Golf destination Celtic Manor Resort finds the ideal payments partner
"The service we receive from our relationship manager has taken on an advisory role, rather than a service provider. We feel like a partner, rather than a customer.”
World-class payments for a five-star venue
Set in more than 2,000 acres of panoramic parkland at the gateway to South Wales, the resort has three top courses and hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010.
The business represents an incredible golf and leisure experience, including a golf academy with a floodlit driving range, two luxurious golf clubhouses, four hotels with 600 bedrooms, seven restaurants, a large convention centre, two spas, two state-of-the-art health clubs and facilities for fishing, and tennis to name a few. Celtic Manor is also investing heavily in the development of the new International Convention Centre Wales.
Choosing the right solution
Celtic Manor Resort is also at the top of its game when it comes to payments — with a single solution that encompasses its three world-class championship golf courses, restaurants, bars, shops and more. Through its partnership with Elavon, the company now has one view of all payment activity for easy management, reporting and reconciliation across the business.
On a typical day, Celtic Manor processes more than 1,000 transactions and it was their priority to work with a payments company that would enable them to accept and integrate payments seamlessly and securely across its resort, as well as provide insights into trends to help tune up operations and marketing. With Elavon, they could have it all — in one place.
"I would be glad to recommend Elavon. It’s not always about price, it’s about the relationship and the one we have with Elavon is open, honest and transparent.”
Carl Stockden, Director of Finance, Celtic Manor Resort
Payments made simple
Requirements were clear - Celtic Manor wanted a reliable payments solution that would be a great fit for every business type across its estate. The solution needed to provide operational efficiencies and economies of scale — and importantly a single view for easier reconciliation. Service was key, as Celtic Manor wanted a rewarding business relationship with its acquirer.
Building on an already strong and trusted relationship Celtic Manor chose Elavon for its seamless, end-to-end integration with their existing property management system (PMS) and gateway providers.
Great experiences
With Elavon, customers at Celtic Manor today get a payments experience that’s fast, easy and ultra convenient — whether they are renewing membership, purchasing new clubs, or enjoying a meal at any of the restaurants.
The resort can accept multi-channel payments across its site, including contactless payments and mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Visitors from overseas can even choose to pay in their own currency if they want the extra convenience and peace of mind.
Insights made easy
Elavon handles all payment processing across the property and provides an online reporting tool, so the resort can evaluate and reconcile every transaction — and get exactly the kind of intelligence it needs to assess and optimise performance.
“Once a month our relationship manager comes in to advise us on security, industry trends and any scheme changes we should be aware of,” explains Carl Stockden, Director of Finance at Celtic Manor.
“The reporting is detailed and informative, allowing us to go through volumes, ticket numbers and our relationship manager helps to point out trends and how we can use those data insights to improve operations.”
Ready for growth
With Elavon’s payments service underpinning its business, Celtic Manor can look forward to new opportunities for growth with greater confidence. It’s got a season packed with outstanding events — from polo matches and motoring weekends to fireworks spectaculars.
What’s more, Celtic Manor is opening the 5,000-capacity International Convention Centre Wales in September 2019 again choosing Elavon to be their trusted payments partner, ready to handle the vast number of expected transactions.
Open and honest
“The service we receive from our relationship manager has taken on an advisory role, rather than a service provider. We feel like a partner, rather than a customer,” says Carl Stockden. “I would be glad to recommend Elavon. It’s not always about price, it’s about the relationship and the one we have with Elavon is open, honest and transparent.”
