As sanitisation becomes a priority following the COVID-19 crisis, paper and plastic restaurant menus could pose a health risk for diners, with bacteria counts as high as 185,000 per square centimetre (far more than a toilet seat).
New menu app, MasterTAAG, enables diners to access the menu from their smartphones by scanning a QR code, and avoid touching a printed menu.
While restaurants prepare to re-open, MasterTAAG is being offered free of charge until mid 2021, to speed up ordering, reduce reliance on printed menus and help minimise virus spread.
MasterTAAG, an IoT solution created by entrepreneur David Navaro Vera, enables restaurant patrons to access digital menus in multiple languages from their smartphone.
Already live in Shoko restaurant in Barcelona and the Pig’n Whistle in LA (prior to the lockdown), the solution allows patrons to use their own mobile phones to browse and select their order, rather than touch printed menus that are shared amongst other customers, by scanning the QR code at their table.
As restaurants review their dining strategies in anticipation of opening after the lockdown, MasterTAAG offers a solution to ensure restaurants can offer a high level of sanitisation by reducing their reliance on printed menus, which are typically a breeding ground for bacteria.
Aimed at supporting the hospitality industry by helping restaurants, in particular local independents, sanitise, simplify and speed up their food ordering process, the app is being offered free of charge until mid 2021.
MasterTAAG also provides restaurants with a digital portal including features such as social media, promotions, auto-translation and a photo menu.
“Despite global lockdown measures beginning to ease, the hospitality industry is still under huge threat, with many small businesses closing and jobs being lost. Restaurants, especially independents, are particularly at risk,” said David Navaro Vera, Founder & CEO at MasterTAAG.
“As local, independent restaurants underpin our culture, we must do everything we can to protect them. By providing these businesses with access to MasterTAAG free of charge until mid 2021, we want to give them every opportunity to survive and thrive, by reducing their reliance on printed menus to help minimise the spread of the virus – and more generally, improve overall menu hygiene ongoing.”
Media Contact:
MasterTAAG
David Navaro Vera
0044 7909 888 428 [email protected]
A new era of transactions has arrived. Heralded in rapidly by Covid-19, contactless payment suddenly became the payment choice “du jour.” Globally, we were already setting out sights on obviating paper-cash and the need for pins; however, that reality has arrived sooner than expected.
What is contactless payment, and how does it work?
Otherwise known as “touch-free” payment, “remote” payment, and “tap-and-go,” contactless payment only requires an online connection. This connection is formed between the phone and the “Point of Payment” through a near-field-communication (NFC.) Once the payee taps their card or more often these days – simply hovers their card above the payment site – a unique code is created which marks the payment and is directly issued to the bank.
Click & Collect by MASTERTAAG
More recently, completely eliminating the need for cards, online financial apps are also offering customers the option to pay directly from their phones.
Growing in popularity since the rise of Covid-19, a mid-March study showed that 30% of the respondents took switched to contactless payments since the virus appeared. Interestingly, 70% of those users claimed they would continue using contactless payments post-COVID-19.
Naturally, this swift transition is down to a growing awareness of surface germs and contagion trajectory. But it can’t be denied that convenience still lies at the heart of people’s yearning for new and exciting Fintech innovations. Paired with banks across numerous countries, the Fintech industry has listened to this demand cry and, in turn, doled out the nifty QR code.
What are QR codes?
QR codes can be considered an expansion of contactless payment. Essentially QR codes are a form of barcode that contains directions to a particular website or online document. These codes are machine-readable, meaning that they require no physical contact whatsoever other than the proximity of a scanner (phone camera.) And that’s great for the germ-conscious. It also just happens to be great for business.
QR code for the hospitality industry by masterTAAG
It’s possible that businesses stand to gain the most from turning away from tradition, particularly in the highly customer-driven accommodation and dining sectors.
How employing both contactless payment options and QR codes can enhance customer experience and increase revenue
Picture this. A health-conscious couple walks into a restaurant and is wary about touching anything that may be contaminated or unsterilized. To their delight, they’re met with a table-center QR code sign as they take their seats.
What they know is that they can simply scan this code, and the restaurant’s menu will appear on their phone – perfect. There’s no need to touch any haggard menus. Better yet, they are now at ease, knowing that the restaurant has their wellbeing and safety in mind.
They haven’t had to download an app or log in to an account to achieve this effect. All that’s left for them to do is select what they want and show it to a server.
And once they’re finished, they can tap to pay, especially now that contact payment limits are being eased in the interest of encouraging its use. Or, they can pay using an online payment app such as PayPal, Venmo, or Google Pay.
So, if customers benefit from the implementation of QR menu codes, why aren’t businesses eager to get started?
Benefits of pairing contactless payments and QR codes in business strategy
When a guest interacts with a business through their phone or social media, they’re more likely to share it, thus promoting the venue to their friends. Not only does this allow a business to monitor which aspect of their service/products is most attractive through increased data collection, but it can also drastically expand business reach.
