Card, mobile credential, payment and security
Lucova system redefines campus POS operations
Beyond offering a convenient alternative to students on the go, mobile ordering has also provided some valuable insight regarding dining trends at Midland. “It’s allowed us to be more efficient with our labor and really track where sales are coming from, and establish patterns in student traffic and order types,” says Lensmeyer.
Midland is even showcasing aspects of its dining experience to prospective students on campus tours. “It’s been something that went from a nice add-on to now a service that we show front-and-center to students,” says Midland’s Benjamin. “Of the hour or so we have with a prospective student we purposely include that because mobile ordering – as with the dining hall – collectively add to the ‘cool factor’ on campus.”
It’s often the most radical ideas that carry the biggest payout. And taking a different approach to dining hall POS has been significant for both Midland and for the aptly named Fresh Ideas.
Finding our new food-service partner and a new way of doing things was all part of a vision to create a place where students want to be.
“FIIT POE has changed the way we do business at Fresh Ideas,” says Lensmeyer. “For us, having the campus totally on board is vital, and Midland really helped support the system overall – and from an IT standpoint – and saw the value in it from day one.”
Another less obvious benefit to the FIIT POE system is that the process is more engaging for employees, as well. “We’re finding that dining employees really feel a connection to the Midland community as a result of the engagement and personalization that happens with this system,” Lensmeyer adds.
Ultimately, Midland’s demand for a student-friendly solution was born out of what it perceived to be a missed opportunity in the dining hall. “Our previous way of doing things was robotic and methodic,” says Benjamin. “You’d go in, swipe your card, and get the same chicken nuggets you’d had before. It was just a wasted opportunity for student engagement.”
And it’s in that newfound engagement and student experience that Benjamin believes Midland has reaped its greatest reward. “Finding our new food-service partner and a new way of doing things was all part of a vision to create a place where students want to be.”
