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Innovation Blooms at Powerscourt Estate: New accesso® Mobile App Enhances Visitor Exploration

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WICKLOW, Ireland, May 29, 2024 /CNW/ — accesso Technology Group (AIM: ACSO), the premier technology solutions provider for attractions and venues worldwide, has worked with Powerscourt Estate and Gardens to introduce an exciting new Powerscourt Gardens Audio Tour app, enhancing visitor engagement and sustainability efforts in the heart of County Wicklow, Ireland.

The newly launched app is now available for download on iOS and Android.

Powerscourt Estate, Ireland’s premier Sustainable Visitor Attraction* and one of Ireland’s top attractions, has teamed up with accesso’s Professional Services team to introduce an innovative digital solution aimed at enhancing visitor engagement and experience at the 3rd best garden in the World**, which encompass 47 acres of landscaped gardens.

The new Audio Tour app, offers visitors a seamless and immersive journey through the estate’s outdoor attractions, including its world-renowned Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, Walled Garden with a bee sanctuary, picturesque Triton Lake, the Herbaceous Border and enchanting woodland walks. By harnessing state-of-the-art technology, the app provides an interactive platform for guests to explore the estate’s rich heritage, curated tours, and sustainable initiatives.

The new Audio Tour app is designed to promote sustainability and enhance well-being by encouraging visitors to switch off from digital distractions and reconnect with nature. This innovative tool ensures that all guests, regardless of internet connectivity, can fully engage in the wonders of the estate. During the bus ride or upon arrival, visitors can scan a QR code and quickly download all the content they need via a simple, one-time set-up. With no further internet required after initial download, visitors can then explore the gardens at their leisure allowing the app to lead them through the natural beauty of Powerscourt.

This offline functionality minimizes the need for brochures or physical materials and supports Powerscourt’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The app is a great example of how technology can be used to enhance the exploration of nature without overshadowing it.

“We are very excited for the launch of the new Powerscourt Estate mobile app and are confident it will achieve our goals of enhancing the guest experience while engaging new audiences,” says Sarah Slazenger, Managing Director, Powerscourt Estates Ltd. “The new app not only enhances accessibility and engagement but also aligns with our commitment to sustainability and innovation while also giving us the ability to continuously add new and fresh content for our guests.”

“Having the right technology to support the guest experience is increasingly important for cultural attractions,” says Ben Mathews, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at accesso. “This app shows how technology can positively augment the way guests experience and enjoy an attraction like Powerscourt Estate.”

To learn more, please visit: powerscourt.com / accesso.com.

Key features of the Powerscourt Estate App include:

Audio Script Text Feature: Developed for Powerscourt Estate, this feature enables guides to provide narrations for visitors to read and listen to during their audio tour experience, enhancing accessibility and engagement.Audio Script Text Feature available in Five Languages: The narration for international visitors to read and listen to during their audio tour experience is available in English, Spanish, French, German and Mandarin.Seamless Content Download: The app allows users to download content on installation, ensuring uninterrupted access to tours and information even in areas with limited connectivity.Enhanced User Interface and Brand Identity: The app offers a user-friendly interface featuring the Powerscourt Estate unique brand, providing a cohesive and immersive experience for visitors.Sustainability and Accessibility: By replacing physical devices with a digital solution, the app eliminates the need for any printed materials or costly device rentals.

ABOUT ACCESSO TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC

accesso is the leading global provider of patented and award-winning technology solutions that redefine the guest experience, drive increased revenue, streamline operations, and support data-driven business decisions for leisure & entertainment operators. Currently serving over 1,200 venues worldwide, accesso invests heavily in research and development to provide venues with technology that empowers them to deliver unforgettable guest experiences. Staffed by a team of attractions and cultural industry veterans, accesso partners with venues to increase their range of on- and off-site guest engagement to drive increased revenue through intuitive ticketing, point-of-sale, virtual queuing, distribution, professional services, and experience management technology. Learn more at accesso.com or follow accesso on X (Twitter) , LinkedIn and Facebook.

ABOUT POWERSCOURT ESTATE

*Powerscourt & Sustainability-

Powerscourt Estate is Ireland’s first premier visitor attraction to be certified by Sustainable Travel Ireland whose criteria are recognised by the UN mandated Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Powerscourt, House, Gardens and Waterfall is the first major Irish visitor attraction to achieve such an accolade.