What’s more, customer service receives a boost considering that human error is minimized, and guests can comprehensively view deals, specials, and other offers from the establishment. That means that instead of guests looking for entertainments or services elsewhere, they can become aware and avail of the hotel or restaurant services through QR code produced information.
So, it’s no surprise that in the age of technology, small and large businesses alike were capable of quickly shifting some of their core-processes online, including introducing QR scanning systems and expanding their contactless payment services.
Through using online QR code-accessed menus, a business can keep their menus up-to-date and relevant in real-time. It’s expected that dynamic digital menus and services will be the future of the service industry.
The push for digitization in the hospitality sector
In addition, as the number of financially-inclusive “digital banks” grows alongside tightening of security around contactless customer and card details, it seems the shift is inevitable. Customer’s expectations are also rising around the tech-savviness and convenience of a business. The more services they can receive digitally, the better for sales and rate of customer retention.
QR code Restaurant Menu
So, for highly customer-focused hospitality businesses such as restaurants or hotels, it’s worth adapting, optimizing, and potentially harmonizing both online/contactless payment options and a QR system. And, with research by MasterCard showing that 46% of the world’s population are currently using some form of non-cash payment – now is the best time to make the switch.
Fortunately, the transition is easy. Implementing a contactless payment system and rolling out a campaign of business-related QR codes requires consulting an IT firm, company bank, and buying the necessary equipment. QR codes are notoriously easy to implement due to their click-and-go production.
So, as the Fintech industry, banks, and businesses’ rush to accommodate new customer needs, a QR and contactless payment system seems like the fastest and surest way to stay on-top of the ever-changing market.
Discover MasterTAAG, a fully integrated Contactless Menu & Payment.
New menu web service offered free of charge to restaurants to help minimise virus spread by reducing reliance on printed menus
As sanitisation becomes a priority following the COVID-19 crisis, paper and plastic restaurant menus could pose a health risk for diners, with bacteria counts as high as 185,000 per square centimetre. This is far more than a toilet seat.
New menu app, MasterTAAG, enables diners to access the menu from their smartphones by scanning a QR code, and avoid touching a printed menu.
While restaurants prepare to re-open, MasterTAAG is being offered free of charge until mid 2021, to speed up ordering, reduce reliance on printed menus and help minimise virus spread.
(May 6, 2020): MasterTAAG, an IoT solution created by entrepreneur David Navaro Vera, enables restaurant patrons to access digital menus in multiple languages from their smartphone. Already live in Shoko restaurant in Barcelona and the Pig’n Whistle in LA (prior to the lockdown), the solution allows patrons to use their own mobile phones to browse and select their order, rather than touch printed menus that are shared amongst other customers, by scanning the QR code at their table.
As restaurants review their dining strategies in anticipation of opening after the lockdown, MasterTAAG offers a solution to ensure restaurants can offer a high level of sanitisation by reducing their reliance on printed menus, which are typically a breeding ground for bacteria. Aimed at supporting the hospitality industry by helping restaurants, in particular local independents, sanitise, simplify and speed up their food ordering process, the app is being offered free of charge until mid 2021.
MasterTAAG also provides restaurants with a digital portal including features such as social media, promotions, auto-translation and a photo menu.
“Despite global lockdown measures beginning to ease, the hospitality industry is still under huge threat, with many small businesses closing and jobs being lost. Restaurants, especially independents, are particularly at risk and need every tool available to help them reassure and sensibly encourage customers to return,” said David Navaro Vera, Founder & CEO at MasterTAAG.
“As local, independent restaurants underpin our culture, we must do everything we can to protect them. By providing these businesses with access to MasterTAAG free of charge until mid 2021, we want to give them every opportunity to survive and thrive, by reducing their reliance on printed menus to help minimise the spread of the virus – and more generally, improve overall menu hygiene ongoing.”
About MasterTAAG:
The platform is an IoT start-up behind TAAG Solutions and helps solve a number of business problems by altering the mode of operations for restaurants. They already support restaurants across the world, from Barcelona to Los Angeles.
Please see the following link for details on how it works.
Press Release: MasterTAAG is an Internet of Things startup aiming to provide technology-driven solutions to businesses, by automating business processes to ease the art of doing business. MasterTAAG has disrupted the market by launching the first of its kind in cost-efficient translation app.
The MasterTAAG app is the first of its kind smart web service for restaurants. Designed to help service restaurants by translating their menu into their customer’s preferred language and currency effortlessly. The use of digital technology ensures there is no download delay for the customers, helping them to understand the menu offered by the restaurants as well as the costs. The service also gives a pictorial representation of the menu, allowing customers to see how delicious the meal looks.
MasterTAAG mainly helps to solve one of the significant problems with ordering food or drink. The customer does not understand the meal or cost involved.
