Color Line improves customer service with tablet PCs from X2

Color Line AS, one of Europe's leading cruise and transport shipping companies, is using the latest tablet PCs from X2 Computing on its six ships that operate between Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.  The tablets were installed in partnership with Torex Retail, the leading supplier of point of sale solutions, and are enabling Color Line to increase revenues from drinks sales in the show lounges.  They are also helping to reduce costs and increase efficiency by optimising staff deployment throughout the ship.

The tablets have been deployed to increase the efficiency of the drinks ordering process in the lounges where staff have just 30 minutes to serve more than 400 customers prior to each show.  They have replaced the traditional pen and paper approach, as used by hospitality staff around the world, with tablet computers to use with Torex’s Oscar Cruise Management software as part of a complete integrated electronic ordering system.

“The solution provided by X2 and Torex has exceeded our original expectations and is making a major contribution towards enhancing customer service and increasing revenues in our show lounges,” commented Einar Haugland, IT Operations Manager for Color Line AS.  “We have also been extremely impressed by the high level of support provided by all of our technology partners throughout the development process.”

Color Line installed the X2362, a ruggedised tablet computer with brilliant 8.4” touch display and a high performance, energy-efficient Intel Atom processor. This powerful mobile device is enabling customers to be served so quickly the drinks are often delivered to the table before the payment process is finished.   In addition, the tablets have given Color Line greater flexibility over the deployment of manpower resources as staff employed at different locations during the day can now also work in the show lounge during the evening delivering drinks to customers without being trained as waiters.

According to Nina Kyllo, a consultant for Torex Retail AS: “X2 has proactively worked with us throughout this challenging project to deliver a solution that has met all Color Line’s key objectives.  By making their resources available at all times, we have been able to rapidly resolve every issue and deliver a resilient and reliable solution that is having a positive impact on increasing the level of customer service provided in this challenging on-board environment.”