“Kill The Queue” Apps Are The Next Big Thing For Retailers Worldwide
It’s said that drinking coffee between 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. can help minimize the effects of caffeine on your body. Putting this fact into play, almost every single employee in a company needs coffee one to two times a day on average. But how about the time spent on making or buying that cup of coffee? Hence, Lloyds bank came up with a solution to make your coffee break more productive, with the help of Vaidas Adomauskas they came up with a new business called WoraPay.
WoraPay is a very simplistic mobile app that shows a coffee shop’s full menu with prices, allowing you not only to order but also to pay from the convenience of your desk space. The results of this app have been dramatically positive, with over sixty-thousand cups of coffee being ordered online. Using data analytics, Lloyd concluded that this app saved over 2,200 hours for Lloyds banking staff from standing in queue to get coffee, up to date. Collecting these hours over the course of a year, that makes up 10,200 days of work that can be used to focus on daily operations. The WoraPay app is now being used at all of Lloyds sites which includes many cafeterias.
Queue-jumping apps are becoming a necessity to all global retailers, this is because reputable and famous retailers tend to have a huge base of loyal customers who expect fast delivery when it comes to products and services consumed daily. By saving time for individuals, businesses can leverage from extra time available for employees to be more productive. As more businesses start to adopt such applications, employees will find it more convenient to get what they want, and in turn, put in more effort to retain their positions in the company.
Several coffee houses followed WoraPay in this space, to try to leverage from the benefits of technological advancements in their field. Another coffee house giant that implemented this approach is Starbucks. Starbucks created its very own queue-jumping technique by adding a new feature called “Mobile Order & Pay” as an update to its existing iPhone apps. This feature enables customers to order anything off the menu through the app, for a quick and easy pick up at the Starbucks store. The customers will also be able to customize their beverages by adjusting the size or toppings etc. By killing the queue, customers no longer have to waste time waiting for the drink to be made or for payment. This motivated several large businesses to join in on Starbucks’s new vision of banishing waiting time via technology, for the first time in history.
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The Indulging experience
Starbucks did not stop there. In 2017, Starbucks decided to partner with Alibaba to initiate the first ever experiential store in China. The store is approximately the size of a football field, with two floors. When customers walk in, Alibaba’s app will display a digital menu to order from and make payment through your phone using Alipay or WeChat. The app also shows an interactive map of the store, making customers enthusiastic to explore. This initiative was implemented to add joy to the experience, rather than solve customer’s problems. By linking augmented reality to the experience of buying coffee, customers get an insight of the brewing processes making it fun and educational. The store also has a special photo filter so that customers can share their experience on social media. Starbucks has seen great improvements since, as China is it’s fastest growing market with over 3000 stores.
Following this movement, McDonalds is also starting to integrate similar apps to its stores, to leverage from the increase in sales caused by satisfaction. Hence, in this era of rapid technological advancements, companies must be more aware of their competition and the strategies they are implementing. In order to stay relevant to the tech-savvy community and retain brand loyalty.
Do you like the idea of having an app tailored to all your needs? Would you like to build a similar app for your restaurant or store? Visit ME Creative Studio and drop us an email with your project.
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