GuestLogix and NCR to Integrate Leading Technologies to Transform Self-Service Retail throughout Global Travel Industry

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GuestLogix
Oct. 23, 2013 13:48
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Korea Newswire)--GuestLogix Inc.(http://www.guestlogix.com/) (TSX: GXI), the leading global provider of onboard retail and payment technology solutions to airlines and the passenger travel industry, today announced that it has signed a ten-year agreement with NCR Corporation(http://www.ncr.com/) (NYSE: NCR), the global leader in consumer transaction technologies. The purpose of the relationship is to significantly improve the way travelers are able to conduct transactions through self-service airport kiosks and mobile applications.

NCR and GuestLogix will help airlines, which are increasingly focused on driving ancillary revenue, by facilitating transaction processing. The relationship provides a comprehensive, secure and compliant means for airlines to sell additional products and services at multiple touch points throughout the travel journey, improving the passenger experience.

Consumer and Traveler Preferences Lean to Self-Service

“GuestLogix has seen immense trending towards self-service retailing preferences within the travel industry, and we are proud of our ability to support NCR in its continued efforts to lead this charge and enrich the way that travel operators around the world are able to serve their passengers,” said Brett Proud, GuestLogix president & chief executive officer. “NCR has been the undisputed leader in the evolution of the way that retailers interact and transact with consumers. It is now ideally positioned to completely transform the way travel operators interact and transact with their passengers and GuestLogix is elated to be such an integrated part of that strategy.”

Self-service technologies are now pervasive and are in fact becoming the preferred means of transacting in the average consumer's daily life. According to a worldwide consumer survey released in June 2013, Cisco Customer Experience Report, 52 percent of consumers said that they prefer self-checkout stations in order to avoid waiting in lines and 61 percent of consumers said they would shop at a fully automated self-service store(1).

“The omni-commerce best practices that retailers have adopted are now extending into many facets of the travel industry,” says Tony Fernandez, vice president of commercial and business development of the Americas Region for NCR. “Customers at any point on the travel journey are expecting digital solutions to save time and add convenience.”

In April of 2013, NCR released the results of its annual NCR Traveler Experience Survey, which revealed that 51 percent of travelers would be willing to pay a nominal fee at a gate-side kiosk for priority boarding to avoid having to check any bags at the last minute(2). It also revealed that 77 percent of travelers experiencing cancellations and delays would like the option to bypass agent assistance and book their own alternate flights using a kiosk or mobile device(3).

Global Solutions for the Worldwide Travel Industry

NCR Travel is building on a 130 year history in retailing by focusing on cutting-edge retail and self-service technologies that ease the travel experience for passengers and increase revenue potential for travel providers. NCR Travel delivers a range of self-service technologies to airlines and other travel operators from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between. NCR uniquely supports a global retail marketplace solution, allowing travel providers to manage a much more personal, seamless ancillary shopping experience through a single, comprehensive technology platform at all points in the traveler lifecycle.

“Together with GuestLogix' global transaction processing capabilities, innovative software solutions and extensive experience in the global passenger travel industry, we can now enable our customers around the world to process a wealth of ancillary services,” says Tyler Craig, vice president and general manager of Travel at NCR. “This includes baggage fees, seat upgrades, lounge access, destination-based products and services, and much more, in a secure and convenient way.”

As part of this agreement, GuestLogix brings 38 payment certifications and more than 40 operational certifications, both from a global and regional perspective, to ensure secure, compliant payment processing.

According to IdeaWorks, airline ancillary revenue represents a more than $36 billion opportunity per annum. The world's top 100 airports represent a cumulative opportunity of more than 1.15 billion annual enplaned passengers that either currently use mobile or kiosk technology to check-in or spend more than one hour at the gate allowing for ample time to access ancillary offerings via self-service kiosks. This number is estimated to grow more than 50% over the next three to five years. The top 100 airports have approximately 7,500 gates in total.

GuestLogix and NCR believe that this solution will easily extend to rail and bus operators as well.

GuestLogix Extends to Off Board Touch Points

GuestLogix will integrate its Transaction Processing Engine® (TPE®) into NCR Travel's traditional point-of-sale and self-service software and hardware technologies. Known for its leadership in the onboard retail environment, GuestLogix believes that this extension to support ancillary revenue transaction processing at additional touch points in the travel journey supports a much larger vision.

“The ancillary space in the travel industry is equally as vital to the industry as it is chaotic at the moment, in terms of the lack of tools to properly manage ancillary revenues,” continued Proud. “A myriad of disparate solution providers, very little consistency in offerings across regions and incongruent reporting capabilities inside each individual airline, paints the ancillary landscape today. NCR is the perfect example of a company that is able to take a highly advanced technology offering and deliver a unified platform across the travel journey - in any part of the world - to enhance and monetize the passenger experience. Leveraging our TPE payment technology will support that unification in a very exciting way.”

About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is the global leader in consumer transaction technologies, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables more than 300 million transactions daily across the retail, financial, travel, hospitality, telecom and technology industries. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make your life easier.

NCR is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia with over 26,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Web site: www.ncr.com
Twitter: @NCRCorporation
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ncrcorp
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ncr-corporation
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ncrcorporation

About GuestLogix

GuestLogix Inc. (TSX: GXI), the leading global provider of onboard store technology and merchandising solutions, brings over a decade of expertise as a trusted onboard transaction processing partner to airlines, rail operators and the passenger travel industry. GuestLogix helps its customers to create, manage, and control onboard retail environments tailored to their needs and their passengers for a truly personalized experience. The Company is partnered with global leaders in catering, duty-free and inflight entertainment, offering complete onboard retailing services to airlines and rail operators worldwide. GuestLogix' global headquarters and centre for product innovation is located in Toronto, with regional head offices located in Dallas, London and Hong Kong. More information is available at www.guestlogix.com.

©2013 GuestLogix. All Rights Reserved.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with GuestLogix‘ business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions “anticipate”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect GuestLogix’ current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including the matters discussed under “Risks and Uncertainties” in the Filing Statement filed on August 12, 2013 with the regulatory authorities. GuestLogix assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

(1) Cisco Customer Experience Report® http://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1200551

(2, 3 ) 2013 NCR Traveler Experience Survey http://www.ncr.com/newsroom/resources/travel-technology

Website: http://www.guestlogix.com

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