A pioneering spirit has always existed for environmental and nature protection at Powerscourt with the Estate originally being purchased for the use of hydroelectric power at Irelands highest Waterfall which is located on the Estate. Over the last few years some of the sustainability initiatives which have been implemented on the Estate include an integrated energy management system (developed in association with Cool Planet Group), a waste reduction plan and biodiversity rewilding initiatives such as wildflower meadows, a tree planting programme, and a bee sanctuary at the Walled Garden. The long-term overarching mission at Powerscourt Estate is for the Estate to be recognised on a global stage for its sustainability initiatives, and to be Net Zero by 2025. 

“We see ourselves as custodians of Powerscourt for future generations and our aim is leave it in a better state for them. We see sustainability as vital for the future of Powerscourt. We have programmes for tree planting, wildflowers meadows, bee keeping and more as part of our environmental initiatives.”

Sarah Slazenger – Managing Director Powerscourt Estate.

** Named no. 3 in the World’s Top 10 Gardens by the National Geographic-

Powerscourt Gardens in County Wicklow has been named no. 3 in the World’s Top 10 Gardens by National Geographic, second only to the Palace of Versailles and Q Gardens in London. Powerscourt is the only one of the three that is not state owned.

The prestigious accolade comes from National Geographic’s “Top Ten” series of the best trips, adventures, and places to visit in the world. Other European countries to make it into the list included Chateau de Versailles in France (1st) and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England (2nd). Powerscourt Gardens was the only Irish entry included, and one of seven European countries to make it into the top 10. The 47-acre gardens are listed ahead of celebrated horticultural hotspots, such as Villa d’Este (Tivoli, Italy), Dumbarton Oaks (Washington DC) and Chatsworth House (UK).

Powerscourt Estate

Dating back to the 13th century, Powerscourt is a vast country estate noted for its magnificent Palladian-style mansion and 47 acres (190,000 m2) of formal landscaped gardens in the picturesque village of Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Set on a commanding hilltop position, against the backdrop of the Sugarloaf mountains, a sweeping terrace on the mansion’s southside opens onto a breath-taking, ornamental garden and lake.

The Gardens offer visitors a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, statues and ornamental lakes, secret hollows, and rambling walks. Managed by Head Gardener, Alex Slazenger, and a team of four gardeners, Powerscourt Gardens were designed from 1731 onwards, with the desire to create a garden that was part of the wider surrounding landscape. Powerscourt Gardens include The Walled Gardens, The Italian Garden, The Dolphin Pond, The Japanese Garden, Pets Cemetery, and Pepperpot Tower, among other features and attractions.

www.powerscourtestate.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powerscourtestate

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@thepowerscourt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@powerscourt_estate

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SOURCE accesso Technology Group

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Sapient Insights Group Reveals the HR Technology Solutions Ranking Highest in Vendor Satisfaction and User Experience for 2026

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Voice of the Customer badges awarded across 23 HR technology categories, based on 10,000 responses to Sapient’s 2026-2027 Annual HR Systems Survey

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Sapient Insights Group today revealed the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience in its 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey, now in its 29th year. This year Sapient awarded 630 Voice of the Customer badges across 23 technology categories and three company sizes. The rankings are based on responses from HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations.

Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer and Managing Partner at Sapient Insights Group, presents the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience for 2026.

To help buyers find the providers that fit their organization, the rankings are split into three company sizes: small, mid-sized, and enterprise. Respondents rate their satisfaction with their current solution in each technology category on a scale of 1 to 5, with attention to support and service. Sapient also ranks solutions on user experience. The top five solutions in each category and size earn a badge for vendor satisfaction and a badge for user experience. Three categories with smaller sample sizes (Time Labor Budgeting, Contingent Workforce Management, and Skills Management) are ranked in aggregate across all company sizes.

The survey continues to grow with the HR technology market. New this year, the survey adds Compliance Management to the HR Blueprint, application-level outcome questions, payment models for applications and AI, and finance applications covering Core, Expense, and Planning. It also asks more “why” questions throughout, so the results show not just what organizations are doing but the reasons behind their choices.

