Lo-Q has signed a three year deal with Compagnies des Alpes to supply Q-smart, its new smartphone-based queuing software, to Walibi Holland in time for Halloween.

Related: Lo-Q Profile/ Theme park line management: interview with Lo-Q CEO Tom Burnet/ Lo-Q Partners With Sanderson Group to Bring Virtual Queuing Systems to Asian Market

Tom Burnet, Lo-Q’s chief executive, said, “For us, this decision demonstrates another important vote of confidence in the value and capability of our technology. Adding Walibi Holland to our park portfolio further strengthens our presence in the European theme park arena and we look forward to building on this renewed strength in the coming months."

Q-smart is Lo-Q’s latest innovation which takes the virtual queuing system used on the Q-bot hand held device to the customer’s mobile phone.  Q-smart is a "Cloud" based solution, significantly reducing infrastructure requirements for the operator.

General Manager at Walibi Holland, Mascha van Till-Taminiau, said,  “Walibi Holland is honoured to be The Netherlands’ #1 thrill park, but we continually look for new ways to increase guest satisfaction in order to ensure we maintain this reputation as Holland’s top park. I strongly believe that Lo-Q’s innovative Q-smart system will do exactly this and greatly enhance guests experience in our park.”

Future Developments

In an interview reported by Proactive Investors Burnet said:

“Depending on the demographic of the parks we’re talking to in terms of future business, I think most customers will choose to go for a hybrid – some Q-bot, some smartphone.

“In two or three years’ time, people won’t be thinking about roaming charges, they won’t be thinking about the cost of data – everybody will be using their phones all the time, all over the world without thinking about it.

In terms of building on the relationship with Compagnies des Alpes in both theme parks and ski resorts  (CDA operate 36 parks across Europe and 15 major ski resorts in the Alps) Burnet is optimistic:

“We’re now working with five out of the top ten operators in the world by attendance.  In every case, we’ve grown penetration into those park groups over time.

“I don’t know for sure whether that will happen with Compagnie des Alpes, but if we do a good job, if we can make them money and if we’re improving guest satisfaction, our experience tells us that operators are then keen to give us more work.

“If there’s a constructive way to monetise that in a way that improves guest experience, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a good conversation to be had.”