About the Client
The client is a major healthcare provider in the Midwest US, home to more than 600 doctors, 1,700 nurses and nearly 9,000 employees. Every day, these teams are dedicated to delivering outstanding care and service to their patients and the wider community.
In 2022, the organisation opened a new flagship facility – an eleven floor, 320-bed hospital designed to set a new benchmark for both patient care and employee experience.
To match the scale of the facility, the retail foodservice operation needed to be fast, flexible and reliable. The goal was to serve hundreds of employees and visitors each day without compromising on service or efficiency.
The Client Requirements and Challenges
The client had a clear set of priorities for the dining environment:
- Reducing Queues: Before implementing TCPOS, lines were often long during peak times, especially for made-to-order items. Employees needed faster ways to order and pay so they could make the most of their breaks.
- Offering Self-Service and Mobile Options: There was no kiosk ordering or online ordering in place, limiting convenience and flexibility.
- Supporting Multiple Payment Methods: The facility required a solution that could handle credit cards, cash, mobile payments, payroll deduction and declining balance accounts linked to employee ID badges.
- Managing Subsidies Efficiently: The client had more than 140 different subsidies allocated to resident doctors. The previous process relied on paper cards and manual tracking, which was time-consuming and prone to error.
- Improving Data and Reporting: Detailed insights into transactions, payment types and customer preferences were essential for planning and budgeting.
The Solutions Implemented
Our team worked closely with the client to design a technology system that combined traditional service with modern self-service and mobile ordering. Within a few months, we delivered a complete solution tailored to the facility’s unique requirements.
Self-Service and Traditional POS Systems
To improve speed and flexibility, we installed a mix of cashier POS and self-service options. The solution included:
- Cashier POS terminals.
- Self-checkout stations to reduce lines during peak periods and for after-hours grab and go sales.
- Ordering kiosks that allow employees and visitors to customise their meals easily, place orders and move on while food is prepared.
Previously, employees queued at the deli or grill counters and needed to explain every detail of their order to a staff member, which slowed service considerably. With the new kiosks, customers simply walk up, customise their meals on-screen and place their order without waiting. The request goes straight to kitchen monitors and printers, so preparation starts immediately. While their food is being cooked, guests can browse for other items such as bottled drinks or salads and pay at a self-checkout station. When the meal is ready, it appears on a large collection screen so they can pick it up quickly and return to work.
Mobile Ordering and Payment Flexibility
To further enhance convenience, we introduced online mobile ordering, not only at the new facility but also for the inpatient psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities. Employees and visitors can pre-order meals and collect them at their convenience.
Payment flexibility was a key priority. The system supports credit cards, cash, mobile payments, payroll deduction and declining balance accounts, giving staff and guests a wide choice of ways to pay.
Advanced Subsidy Management
Managing 140 different subsidies was previously a major challenge. Each hospital department had its own allocation, with varying monthly allowances for doctors in residency. The manual process required staff to track entitlements on paper cards, which was inefficient and time-consuming.
With our solution (TCPOS), subsidy management is now fully automated. The system assigns subsidies to employee badge accounts, deducts allowances automatically and generates accurate reports. This improvement has saved countless hours of administration while ensuring transparency and control.
Loyalty, Vouchers and Gift Cards
To support employee engagement and guest hospitality, the solution includes:
- A Coffee Club and points-based rewards program
- Gift cards for visitors
- Vouchers for trainees and special groups
These tools give the organisation flexible ways to incentivise purchases and support employees.
Results and Impact
The impact has been significant:
- Faster Service: Self-service kiosks and self-checkout stations have reduced queues and waiting times. Employees can now order, pay and collect meals in less time.
- High Adoption of Cashless Payments: On a typical day, the facility processes nearly 2,000 transactions totalling upwards of $15,000. Of these, more than 50% are completed using employee accounts linked to payroll deduction or declining balance.
- Strong Performance: In less than a year, the system processed over 540,000 transactions and generated more than $4 million in sales.
- Simplified Administration: Subsidy, loyalty and payment management are now fully integrated, freeing staff to focus on customer service rather than paperwork.
- Improved Employee Experience: Staff working across different shifts can order and pay in whichever way suits them best, supporting convenience in a demanding healthcare environment.
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This project has created a modern, scalable dining operation that supports the client’s mission of service and excellence. By combining advanced technology with thoughtful design, the facility has improved efficiency, increased satisfaction and built a foundation for future growth.
