform for some years now and K3's Microsoft Dynamics-based Drink-IT system will be the centrepiece of that platform," says Everards IT manager Ian Smith. "As we expand and evolve we need to keep pace with the increasing demand for high-quality systems, services and information and it is essential that we upgrade now."

www.k3btg.com​