H&C News meets with suppliers regularly to keep up to date with the latest product and service innovations, aiming to get the inside track on what companies offer to the market and how it is delivered. This week, we met with Gerry Hooper, CEO of Zapper UK, the global mobile payment and marketing insights app which launched into the UK Hospitality sector in September 2014. It’s currently active in over 5,000 venues worldwide, with 1,000 in the UK alone (as well as thousands of other businesses too). With 150,000 user downloads in the UK and hundreds of thousands more worldwide, Zapper is growing rapidly.
We’ve heard of Zapper but not sure how it works, can you explain?
It’s incredibly simple – Scan. Pay. Go. Once customers have downloaded the app, they simply scan a QR code on the bill to pay securely using card details stored directly on their mobile phone – you can even add a passcode to the app for extra protection, then go! Users also have the added benefit of splitting the bill in various ways, tipping the waiter and giving restaurants a review rating. When diners pay using Zapper, restaurants are able to gather valuable insights about their customers which can then be used for personalised and targeted marketing campaigns to reward new and loyal users.
Whereabouts can you use Zapper in the UK?
We are active in over 1,000 restaurants across the UK ranging from small cafes to fine dining, independents to nationwide groups and growing our estate by nearly 200 venues per month. Zapper is a simple, speedy and secure solution available to everyone so we can adapt our service according to the venues needs and requirements.
Our main partners include: CAU, Burger & Lobster, Granger & Co, Iberica, Good Life Diner, Camino and Bem Brasil, to name only a few. However, we have so many more in the pipeline so keep an eye out on the app and in the media for exciting new launches.
How will mobile payments and marketing insights support the hospitality industry?
As consumers, our mobile phones are permanently attached to us – a recent study suggested we check our phones on average 85 times a day! Restaurants are under increasing pressure to better understand their customers, as well as seating more diners, reducing operational costs, increasing efficiencies and retaining staff, therefore Zapper is the perfect, all round solution.
Zapper is smart. It gathers insights about its users dining habits enabling restaurants to send personalised and targeted marketing material and loyalty vouchers directly to customers which, based on their previous habits, we know they will appreciate and use in the future. The app encourages users to rate and review their experience meaning restaurants can receive these insights and react immediately, connecting directly with the customer.
What is Zapper doing to benefit waiting staff?
Zapper aims to enhance the waiter experience by speeding up the payment process at the very end of the journey to avoid diners waiting for PDQ machines and enabling restaurant staff to turn tables around at a faster rate. As well as this, we have seen an increase in tipping when using the app – the average tip is about £4.50.
We have recently launched ‘Zapper Waiter Day’, whereby on the last Friday of every month, Zapper matches any tip paid through the app! Last month we saw a 101% increase in tips compared to the previous month!
How easy is Zapper to integrate with other EPOS systems?
With over 25 successful EPOS integrations globally and many more in the pipeline, Zapper fits easily with most EPOS till and printer systems. The system is simple and reliable with Zapper providing complete support and training. Almost like a Jeep in Africa, it’s simple to drive and rebuild plus its reliable and trusted to work – whatever the weather!
Can you share any new platform developments?
Excitingly, we have just launched an enhanced CRM platform, which literally helps venues to get to know their diners better. With a new rate and review service and time of day heatmaps, Restaurants can drill down to individual customers and have the option to contact them via the Zapper platform with offers and promotions.
Development doesn’t stop there, Zapper is also launching an option for Quick Service Restaurants. This will give users the ability to scan a QR code at the till and will hugely speed up and simplify the payment process in cafes, bars and takeaways where you pay your bill upfront.
H & C News comment
We enjoyed meeting with Gerry Hooper. Zapper UK has developed a revolutionary global mobile payment and marketing insights platform that not only serves the consumer by saving time, but also helps reward staff through their ‘Zapper Waiter Day’ initiative. We wish Gerry and Zapper UK all the very best and are looking forward to seeing future developments from them.
Watch this space – don’t miss out on future Zapper developments by downloading the app and joining our community. Don’t forget to follow us on social media too for instant updates, vouchers and competitions!
For more information about Zapper click here