“Our Voice of the Customer rankings come straight from HR practitioners, with no sponsorship involved, which is why buyers and vendors both pay attention to them,” said Stacey Harris, chief research officer and managing partner at Sapient Insights Group. “This year we expanded the rankings to cover more of the HR technology landscape, which gives buyers a clearer view of how solutions perform for the specific work they need done, not just at the suite level. It also gives vendors honest feedback from the people who use their products every day.”

The highest-ranking solutions for vendor satisfaction are listed below. Rankings include point solutions, modules within technology suites, and in some cases service providers.

Payroll
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

HR Management
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Benefits
Businessolver – Enterprise
Fidelity NetBenefits/PSW – Mid-sized
HiBob – Small

HR Service Delivery: Portal
Dovetail – Enterprise
Workday Help – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Content Management
Dovetail – Enterprise
DocuSign – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Employee Help Desk
Dovetail – Enterprise
ServiceNow – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Engagement Survey
Dovetail – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Time and Attendance
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Absence Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Leave Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Workforce Scheduling
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Labor Budgeting
isolved – All sizes

Learning
Cornerstone – Enterprise
OpenSesame – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Recruiting
Indeed – Enterprise
Greenhouse – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Onboarding
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved (ApplicantPro) – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Performance
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Compensation
Dayforce – Enterprise
Payscale Payfactors – Mid-sized
Insperity – Small

Succession
Dayforce – Enterprise
Microsoft Glint – Mid-sized
Paylocity – Small

Rewards and Recognition
Awardco – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
Gifted – Small

Analytics
Visier – Enterprise
Visier – Mid-sized
UKG People Analytics – Small

AI/ML
Visier Vee – Enterprise
Grammarly – Mid-sized
Anthropic Claude – Small

Contingent Workforce Management
ServiceNow – All sizes

Skills Management HiBob – All sizes

The complete Voice of the Customer results, including the top five solutions for vendor satisfaction and user experience in every category and company size, are available here (https://sapientinsights.com/top-vendors/).

Sapient Insights Group will publish detailed survey findings and analysis in its annual HR Systems Research Report on November 6, 2026. The report will be available to purchase here (https://sapientinsights.com/shop/).

About the 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey

Now in its 29th year, Sapient’s HR Systems Survey is the longest-running, most comprehensive survey of the HR technology landscape, and the only fully objective, non-sponsored study of its kind. This year, HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations around the globe took part. The survey now covers 23 technology categories. The annual report includes an in-depth look at each category, along with current and future adoption rates, customer retention, replacement plans, and projected vendor growth.

For more information about the survey and report, schedule a call (https://calendly.com/summerorellano/schedule-a-call-with-sapient-insights-group).

About Sapient Insights Group Sapient Insights Group is a certified women-owned, privately-owned consulting, research, and advisory firm. The company works with organizations in the areas of HR and finance technology; HR strategy and transformation; leadership and culture; change management; talent management; mergers and acquisitions; and project management. The company’s HR Systems Survey is the HR profession’s most trusted source for objective data on the HR technology market and insights to guide buyer investments and vendor product development and marketing. For more information, visit www.sapientinsights.com.

Media Contact

Allison Williams, Sapient Insights Group, 1 4043044748, Info@sapientinsights.com, https://sapientinsights.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sapient-insights-group-reveals-the-hr-technology-solutions-ranking-highest-in-vendor-satisfaction-and-user-experience-for-2026-302915884.html

SOURCE Sapient Insights Group

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SAJ Debuts First CEC-Approved Systems under Australia’s New Battery Standard at All Energy 2026

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EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on show at Stand M143, with Australia’s Strongest Man at Stand E01 and the SAJ range across three distributor stands

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SAJ will exhibit at All Energy Australia 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 28–29 October. At Stand M143, installers can get their first hands-on look at the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, the first products approved under Australia’s new SA TS 5398 standard.

At 2pm on Wednesday 28 October, DEKRA and CCS will present SAJ with the CEC certificates for the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on the stand, making SAJ the first brand listed under SA TS 5398. SAJ and DEKRA will also sign a strategic cooperation agreement covering safety, quality and compliance.

