The IoT trend is also continuing at festivals. At the international fireworks festival "Flammende Sterne" in Scharnhauser Park (Ostfildern) in mid-August, around 40,000 visitors were able to order and pay for their drinks digitally using their smartphones via the Stuttgart-based self-ordering & payment platform provider sizzly.
To transmit the digital orders, the event organizer, MCE GmbH Leinfelden-Echterdingen, deployed 18 tablets at ten bars and food trucks. These were GmbH with M2M SIM cards from Hamburg-based WhereverSIM GmbH . non-steered roaming stable connections “Our M2M SIM cards ensured stable data connections throughout the festival,” says WhereverSIM Managing Director Tim Müller. WhereverSIM’s SIM cards enable non-steered roaming achieving network independence. This means they do not favor any particular mobile network but always connect each device to the strongest network available at the respective location. In Germany, this is possible across all three existing mobile networks; near the border, networks from neighboring countries are also available. Mobile coverage bottlenecks can occur, particularly at events with large crowds. Individual networks or their base stations can become overloaded due to high user traffic, and geographical conditions can also affect reception.
non-steered roaming gives the device a free choice of network. Connection security can also be guaranteed for events taking place in rural regions. Event organizers do not have to operate mobile hotspots to ensure smooth data traffic for the transmission of orders. "During the pilot project, a tablet with a SIM card from a single network operator was used for comparison. During the festival, there were problems with data transmission with this card," said Raphael Büdel, Managing Director of sizzly, confirming the successful use of the M2M SIM cards from WhereverSIM GmbH. Digitalization helps restaurateurs and event organizers with staff shortages Benefits for restaurateurs and event organizers: With sizzly's solution, they can successfully counteract the current staff shortage, easily optimize existing ordering and payment processes and thus sustainably increase their sales. sizzly provides a full-service package consisting of a branded ordering front end (web app) in the customer's CI, the hardware required for issuing orders, including SIM card and M2M mobile connection, as well as staff training. On request, the existing cash register or merchandise management system can be integrated so that incoming orders are always recorded correctly. This allows event organizers to offer their guests a digital ordering and payment option without waiting times in addition to cash and card payments. In addition to festivals, other areas of application include sporting events, trade fairs and company caterers throughout Germany.
Carina Speidel, Managing Director of MCE, said: "The response from guests was very good. They saw that digital buyers didn't have to queue, but could simply walk past the queue. For the staff at the stands, digital ordering via tablet made their work easier." As a result, there was a four-digit number of orders with a five-digit turnover without the need for additional staff.
Through its Mobile Ordering & Payment Platform, sizzly GmbH digital ordering and payment processes via smartphone for the restaurant industry, the events sector, and catering companies. For example, guests at restaurants and events can use their smartphones to view the available food and beverages, place orders, and pay directly online. The orders generated in this way are transmitted to the restaurateur’s respective point-of-sale and inventory management systems—without any manual intermediate steps. In this way, sizzly reduces unnecessary wait times, lightens the workload for staff, and ensures sustainable increases in revenue. The Stuttgart-based company was founded in 2021, and the platform of the same name has been online for about a year. Further information is available at: https://sizzly.de
