Mobile ordering firm wi-Q has quadrupled capacity to meet global demand
One of the first tech companies to develop cloud-based mobile ordering has seen enquiries and deployments “rocket,” as the hospitality industry turns to technology to help it deliver touchless service.
Founded in 2014, wi-Q attracted multi-million-pound investment to develop a universal mobile ordering platform with a low-cost SaaS delivery model, as an alternative to app development. In the ensuing years, wi-Q has invested significantly in direct integrations with the majority of global payment providers and leading POS and PMS companies including Oracle Micros, Amadeus, Agilysys and Vista.
It is this investment in capability, explains wi-Q founder and CEO Graham Cornhill that has paid dividends in a way the company never expected.
“I knew the adoption of own device ordering was coming,” explains Cornhill, “but Covid-19 has created a tidal wave of acceptance and demand. Initially we saw venues desperately trying to use mobile ordering to pivot towards take-out to keep their kitchens open, but now the race is on to get a touchless solution deployed for everything from restaurants, bars and QSRs to room service.”
The wi-Q CEO believes that venues will be confused by the number of new solutions on the market, which could impact on their plans for a smooth transition to mobile ordering.
“I’m not going to say wi-Q is the only decent solution on the market, but we have been in this space for years and have invested millions in consultation, development, partnerships and direct integrations. There are lots of new contenders out there promising easy POS and payment integration when they simply do not have it. If you are relying on third-party integrations, it is going to take time, and time is not something the hospitality industry has on its side.”
With deployments in more than 14 countries serving some of the world’s biggest hospitality and cinema brands underway, wi-Q is consistently extending its reach beyond the UK, particularly in the US and UAE.
“We are working around the clock at the moment,” concludes Cornhill. “Having customers in so many time zones has been a challenge, but we are meeting our deployment deadlines and we’ll have some exciting brand announcements coming soon.”
For further information: press@wi-q.com
About wi‐Q Technologies:
wi‐Q Technologies is the multi‐award‐winning developer behind app‐free ordering and payment solutions, wi‐Q for F&B and Mi‐Room for hotel guest services. wi-Q’s white‐labelled any‐device ordering solutions, integrate with multiple common hospitality systems, including Oracle Hospitality, Vista and Agilysys. This allows hospitality venues to offer their guests the convenience of ordering and paying for food, drinks, and services, on their own device and without having to download an app.
The user‐friendly, online menu, which is fully brand customisable, can automatically adapt to the customers’ device language, and through product upsells and cross sells has been proven to uplift average order value by up to 60%. Customers have the choice of paying via debit/credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, cash or even charge to room.