Press Release – MasterTAAG App
Consequently, the MasterTAAG app makes it order foods and drinks by providing the menu and the price list in the customer’s currency and language.
NFC technology provides access to the menu and price list, with iBeacon used in sending them to all mobiles devices that do not have the NFC technology. Users can connect through Bluetooth and WiFi, ensuring that everyone benefits from the technology regardless of their device.
MaterTAAG is already receiving accolades from users. “Surprised at first with this new physical web service and we quickly understood the benefits for our customers,” says Laurent N – Customer at Coffee & Go France.
Discover more information about MasterTAAG on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
MasterTAAG: First Digital App for restaurants now live
We are all very excited today; we launched MasterTAAG – the first digital app for restaurants.
The MasterTAAG app translates your menu into your customer’s language and currency effortlessly! Physical web technology means no download hassle for your customers. With MasterTAAG, customers easily understand what you offer and how much it costs. They can even see how delicious it looks!
IoT is critical to the UK’s search for the holy grail of higher productivity and competitiveness. The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates that it could add £322bn to the UK economy by 2020, and create tens of thousands of extra jobs.
How big is the Internet of Things?
Big and getting bigger — there are already more connected things than people in the world. Analyst Gartner calculates that around 8.4 billion IoT devices were in use in 2017. The statistic has increased by 31 percent from 2016, and this will likely reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Total spending on IoT endpoints and services will reach almost $2tn in 2017, with two-thirds of those devices found in China, North America, and Western Europe, said Gartner.
Out of that 8.4 billion devices, more than half will be consumer products like smart TVs and smart speakers. The most-used enterprise IoT devices will be smart electric meters and commercial security cameras, according to Gartner.
Another analyst, IDC, puts worldwide spending on IoT at $772.5bn in 2018 — up nearly 15 percent on the $674bn spent in 2017. IDC predicts that total spending will hit $1tn in 2020 and $1.1tn in 2021.
According to IDC, hardware will be the most significant technology category in 2018. $239bn is set to go on modules and sensors, with some spending on infrastructure and security. Services will be the second largest technology category, followed by software and connectivity. (Source)
What is the Internet of Things (and why does it matter)?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people with unique identifiers. They can transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
The internet of things (or as it’s also known, IoT) isn’t new: tech companies and pundits have been discussing the idea for decades, They unveiled the first internet-connected toaster at a conference in 1989.
At its core, IoT is simple: it’s about connecting devices over the internet, letting them talk to us, applications, and each other. The popular, if silly, example is the smart fridge: what if your fridge could tell you it was out of milk, texting you if its internal cameras saw there was none left, or that the carton was past its use-by date?
Smart Functions
Where it’s most common, in Britain at least, is home heating and energy use – partially because the government is pushing energy companies to roll out smart meters. They have smart functions that let you turn on heating remotely. Set it to turn down the temperature if it’s a sunny day, and even turn off when there’s no-one home. Some can tell the latter with motion-sensing cameras, or just by seeing that your smartphone has left the premises.
IoT is more than smart homes and connected appliances. It scales up to include smart cities. Think of connected traffic signals that monitor utility use or smart bins that signal when they are full. Industry, with connected sensors for everything from tracking parts to monitoring crops.
Why does it matter? The government encourages energy companies to provide us with a Smart Meter because they are more efficient and use less energy. Many areas of IoT show such benefits, though some smart gadgets are more about whizz-bang effects than efficiency. The result of this may suggest why we see more smart heating than smart fridges in the UK. (source The Guardian )
Worldwide spending on IoT forecast to reach $772 billion in 2018
Hardware largest technology category with $239bn on modules and sensors
By 2021, 55% of expenditures on IoT projects will be for software and services
Manufacturing currently leads spending with $189 billion
The Asia Pacific tops the regional spend with $312 billion
(Source: TelecomTV.com)
NFC IoT
“By 2021, more than 55 percent of spending on IoT projects will be for software and services,” said Carrie MacGillivray, VP of IoT and Mobility at IDC. “Software creates the foundation upon which IoT applications and use cases can happen. However, it is the services that help bring all the technology elements together to create a comprehensive solution that will benefit organizations and help them achieve a quicker time to value.”
Regarding vertical market adoption, the industries that are expected to spend the most on IoT solutions in 2018 are:
manufacturing: $189 billion
transportation: $85 billion
utilities: $73 billion
IoT spending among manufacturers will primarily focus on solutions that support manufacturing operations and production asset management. In transportation, two-thirds of IoT spending will go toward freight monitoring, followed by fleet management. Smart grids will dominate IoT spending in the utility industry for electricity, gas, and water. Cross-Industry IoT spending – which represents use cases common to all sectors. Connected vehicles and smart buildings will be nearly $92 billion in 2018. They will rank among the top areas of spending throughout the five-year forecast.
