VMC - cashless payment solutions for catering and vending

Case Studies – Loughborough University

Higher education clients choose technology

Loughborough University Catering Facilities

A unique collaboration between cashless payment specialists VMC, EPOS integrated systems specialists MCR Systems and Starlogic, has led to the UK’s leading sporting university, winning a major industry award.

Loughborough University’s imago Services, the in-house catering services and hospitality department, have been awarded the title of Best Use of Technology award for their innovative business thinking at the annual Caterer and Hotelkeeper Awards (Cateys 07).

The prestigious award highlights the creative use of cashless card technology, including touch screen EPOS terminals, back office software, stock management and web based nutritional reporting.

By working closely with VMC, MCR and Starlogic, Loughborough are now offering students a complete package when it comes to purchasing meals and tracking nutrition on campus.

Stuart Wilson, Starlogic managing director comments: “By working in close consultation with the imago team throughout the duration of the project, the design of the web pages developed by Starlogic complimented the rest of the Imago website. The nutritional information website is just one ingenious way of correlating that data with the food coming out of the university kitchens.”

Home to over 15,000 students, Loughborough has a strong sporting heritage who’s alumni include such celebrated names in British athletics as Paula Radcliffe and Lord Sebastian Coe, and is home to the ECB National Cricket Centre and the Women’s FA.

By connecting the hospitality tills with the cashless function, an individual’s eating pattern can be monitored to help students maintain the correct healthy diet for them. Web based Symphony reporting software is then used to create monthly nutritional data reports for sporting coaches.

Duncan Cressall, operations director at imago Services comments: “We are the first university in the UK to have won a Catey and we’re delighted. Working with VMC, MCR Systems has given us a platform for technical excellence in our field. We have major plans for the future, including full identity cards, salary sacrifice for staff, and cashless laundrettes that communicate with student’s mobile phones. The possibilities are endless.”

Nick Bate, managing director at VMC comments: “Working jointly with MCR Systems has given us a springboard into the higher education market and underpins our commitment to developing systems further. Working as one entity we can pass on the benefits of our expertise and quality on to our customers.”

Barry Archer, managing director of MCR Systems comments: “Forging this business partnership with VMC means we are able to offer total hospitality and cashless solutions. Understanding the importance of EPOS, whatever a customer’s requirement is our speciality as we have the knowledge to find the best and most appropriate solutions.”

Facts: