MAX BOX, a digital retail kiosk, is installed in over 100 pubs, bars and restaurants all over the UK. The machine is operated by Felix Group plc, an Aim-listed company.
MAX BOX brings together a range of consumer services including an ATM cash machine, digital jukebox, mobile top-up, ordering flowers, a range of fun games including Sudoku, downloadable ringtones, wallpapers and games for mobile phone, digital photo processing as well as the unique Everyone’s A Winner game. The MAX BOX can also turn the host venue into a free Wi-Fi hotspot.
One of the latest pubs to have acquired a MAX BOX is The Albert in Southport. Before the installation of MAX BOX the pub had a solitary juke box to amuse customers but this failed to attract significant revenue for the pub.
MAX BOX engineers placed the kiosk strategically next to the bar in order to attract as many customers as possible.
The Albert is a busy pub, located near a railway station in Southport in the United Kingdom. Southport is a seaside town with a population of around 100,000 people, 40% of which are over 55 years old.
The clientele in the pub is a mixture of ladies shopping, regular customers, workmen, the after work crowd and families on vacation. Owner Suzanne King and her partner run the pub with a team of five bar staff.
King, says that the ever increasing usage of MAX BOX has had a direct influence on her revenue.
“The MAX BOX is a real asset to the pub, since we installed it seven months ago,†King said. “I make about £300 (about $618 U.S. dollars) a week profit from it. This is quadruple the amount collected from our old juke box.
“On average we have double the amount of customers using the MAX BOX compared to the juke box.
“The one big change that can be directly attributed to MAX BOX is the increase in our over all (revenue) because MAX BOX is so convenient. We have a captive pub audience who can now use the MAX BOX to withdraw cash, top-up their phones, print photos and play games. This means my customers do this all from my pub rather than having to leave and not return.
“I’ve lost count of the number of compliments I’ve received from regular customers and passing trade. Overall my customers now stay longer and buy more drinks. Similarly the popularity of the on-line games has instigated a pub-wide competition, generating further regular business.â€
Suzanne King says that she is so pleased with her MAX BOX that it’s now become a permanent fixture in her pub.
“We’re keeping our MAX BOX long term because it makes sound business sense. It’s a constantly evolving project with engineers remotely adding new games and new services to it via the internet. The fact that we receive support within 24 hours if we to solve any problems is also useful.â€