On the stand

EK70 HS5 – the all-in-one home energy system, combining hybrid inverter, LFP battery and whole-home backup in one unit. Modular 6, 7 and 9 kWh battery blocks stack to suit the household.EK90 HS5 – the premium tier, with 12,000-cycle cells, nine-layer safety protection, edge AI and a 15-year warranty.B2S and H2 – modular storage and the latest from SAJ’s residential range.elekeeper 5.0 – SAJ’s energy management app, with AI-assisted design, five-minute app commissioning and remote diagnosis.C&I – SAJ’s latest commercial and industrial solutions.

Live demonstrations of the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, elekeeper 5.0 and the C&I range run at 10am on both days and again at 3pm on Wednesday.

Visitors can also play the claw machine on the stand throughout both days to win tennis balls signed by SAJ brand ambassador Alex de Minaur.

Beat Australia’s Strongest Man of 2026 at Stand E01

At Stand E01, near the hall entrance, visitors can take on Bradman Houston, Australia’s Strongest Man 2026, on the high striker. Bradman will be there each day. Anyone who beats his score wins!

Bradman recently partnered with SAJ and Sydney Solar & Electrical on a video series about lifting technique and fitness for solar installers, now on SAJ’s Instagram.

SAJ across the floor

The SAJ range is also on show with the company’s three national distribution partners, for stock, pricing and account conversations:

One Stop Warehouse – Stand EE113, with the EK90 HS5 on displaySupply Partners – Stand L135Tradezone – Stand S113

“All Energy is where the industry sees what’s next, and for SAJ that’s the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5,” said Alan Li, the Sales Director of SAJ Electric Australia. “Installers told us they want one integrated system that’s faster to install and that they can stand behind. Being the first brand listed under SA TS 5398 is the proof. We’d love installers to see both systems up close at Stand M143, and to try their luck against Bradman at E01 while they’re there.”

Visit SAJ

Where: Stand M143 (Beat the Strongest Man at Stand E01), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreWhen: Wednesday 28 – Thursday 29 October 2026More information: au.saj-electric.com

About SAJ

Founded in Guangzhou in 2005, SAJ (Guangzhou Sanjing Electric Co., Ltd.) is a specialist in smart energy storage, delivering integrated solutions across solar generation, battery storage, energy management and EV charging for residential and commercial customers. SAJ has operated in Australia since 2013 and works with three national distribution partners – One Stop Warehouse, Supply Partners and Tradezone – backed by local technical support and warranty infrastructure.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/saj-debuts-first-cec-approved-systems-under-australias-new-battery-standard-at-all-energy-2026-302915502.html

SOURCE SAJ

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Starvia Automotive Expands Used-Car Exports to Afghanistan and Iran

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GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Starvia Automotive has added Afghanistan and Iran to the destinations covered by its used-car export business, the company said on Oct. 21, as it focuses on used vehicles built to Chinese-market specifications. Buyers in both markets can now request an assessment of a specific vehicle before an order is confirmed.

What the review covers

For a used vehicle, the model name alone does not determine whether an export order can proceed. Year of manufacture, vehicle identity, condition, ownership documents and destination import rules are reviewed for each request, together with carrier acceptance, transit requirements and payment restrictions, according to the company.

Starvia cited two listings in its online used-car catalog as examples of the process: a 2023 Volkswagen Polo and a 2021 Volkswagen Tharu. The company said the listings show published stock and do not confirm that either unit is available or eligible for import into both markets. Stock, vehicle records and destination suitability are confirmed before a model is presented as an order option.

How an inquiry is handled

Inquiries are submitted through the company’s online form, which asks for destination city, importer details, preferred vehicle, quantity and purchasing timeframe. Starvia said the information is used to identify suitable vehicles, check documentation and seek a transport option, and that alternatives can be discussed if the first model does not meet the requirements.

An Arabic-language version of the site is available at https://www.starviaauto.com/ar?utm_source=prnews for buyers who prefer Arabic.

Any vehicle offer, freight estimate or shipment timing remains subject to commercial, regulatory and logistics checks, the company said. Buyers should obtain destination-side import approval before committing to a purchase.

About Starvia Automotive

Starvia Automotive is a Guangzhou-based exporter of new and used vehicles. Its online catalog lists used cars with vehicle history and inspection information for buyers in multiple regions.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/starvia-automotive-expands-used-car-exports-to-afghanistan-and-iran-302915298.html

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