We are pleased to offer our Zonal Hotel Solutions customers a brand-new digital newspaper and magazine service to enhance their guest experience.

Create a bespoke publication package for your hotel, tailored to the unique demands of your guests and your budget. Offer your guests newspapers and magazines from all over the world, audiobooks, games, podcasts, videos and more, to access either on their own devices or on hotel-owned systems, through your WiFi network.

The new cloud-based system allows users to read content in real-time or download for later, from publications tailored to their interests and demographics, with no impact on your bandwidth.

What’s more, the service allows you to incorporate your own content, to engage guests whilst they are at their most receptive. Include menus, wine lists, health & safety resources, maps and other information on the platform for guests to access during their stay. Hotels also have the opportunity to upsell events, special packages, spa treatments, weddings, F&B deals and more through tailored adverts.

The system is fully customisable, enabling hotels to include their own branding and appearance for a slick customer experience.

With easily accessible support and a full reporting suite, the platform is easy to launch and simple to use while keeping you on top of what interests your customer base.

Stand out against the competition and offer your guests the opportunity to access hundreds of brilliant titles. For more information about this exciting new service contact us.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new cost-effective and user-friendly platform designed to revolutionise how businesses manage their delivery service providers.

Zonal Delivery offers seamless integration into the three major online -delivery service providers, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat and simplifies multi-channel and multi-unit menu management. This enables operators to enhance their delivery services efficiently, with key features including:

• Direct Order Integration: Receive third-party orders directly into your Zonal EPoS or kitchen management system via ticket printing.
• Centralised Management: Manage items, menus, and modifiers all from one dashboard, and easily increase prices across multiple channels simultaneously.
• Dynamic Prep Time Management: Edit prep times and prioritise orders to ensure timely service.
• Comprehensive Reporting: Access detailed reporting capabilities for informed decision-making.

Zonal Delivery is designed for businesses of any size, enabling operators to manage single or multiple locations and delivery service providers effortlessly from one interface. The platform allows for instant publication of changes to menus and pricing with just one click, streamlining operations and enhancing service quality while improving the bottom line.

Commenting on the launch, Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, “With the launch of Zonal Delivery, we are giving our customers the opportunity to capitalise on this growing market and enhance their delivery operations, increase efficiency in their hospitality venues and drive profits through delivery channels.

“We are committed to helping our customers thrive in a competitive landscape by providing them with the technology they need to succeed.”

Jonny Findlay, Commercial Manager at Hub Box said, “I would definitely recommend Zonal Delivery to other operators, the direct integration into our EPoS has made receiving orders much easier. We can manage this depending on the demand in the kitchen meaning an improved customer experience and reduced pressures on our staff.”

We are excited to share that Zonal has topped not one, but two categories at the Restaurant Readers’ Choice Award winning both the EPoS and Technology categories.

Restaurant Readers’ Choice Awards are a result of an extensive survey sent to their restaurateur audience, asking them to vote for their favourite suppliers to the trade. The winners are the companies which their readers believe offer the best customer service, reliability, offer the best product range and go the extra mile.

Zonal was recognised for its EPoS system and wider technology suite, which are used in over 17,000 hospitality businesses.

Zonal’s CEO, Stuart McLean said: “It’s fantastic to receive this vote of public approval. The recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering reliable and effective solutions that meet the needs of our customers. This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Zonal team, their focus on providing exceptional customer service and maintaining high standards has been essential to our success.’

To celebrate 10 years of GO Technology insight, Zonal and CGA take a look back at how tech has shaped the industry over the past decade.

Back in 2014, when David Cameron was Prime Minister, the biggest tech launches of the year were Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s ill-fated glasses. The Apple Watch hadn’t been launched, Apple Pay didn’t exist, and Kim Kardashian married Kanye West.

It was also the year that Zonal entered into a long term partnership with CGA by NIQ, via the launch of the first ever GO Technology report. In the 10 years since, the reports have tracked the adoption of tech solutions in hospitality by consumers and businesses alike.

