Case Study – Royal College of Surgeons

The Royal College of Surgeons, situated in the vibrant heart of Edinburgh, faced operational complexities with a diverse range of facilities. This included their hotel, numerous F&B outlets, and hosting events during the renowned Edinburgh Festival. 

The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals and surgical and dental care team members at all stages of their careers. They also run the Ten Hill Place Hotel, with all profits returning to training surgeons worldwide.  

Seeking to streamline processes, enhance guest experiences, and improve operational efficiency, the college turned to Guestline's suite of solutions, with a particular emphasis on GuestPay and Newbridge. 

Neil Johnston, Financial Controller at the Royal College of Surgeons, joins us to share his insights on the solutions and efficiencies they've brought to their business by partnering with Guestline. 

The initial reason for implementing Guestline's solutions, including GuestPay and Newbridge, stemmed from the need to replace an outdated EPOS system that no longer met their operational requirements.

After a successful partnership with Guestline for front office operations in 2016-2017, an expansion of the relationship was a natural choice.

The College was looking to streamline its operations, increase its financial transparency, and provide a seamless guest experience across all of its hotels and F&B outlets.

The Edinburgh Festival presented a formidable challenge and a real test for the newly implemented solutions. As August was historically the busiest month in terms of occupancy and F&B spend, Guestline installed GuestPay and Newbridge in April to allow ample time for testing and staff training. 

With approximately 20 EPOS terminals in use during August, ensuring transaction accuracy and efficiency was paramount. 

During the Edinburgh Festival, GuestPay and Newbridge were at the forefront of their effectiveness. Every transaction, including credit card charges, was seamlessly reconciled. This in turn provided confidence in the accuracy of the financial records. Reconciliation was particularly crucial during such a busy time when any discrepancy could have dire consequences. 

Since the implementation of the Guestline solutions, the Royal College of Surgeons has seen significant improvements from both a guest and staff perspective.  

Guests now enjoy greater billing accuracy and a more transparent view of their costs, while hotel staff benefit from enhanced visibility of all transactions and improved reporting via Newbridge. This, in turn, has resulted in faster reconciliation daily and a 100% reduction in the margin for manual error. 

A key benefit is the integration of GuestPay with the Guestline Platform. This integration ensures that guests can view their bills instantly, providing transparency and streamlining the checkout process. 

Financial operations have also seen significant benefits. Transactions are integrated in real time and reporting is more efficient. This level of accuracy in the billing and check-out process has significantly improved guest satisfaction. 

A successful trial of "Our Menus" during the festival allowed guests to order food using their mobile phones. This reduced the time guests spent waiting at the bar. This trial laid the groundwork for a more efficient way of serving food and beverage. 

Following the success achieved, the college is considering the implementation of "OrderPay," which will enable customers to pre-order and pre-pay for meals, offering a convenient "click and collect" service. 

This expansion aligns with the college's vision of increasing incremental spend and further enhancing guest experiences, particularly in their successful café and other outlets.

During the festival, live data from Newbridge provided invaluable insights into every department's performance. This real-time information empowered decision-making, helping the college allocate staff effectively during peak times and optimise resource management. 

Looking at it from the guest's perspective, the system operates efficiently no matter where they are within the property, allowing them to anticipate their billing effortlessly. Guests no longer encounter surprises on their bills, resulting in higher overall satisfaction. 

The combination of seamless, real-time nature of transactions put forward by GuestPay and other Guestline solutions has significantly improved the The Royal College of Surgeons' guest experience. 

What began as a quest to replace an outdated EPOS system evolved into a journey towards operational excellence. Edinburgh Festival, with its bustling crowds and high expectations, provided the ultimate litmus test for Guestline's GuestPay and Newbridge solutions. And they passed with flying colours. Transactions were seamless, accuracy was unwavering, and the confidence in financial records soared. 

In the end, The Royal College of Surgeons not only met the challenges; but exceeded them. They embraced innovation and emerged as leaders in delivering exceptional guest experiences, setting a standard to which others in the industry aspire. 

As we applaud their journey, it's evident that with Guestline's solutions, the Royal College of Surgeons has not just enhanced their festival experience; they've rewritten the script for hospitality excellence.