Order a pint in Galway's latest multi-million pound hostelry, An Scadan Caoch, and you might think you have been over-charged. But no, look again. Those figures on your receipt simply show euros and pounds. The bar in the new Galway Bay Hotel on the seafront in Salthill is boasting the first Irish-produced point of sale system designed for both euro pricing and tendering. What is more, there is a sense of history about it. The £12.5 million hotel opened its doors just a day after confirmation of the final agreement on the European single currency.
The system was installed by a Dublin company, ICON Software, which is also behind the ticketing for the new IMAX Theatre in Dublin. Designed fully by ICON, it is known as I-CONTROL, and is based on Windows '95/'98 developed software.
It claims several firsts: the first Windows-based point of sale system available in Ireland, and the first with full euro compliancy. This means that it is able to price in dual currencies from now until July, 2002. Customers will also be able to pay for food and drink in either currency between January and July, 2002, when the euro will be introduced in paper and coin.
Mr Ciaran Meagher, who established ICON Software in 1993, says that it only takes three minutes to train staff to use the touch-screen system. Furthermore, bills can be viewed, and paid for, by customers in the comfort of their own room - as is already standard practice abroad in some international hotel chains.
I-Control links to the front desk system, facilitating on-line room inquiries and room postings.
"Yes, it is pricier than the average cash register system, but it won't date because it is software-based," Mr Meagher says. His company has had a great response since it publicised the system in Dublin last February.
The 150-bedroom Galway Bay Hotel employs 140 full-time and 50 part-time staff, and is a sister of the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone, Co Westmeath. It is managed by Mr Terry Brennan, brother of the Fianna Fail TD, Mr Seamus Brennan, and has been open since May 1st.
