A 14-Day Deadline
Custom software development, testing, wristband production and deployment all had to be completed in less than 14 days before the tournament opened.
IMG Events needed a fair, fast way to manage complimentary drinks for HSBC credit card holders at a Rolex Series golf tournament, with two weeks to go. Technowave delivered HSBC-branded RFID wristbands, custom software and handheld readers for the bar counters in under 14 days.
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, part of the Rolex Series, is one of the leading events on the international golf calendar. It draws top professional players and an audience of VIPs, sponsors and golf fans, and it is known for its high standards of hospitality.
One of those hospitality benefits is for HSBC credit card holders: complimentary drinks during the event, with the number of drinks set by each guest's card tier. IMG Events, the global sports and events company that organises the championship, needed a way to deliver this benefit fairly and quickly, without slowing down service at the bars.
IMG approached Technowave just two weeks before the tournament. Technowave, founded in 1999 and delivering RFID and Auto-ID solutions across the GCC and India, designed, built and ran the complete system in time for the event.
IMG needed more than a simple counting tool. HSBC wanted every drink recorded by guest, tier, category and brand, while bar staff needed to serve guests quickly during busy tournament days.
Custom software development, testing, wristband production and deployment all had to be completed in less than 14 days before the tournament opened.
Each cardholder was entitled to a set number of complimentary drinks depending on their membership tier. Preventing over-allocation and keeping the benefit fair for every guest was critical.
HSBC needed a clear record of how many drinks were served, of which type and which brand, for every guest and every card tier.
The process had to be quick for bartenders and in line with HSBC's premium brand, so it could not create queues at the counters or feel like a manual check.
Technowave designed one integrated system for IMG: RFID wristbands for guests, a purpose-built tracking app, and short-range handheld readers for the bar teams.
Colour-coded wristbands, one colour per HSBC card tier, carried the HSBC logo for a premium look. Each band was made RFID-enabled with an Avery Dennison UHF RFID label on the back, and handed to guests at entry according to their card type.
Technowave developed software that knows each guest's tier, their allowance and the drinks already claimed. Bar staff log in, scan the wristband and pick the drink category and brand from pre-loaded menus, with no typing needed.
Chainway C66 UHF RFID handhelds were configured for short-range reading, so only the wristband held close to the device is detected. This stops nearby tags being read by mistake and keeps every claim tied to the right guest.
Local caching kept the app working through network interruptions. The wristbands were durable, waterproof silicone bands, suited to a full outdoor tournament day.
Guests received an RFID wristband matching their HSBC credit card tier, colour-coded and branded with the HSBC logo.
When a guest asked for a complimentary drink, the bartender tapped the wristband with a Chainway handheld. The app instantly showed the guest's allowance, the drinks already taken and the drink menu.
The bartender selected the drink type and brand, and the claim was recorded against that guest in real time, giving HSBC live consumption data by guest, category and brand.
Ten RFID-enabled Android handhelds were spread across the bar counters so service stayed quick at peak times.
All bar staff were trained two days before the event, and a Technowave technical support engineer stayed on site for the whole tournament to monitor the system and help the team.
This short clip shows the bar workflow: the handheld reads the guest's HSBC wristband and the app displays the remaining complimentary drinks straight away.
Because the readers only detect a wristband held close to the device, each tap is linked to exactly one guest.
At the end of the tournament, IMG received a detailed consumption report showing 3,719 drinks served, broken down by card tier, drink type and time period.
Every HSBC cardholder received their full entitlement, with no disputes and no over-allocation.
Tap-and-select replaced manual tracking, reducing errors and keeping queues short at the counters.
The 3,719-drink report by tier, type and time gave IMG and HSBC clear insights for planning future events.
HSBC-branded wristbands reinforced the premium image of both HSBC and the championship.
Software, hardware, wristbands and training were all ready within the 14-day window.
IMG Events praised the delivery and said it would engage Technowave again for future events.
“Thank you to you and your team for delivering yet another successful event. The technology ran smoothly and proved extremely useful throughout the tournament days. We will definitely be in touch to engage your services again for future events.”Adam SkinnerIMG Events Team
With the right partner, a complete RFID event solution, from custom software to trained staff, can be live within two weeks.
Configuring readers to detect only the wristband at the device keeps every transaction linked to the right guest in a crowded bar.
Sponsor-branded wristbands deliver the technology and the brand experience at the same time.
Offline caching, enough devices per bar and on-site support keep the system running when the venue is at its busiest.
By combining RFID wristbands, custom software and a well-planned deployment, Technowave solved IMG's challenge and helped deliver a premium guest benefit at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The same approach works for access control, cashless payments and entitlement tracking at concerts, conferences, festivals and sports events.
Technowave designs RFID wristband, access and entitlement solutions for events, with custom software, hardware, staff training and on-site support.
Tell us what you need. Our specialists will reply with pricing, availability and the right configuration for your business.
Prefer WhatsApp? Chat with us · Call +971 4 257 4455