A decade on, here are the top ways that innovation has reshaped our sector.

Booking and payments

Ten years ago, over half (58%) of consumers said they preferred to make table bookings by telephone. Fast forward nearly a decade, only a fifth (20%) of consumers cite this as their preferred booking method, with nearly half (45%) now wanting to book online. As for using AI tools to book – we didn’t know what that was back in 2014.

Consumer preferences when it comes to paying for food in bars or restaurants have also seen a significant shift. In 2014, GO Technology revealed that only 6% of consumers used digital payment methods for their orders. By 2024, this had increased to 43%, resulting from the rapid adoption of mobile devices for payment as a result of the pandemic.

Data sharing and loyalty

Advances in mobile technology over the last ten years have opened up the potential to tailor services and offers to guests and in turn help drive loyalty. In 2018, GO Technology found that only half (51%) of consumers would be willing to exchange personal information to receive tailored offers, increasing to 64% a mere two years later.

Consumers’ growing desire for value has also led to an increased engagement with brands and loyalty schemes. Back in 2021, less than a quarter (23%) were signed up to more than one loyalty programme, but by 2024 nearly half (47%) of consumers have joined several loyalty schemes, primarily to make the most of deals and promotions available.

The need for speed

Our first ever report also revealed that 17% of young consumers, aged 25 to 34, were frustrated by having to wait to settle the bill at the end of a meal. This has increased to a whopping 75% of young consumers in 2024.

Similarly, people have become increasingly demanding that their food is served in a timely fashion. In 2014 nearly half of consumers (47%) cited waiting a long time for food as their number one frustration when going out for a meal, while this year’s report revealed an increase to nine in ten (91%) consumers who now say long waits and hot food served cold are their top bugbears.

All of which goes to show that investing in tech that can help deliver on these fundamentals is key to business success.

Commenting on the findings, Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, said: “Hospitality has evolved significantly over the past ten years and tech has played a fundamental role in this journey, enabling operators to deliver the fast, seamless and hassle-free experience that consumers have come to demand and in turn, drive growth.

“Looking ahead to the next ten years, there will undoubtedly be more change to come, but one thing we can be certain about is that technology will continue to play its part. However, this doesn’t mean that hospitality will become all about robots and automated processes. The best hospitality experiences remain those that offer the right balance of technology and traditional face-to-face service and that’s never going to change.”

Click here to download the latest report in the series, ‘Fixing people’s hospitality bugbears’.

We’re proud to announce our sponsorship of the Hospitality Junior Board, an initiative to encourage young people to choose hospitality as a career path.

Our SaaS hotel PMS was specifically designed and built for the hospitality industry and that is why we continue to invest in its development. As a result, we understand the need to invest in the future of the people who work in the sector.

By supporting this important initiative, we are encouraging future hospitality innovators to become aspiring leaders in the industry. Not only does it help with young people’s professional and personal development, but it also changes the perception of the industry as an ambitious career choice.

“We recognise both the unique challenges and the immense potential within the hospitality industry. Supporting this fantastic initiative goes beyond giving back – it’s about strategically investing in the future of our sector. By empowering young leaders and reshaping perceptions, we are paving the way for hospitality to continue thriving as a dynamic and rewarding career choice.”

Pete Saunders, Head of Relationships, Zonal Hotel Solutions

In recent years, the hospitality industry has needed to overcome many challenges, and employee retention is high on the list. With us sponsoring this transformational programme, we are joining forces with other industry supporters to alleviate the wider community perception that the hospitality industry lacks career progression or room for growth.

Creating a Junior Board of young leaders in hospitality who will undergo a mentorship and training programme as well as work on community projects, will help the industry to start recruiting and keep the best possible talent.

Through investing in the future workforce, we hope to encourage a new wave of talent in hospitality, not only as future leaders but to also shape the evolution of the industry.