Jul 06, 2021Dubai-based children's entertainment chain Fiafia is opening sites where parents can leave their children to play, then pay specifically for the services and food the kids receive during their visit. The company is employing an RFID technology-based solution that provides cashless payments for children and parents, while also tracking the amount of time children spend onsite, to automatically calculate billing at the time a child leaves the premises.
All children and parents are issued a Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled wristband at the front desk. Visitors can tap their bracelet next to reader terminals at the front desk where visitors both enter and exit, as well as at payment terminals in the café, or at other mobile devices used by staff members, to identify any paid activities in which the children take part. The solution is provided by Semnox.
So far, Fiafia has opened two sites in Dubai, each containing a play area and a café. One is located at Ferdous, and its newest facility has opened at the Dubai International Financial Centre. Each center offers educational and entertainment activities to children of all ages. The site includes an ever-changing environment offering free play, themed activities, parties and camps, to entertain and teach children while their parents take a break. The facility includes a lounge where parents can wait, or they can leave the children to play.
Fiafia charges parents according to the play activities and refreshments they choose for their kids. Families can buy a package that includes specific amounts of time and particularly food and beverages, or they can pay per hour; it costs approximately US$15 for the first hour and about $8 for the second. With the Semnox system, parents can track each transaction a child completes, which includes purchasing foods and beverages, as well as taking part in fee-based activities. The company opened its centers in February and March of this year, and it opted to leverage Semnox's NFC RFID solution to help automate payment data collection as a cashless solution for families, according to Vinayaka Kamath, Semnox's business head for the Middle East and Europe.
When children are brought to the center, they and their parents are each given a 13.56 MHz NFC RFID wristband compliant with the ISO 14443 standard. The bracelets are provided by Semnox and are sized and color-coded according to whether the wearer is a child or an adult. Each band has an RFID chip embedded in it that comes encoded with a unique ID number. As parents register with their name, phone number and e-mail address, employees at the front desk read their bracelet's tag ID and link it to that data for both the parents and their children. That data is then stored in Semnox's software, says Meghashyam Jayaram, the firm's sales head for the Middle East.
Parents can select their preferred payment model. One option is to purchase a package that includes a meal, an activity and a specific amount of play time. Conversely, they can simply pay at the end of the visit for each service they take advantage of while onsite. Once a family enters the premises, the children are free to take part in a variety of activities. The center also provides programs that require extra payment, such as face painting. If a kid participates in such programs, the staff reads the tag ID on that child's wristband, and the cost of that activity is added to the family's account. In addition, the center features a café for children and adults.
If children opt to purchase a meal, snack or drink, they can simply select what they want and present their wristband to a reader at the point of sale. The items are scanned, and the cost of those items is thus added to their parents' balance. Parents can use their own wristbands for the same purpose. If they wish to restrict any activity, food or beverage for their children, that information can be collected during registration. If, for instance, a child with a milk allergy attempts to purchase a dairy product, the software will capture that data so staff members can address the problem.
As parents leave with their children, they return to the reception area, where all wristbands are read and all identities are authenticated. The center has a manually locking gate as well, to ensure no child leave unaccompanied or with an unauthorized adult. The Semnox software displays a tally of costs incurred during the visit, and parents can authorize and pay their balance. The wristbands are disposable and are not collected at the end of the stay. When individuals return to the center for another visit, their personal data is saved so that they only need to receive a new wristband, which is then linked to their account.
Semnox also provides its RFID solution to other children's entertainment sites throughout the United Arab Emirates. The technology is being used similarly in Saudi Arabi and Kuwait, as well as in the United States, for a variety of family entertainment venues that can include arcades, amusement parks, water parks and restaurants (see RFID Boosts Gaming Experience for Florida Entertainment Centers). In the future, the company plans to deploy its technology for real-time locating applications at sites that require location data about children for security purposes.
Semnox designed its own RFID reader hardware with a third-party manufacturer, and it provides its own cloud-based software. The readers can employ Wi-Fi or cable connectivity to forward data from the devices to the software, which is integrated with a user's onsite software. Along with the solution, Jayaram says, Semnox's customers receive 24-7 support via phone, chat or e-mail, as well as free software upgrades yearly. In addition, the technology can be used for analytics and to set up rewards programs for loyalty customers.
"As long as the data is being collected," Jayaram states, "we support them to come up with their own solution." That model for customized support, Kamath notes, has been central to the technology company's approach. "We're not just system providers," he says. "We find a solution that is specific to the needs of the customer." The firm's head office is located in India, with additional offices in the United States and Dubai.
