Merlin Entertainments employs Oracle MICROS Simphony Point-of-Sale (POS) and Oracle Hospitality OPERA Property Management technology for its theme parks and hotels. With Oracle’s digital solutions, Merlin guests can use their mobile devices to plan their vacation in advance. This includes taking advantage of mobile check-in at hotels and the ability to pre-order food at their attractions.
“The attractions are always the stars, but today there is more demand for people’s attention, so we really need to stand out from the crowd,” said Lee Cowie, Chief Technology Officer at Merlin Entertainments. “We do that by constantly innovating, delivering new experiences, and creating new reasons for guests to come back. Oracle offers a strong, reliable and well-thought-out suite of technologies that help us accomplish these goals.”
Merlin Entertainments operates 140 attractions, 23 hotels and six holiday villages in 24 countries, which in addition to LEGOLAND and SEA LIFE Aquariums, includes global attractions Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers and Gardaland Resort.
Personalizing the experience
Using OPERA at select hotels, guests can manage reservations from their mobile devices, check-in to their hotel rooms with the click of a few buttons or use the digital QR code generated by the system to get a room key at convenient kiosks.
Visitors can also use a mobile app connected to MICROS Simphony to order and pay for their meals in advance. Simphony’s built-in restaurant analytics ensure the kitchens at the hotels and parks are receiving the orders quickly and prioritizing them based on pick-up expectations, helping ensure meals are on time.
“For Merlin Entertainments, the future is about how we make our guest experience even better, and we see state-of-the-art technology as a route to be able to deliver the very best day out. This allows us to be even more guest obsessed than we already are,” said Chris Ireland, Commercial and Hotel Director at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort. “Oracle’s innovative technology has allowed us to create a seamless guest journey from the moment they book on the site, to when they arrive on the day.”
The MICROS Simphony systems also enables Merlin Entertainments to break down the barrier between staff and guests. With mobile tablets, staff can do everything from upgrade a guest’s accommodations, to take drink and snack orders at the pool. With better intelligence on each customer’s profile and preferences at their fingertips, team members can make more helpful and relevant recommendations to ensure guests have a magical and memorable visit.
“Easy, contactless and fast is what consumers now expect whether they are simply eating out or planning a great theme park getaway,” said Simon de Montfort Walker, senior vice president and general manager at Oracle Food and Beverage. “Merlin Entertainments is at the cutting edge of this trend, extending new Oracle tech innovations across a guest’s experience — from the hotels to the park. Not only is this helping create a more seamless, memorable visit for the guest, but it also helps keep staff agile, responsive and fueling new revenue streams.”
