Industry expert: Sports report
Rak Kalidas, commercial director for Levy UK + Ireland, on how it is using the latest tech to transform the fan experience...
When it comes to delivering the very best guest experience, you first need to understand your consumer. It’s about looking at each event through the lens of a fan’s perspective, then really getting under the skin of what they want and what can make their journey better.
Technology doesn’t only play a key role in improving the fan experience by providing essential data and insight. It is also a driving force in making event day operations seamless and stress-free for customers and staff alike.
Digital solutions
As we move forward, digital solutions will continue to make matchdays and gigs more convenient for fans. The pre-ordering of food and beverages via self-service order units is becoming the norm and interactive screens are tailored to suit each venue, event and consumer profile.
It’s important to be flexible and offer a range of self-service ordering; what is required in hospitality areas is not going to be suitable in high-traffic areas. We have seen great successes in stadia with self-service order units, improving the fan experience through speed of service and affording staff more time to focus on providing excellent customer service. This in turn maximises satisfaction and strengthen relationships with attendees in the long term.
The trend towards frictionless experiences
The next logical step in improving the customer journey is to move towards a truly frictionless experience. The frictionless approach combines the ethos of a range of convenience and safety-enhancing techniques – pre-ordering and collection, interactive screens and cashless payments – to deliver something truly seamless to the customer. As an industry-leader in leveraging innovative venue technologies, Levy UK+I and its partners continue to anticipate and meet the evolving requirements of customers.
The recent launch of Tap + Go at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium marks the European first-to-market frictionless customer experience for stadia. This innovation dramatically improves the speed of service and enables matchday fans to experience the future of food and drink purchases, without having to pay at a till, paving the way for a new class of guest experience across Levy UK+I-operated venues. Guests simply need to tap a payment card upon entry, pick up their items and walk out of the gates onto the concourse, where their card will be automatically charged.
Operated via anonymised shopper tracking that recognises the products being selected by customers, before adding them to a virtual basket, the system does not utilise facial recognition, ensuring complete anonymity for the customer. The installation of fully contactless payment terminals connected to digital barriers upon exit enables fans to make purchases in a fraction of the time and with far greater ease. Whether mobile stations or permanent fixtures, frictionless systems could operate just as easily in outdoor kiosks, general concourse areas or even hospitality areas, and have the potential to be a game-changer.
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