As with most tourist information centres, the requirements of visitors to Chester VIC are very diverse, from looking for accommodation to booking tickets for travel, shows and events, to purchasing souvenirs and local guides.

The team at Chester VIC, led by Dave Hall, spent a long time planning their ideal POS system which would cope with all these and many other scenarios. The solution decided upon was to use Touchretail POS and back office system, running on specially modified Aures OLC15 terminals. The EPOS terminals have been installed complete with a fixed Aures Evolution 8.4” customer facing screen. The main POS screen is on a special cantilever arm which can swivel to face the customer, and rise and fall to accommodate varying operator positions. Touchretail modified the Aures terminals to offer increased power and Windows 7 operability.

Touchretail’s Information Centre solution allows the operator to make all the necessary internet searches for the customer, such as checking travel times and prices, then book the tickets on the operator’s website, and pay for the tickets through the POS software - and even add on the postcards, sweets and souvenirs as part of the same transaction.

As well as recording sales of tickets for all the shows, events and concerts that Chester and Cheshire are renowned for; City walks, travel tickets and local accommodation, Touchretail’s POS and merchandise system also manages the stock control for the postcards, stamps, souvenirs, maps, guides, books, confectionery and hoodies and t-shirts.

Touchretail’s Wi-Fi stocktake facility completes the solution, which was delivered on-time and to budget.

The newly refurbished Chester VIC opened for business in early June, and trade is already showing a marked increase on the previous year’s figures. Wall-mounted interactive touch-screen panels complete the state-of-the-art Tourist Information Centre that sits proudly at the heart of Chester’s old Town Hall.