A German tech firm is looking to work with South West hospitality businesses after developing a digital menu, ordering and payment system.
SO鈥橴SE, based in the east German city of Leipzig, has developed technology which allows customers in a bar, cafe or restaurant to make orders and pay via their smartphones without having to get out of their seats or speak to a waiter, but also without having to download an app.
Instead, customers use their phones to scan a QR code which takes them to a website containing all the outlet鈥檚 menu choices. It also allows them to pay securely too, even by cash if they want, and leave a tip for staff, and receive a digital receipt. It is also GDPR compliant.
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SO鈥橴SE only launched its technology in 2021 but already it is used in more than 100 outlets in 30 cities throughout Germany. It is also growing customers throughout central Europe, including Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Romania and Bulgaria. And now it wants to run a pilot in the 海角视频, and has focussed on the South West because of its huge number of hospitality businesses.
鈥淲e are looking at the 海角视频,鈥 said Ben Wollscheid, SO鈥橴SE managing director. 鈥淎nd the South West would be the perfect place. There is a high density of gastronomic businesses and a lot of tourist traffic which makes this area strong for our system. We expect interest to be high and are scouting companies. We would like to build up a group of pilot customers.鈥
He said once the South West pilot is up and running it could be compared to the German market and added: 鈥淲e could then adapt the model after getting feedback from the user perspective.
鈥淓ventually we hope to cover the whole 海角视频 market,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut we see the South West as a way into the 海角视频 market.
He said companies such as JD Wetherspoon were already offering apps so customers can order from their seats but said there was 鈥渘o major player鈥 in the 海角视频 market yet.
Mr Wollscheid said Germany, like the 海角视频, has been suffering from a shortage of staff in the hospitality industry, with 20% of posts currently unfilled.
鈥淭here are many outlets that can鈥檛 offer a full opening time because they have run out of staff,鈥 he said.
He said the SO鈥橴SE system allows businesses to cope with staff shortages more easily, by easing the workload and thereby increasing sales, and negates the need for customers to download multiple apps if visiting many venues, or even register at an outlet.
鈥淥ur main focus has been Germany,鈥 he added. 鈥淢ostly working with big venues, big bars and restaurants, where there are long walking distances for staff and guests,鈥 Mr Wollscheid said.
SO鈥橴SE was founded in 2018 by Mr Wollscheid, Thomas Niermann, Joachim M眉ller and Benedikt Pilz, to develo its SAAS (Software as a Service) tech for the hospitality sector.
In July 2021, SO鈥橴SE raised about 700,000 euros - about 拢600,000 - from German investors, including Hamburg company builders and early-stage investor Hanse Ventures, FACT Finder founder and AI expert Carsten Kraus and angel investor Stephan Mahlow.
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Mr Wollscheid stressed the company鈥檚 tech is designed to help customer businesses but 鈥渘ot make a profit from them鈥. Instead SO鈥橴SE aims to make money via product placement, with brands showcasing products on the system.
鈥淲e think we can monetise by implanting food and beverage brands into the system,鈥 Mr Wollscheid said. 鈥淲e collect the impressions generated in an outlet, the clicks generated and can then ask the brands to pay us for generating those impressions and clicks.鈥
