|
easyInternetcafé to launch 4th generation Internet café technology in 2006
easyInternetcafé, the world's biggest chain of Internet cafés with 74 points of presence comprising 5,200 PCs in 8 European countries and the USA, is developing the next generation on Internet café technology for a planned rollout in summer of 2006. The business is serving 12 million customers a year and it is growing.
This is the fourth generation since the first easyInternetcafé opened in 1999 and it will be retrofitted to all the corporate large format stores of the chain which includes the world's largest, as certified by the Guinness Book of Records, Internet café in Times Square, New York. The new system will include popular features like wireless accesses, Internet telephony, interactive gaming, automated printing, and picture downloading from digital cameras. The new technology will build on the successful concept of staffless Internet cafés by using a vending machine to dispense credit to customers, thus keeping operators' cost at a minimum. The current 28 global easyInternetcafé franchisees will also be given the option to upgrade to the fourth generation easyInternetcafé.
In addition, the large format easyInternetcafé have been given a face-lift with the installation of an 'easy.com centre' at the front of store with a uniformed assistant ready to answer questions about all 15 easy businesses, from airline tickets to car rental and from hotels to cruising!
"easyInternetcafé is the cheapest way to get online and provides a valuable service to people who have an ever increasing appetite for Internet access, whether they are tourists, away from home or those less privileged who have no fast Internet access at home. With our fourth generation easyInternetcafé we are once again working hard to offer the consumer what they need at a price they can afford." said Stelios, serial entrepreneur and founder of easyInternetcafé.
easyInternetcafé has also selected Matrix-Direct as its master franchisee in 33 European countries (see list below) and China, subject to meeting certain development plans. Matrix direct is already a successful franchisee of easyInternetcafé with 12 outlets in the UK.
Commenting on the deal, Stelios said, “easyInternetcafé has expanded rapidly in Europe through franchising the business so I am delighted that there is now a successful entrepreneur in place and fully committed to growing the business even further."
“We are extremely pleased to be working with easyInternetcafé,” said Craig Thompson, Chairman of Matrix-Direct. “easyInternetcafé's brand, technology and strategy are unparalleled in the marketplace, and we are excited to be named the exclusive franchisee for the easyInternetcafé brand across Europe and China. We are confident that this market is ready for truly inexpensive, high speed Internet access of the kind we provide, and look forward to partnering with retailers and restaurants to help increase their sales.”
easyInternetcafé, a member of the easyGroup family of businesses (www.easy.com), operates automated corporate Internet cafés and other points of presence in restaurants and retailers in eight European countries and the US. These fast food restaurants and other retailers include McDonalds, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts. easyInternetcafé's system has been shown to substantially raise sales in these retailers, in some cases up to 15%, by bringing in new customers and increasing the loyalty of existing customers, while not requiring any attention from the store's own staff and taking up a minimal amount of space.
For more information on easyInternetcafé or to apply for a franchise please visit www.easyInternetcafe.com.
List of European countries: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ireland, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Norway, Finland, Romania, Croatia, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Iceland, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Turkey and Lithuania
|
|
|
