It is always funny to watch the Sci-fi movies shoot 20 years ago and showing the expected life in the 2010’s. Afterwards we can see that the scenarists and decor-makers had a lot of imagination but the reality is often far from their expectations.
Reading many articles about the new technologies, I like to do my own Sci-fi projection and imagine the daily life in a few years. The today mobile phones and tablets are great, but they still take room in the pockets and bags. People like to feel light and free. So why won’t we get i-pads in self-service at Starbucks? Next to the counter, any customer will get an i-pad and use it during he/she is drinking an Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha? By entering a personal code you can connect to any of your websites and applications. The i-pad will get a related Wi-Fi headset allowing to telephone. And a keyboard will be available. The price of the mobile phones devices decreased a lot in a few years so we can expect the same trend for the tablets. We can also imagine such kind of self-service tablet in the subway, in the planes, cabs and cafeterias. I saw recently that P&G has launched recently a virtual store in the subway in Prague.
I read as well that the credit cards could become virtual soon, and same for the fidelity and rewards cards of the store. What does it mean? Much more convenient for the consumers to get a light virtual valet replacing all our credit and reward cards… and in term of targeted marketing there would be a tremendous increase of individualized data about consumptions. The ‘system’ could then analyze and cross-reference the restaurants where you go, if you go by subway or by cab, in what store you buy your apparels, whether or not you are an adept of sales… And the ‘system’ would be able to sharpen your consumer profile with regards the profile of the friends you’ve called or chatted with.
This would be a great tool for marketing and bundling: thanks to all these information the tablet at Starbucks could offer you a $2 discount for a new drink five minutes before the ‘system’ estimates you are going to leave. And the girl sat on your left would get not offer since the ‘system’ would asses she will re-order by herself. And the guy sat on your right would get an offer for a free marble pound cake since the ‘system’ knows he will take this opportunity to order another grande coffee.
A great improvement for the Marketing. But also a strong need of control in order to protect privacy.
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