A recent report, conducted by Sensei in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh Business School, has revealed that 70% of UK shoppers want an autonomous, checkout-free shopping experience. Some of the factors driving consumers towards autonomous retail include a faster shopping experience and not having to queue in order to pay for goods.
The move towards autonomous customer experiences is also being seen in the hospitality sector, with autonomous checkout (AI-based image recognition or ‘vision checkout’) increasingly emerging as a popular choice for workplace staff canteens.
With this technology, checkouts are quite literally being given ‘vision’; eyes to view what food items are on the plate, recognise them and calculate the price.
Speed is one of the most significant perks that comes with autonomous checkout. Recognition of what is on the plate takes place within half a second and payment can be made via contactless, mobile wallet or the swipe of a card, meaning the entire checkout experience is completed in a matter of seconds. As a result, queues are dramatically reduced, if not eradicated completely.
Given the rise in consumers seeking this sort of experience from retailers, autonomous checkouts are only going to increase on the high street. And as it becomes the norm, consumers will become more accustomed to the speed, convenience and ease this tech brings. If this same experience doesn’t translate into workplace hospitality, the risk is that staff will simply go to local high street eateries and cafes as opposed to stay on-site. This will impact revenue, wastage and the general buzz of the workplace.
Another major advantage of automatic recognition is that no items can be forgotten, reducing shrinkage. It also brings invaluable transaction data, allowing hospitality providers to understand what food combinations are being purchased, at what time, and the average transaction value – helping to reduce food waste, inform promotions and tailor loyalty programmes. There is also the considerable saving of operational cost associated with traditional POS stations.
Virtually all the workplaces we have spoken to in the past couple of months have fed back that enhancing the office experience, and making it as brilliant as it possibly can be, is essential to ensuring staff still want to come in and embrace smart working environments. This extends to the hospitality areas and looking at what tech innovations can do to improve the overall office operation.
To find out more about autonomous checkout technology or how we can help your workplace hospitality operation thrive email us on info@systopia.co.uk. You can also see the tech in action by viewing this video: https://auvisus.com/media/visioncheckout_scan_pay_done.mp4