How Savvy and In1 Solutions transformed the Shelbourne Hotel’s gift card programme

CUSTOMER NAME:

PROJECT TYPE:

New programme launch

SAVVY EXPERTISE:

Platform configuration

As gifting industry leaders, we at In1 Solutions are considered and purposeful in the partnerships we pursue. Our focus on and singular commitment to client satisfaction, cutting-edge gifting technology, easy-to-use solutions, and business development never wavers. That’s why Savvy was the ideal partner for this eGifting venture; their team share in our vision for unprecedented customer success.

Having collaborated for nearing a decade, together, the In1 and Savvy teams have experienced phenomenal results. Beginning with The Shelbourne in 2015 and stretching right up to the current day, our technology works in harmony to provide a seamless gifting experience for all users, be they behind-the-scenes staff or valued guests. Long may our partnership continue! –Pat Ratcliffe- CEO

About the Partner

In1 Solutions provides market-leading gifting technology to hotels, restaurants, hospitality organisations, wellness clinics, and retailers around the world. Their vast presence and innovation can be felt across Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, the Middle East, and beyond.

With over 5000 diverse global clients in more than 140 countries, In1 Solutions continually refines its e-commerce offerings to champion customer success. Specialising in both online and physical gift card options, their solutions are designed to drive revenue, brand engagement, and footfall for their many clients.

The challenge

Way back In 2015, The Shelbourne Hotel Dublin, a long-standing customer of Savvy, sought to expand their physical gift card program by introducing digital gift cards. The key challenge was ensuring that digital vouchers, sold through In1 Solutions, could be securely redeemed on the hotel’s payment terminals, alongside the existing physical cards. Savvy needed to enable secure redemption of these digital vouchers in real-time and ensure that the hotel could maintain central visibility of all transactions.

The Savvy Solution

Savvy developed a tailored solution that ensured seamless integration between In1 Solutions and the hotel’s existing payment infrastructure that has since expanded to 40+ other hotel gift card programmes in Ireland and the UK:

API Integration for Digital Voucher Fulfillment: Savvy enabled In1 Solutions to integrate directly with its API. This allowed In1 to generate and fulfill digital voucher codes on demand from the multiple mutual In1 Solutions and Savvy customers.
Real-Time Redemption: Digital vouchers could be securely redeemed in real-time at any payment terminal across the hotel properties. This approach mirrored the redemption process for physical gift cards, ensuring that both physical and digital gift cards were processed with the same level of security and efficiency.
Enhanced Security and Fraud Reduction: By processing redemptions in real-time and directly through the hotel’s payment terminals, Savvy’s solution significantly reduced fraud risks. This added an additional layer of protection for both the hotel and its customers.
Centralized Reporting with Connect Manager Portal: Savvy’s Connect Manager portal gave the hotels comprehensive visibility over their entire gift card program, both digital and physical. They are now able to to track sales and redemptions across the properties, enabling better program management, reporting, and reconciliation.

Benefits and Strategic Impact

Savvy’s solution provided several key benefits:

Seamless Integration and Flexibility: By integrating Savvy’s API, In1 Solutions could seamlessly process both physical and digital gift cards through the hotel’s existing acquirer terminals. This offered a flexible, scalable solution that could be easily extended to any mutual Savvy and In1 clients.
Improved Operational Efficiency: The automated, real-time voucher redemption process eliminated the need for manual reconciliation, improving operational efficiency and reducing administrative burdens for the hotel.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Guests at the hotel properties could now easily redeem digital vouchers across any part of the hotel, enhancing their overall experience and encouraging repeat business.
Revenue Growth and Fraud Reduction: With the ability to track both physical and digital redemptions in real-time, the properties are better equipped to prevent fraud and optimise their gift card program to drive additional revenue.

Approach and Implementation

Collaborative Integration and Development
Savvy worked closely with In1 Solutions to design and implement an API integration that allowed real-time redemption of digital gift cards via their acquirer terminals. Early in the integration process, it became clear that the solution could be adapted for future customers, so it was designed for scalability and reusability.
Real-Time Transaction Processing
The integration ensured that when customers presented their digital gift cards at any of the hotel’s locations, the vouchers were securely processed via the acquirer terminals. This provided real-time validation, improving security and minimizing the risk of fraud.
Comprehensive Reporting and Reconciliation
Using Savvy’s Connect Manager portal, the properties are able to generate detailed reports, providing complete visibility into gift card sales and redemptions. This allowed for efficient reconciliation and data-driven insights to optimize gift card strategy.

Results

The integration between Savvy and In1 Solutions enabled over 40 mutual customers to successfully expand their gift card program to include digital vouchers, which could be redeemed seamlessly alongside physical cards.

“This partnership with In1 Solutions and The Shelbourne Hotel has been a perfect example of how digital and physical gift cards can be seamlessly integrated into a unified system. By enabling secure real-time redemptions and providing central reporting, we’ve created a solution that enhances both customer experience and operational efficiency. We’re excited to continue building on this success with In1 Solutions and future clients” Eoin Whyte, Chief Revenue Officer, Savvy.