multi-touch screen restaurant tables: 2010

The purpose of this report is to develop and produce a concept which includes technological items linked with customer needs in the hospitality industry. Firstly, it describes how the process of researching this project has been created, the influences on the research, and what was involved in developing this concept. The next step of the report is to identify the customers’ needs in hospitality-tourism relations. Moreover, it is necessary to classify how digital technology is changing in our society, especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. The major item is the investigation of possible technologies which are involved for creating this concept. Finally, the concept illustrates what could be used and how the main benefits will evolve for customers and also for the hospitality and tourism businesses.

Research process

During the research on improving technology in the hospitality or tourism industry, the first idea began with watching a video where students from Bournemouth University demonstrated how innovation can be improved by technology in the hospitality industries (Julian Dombrowsky et al., 2010). One part of the presentation was a touch screen being used in a cafe operation. This led to deeper exploration of the subject of digital surface technology. The touch screen looks like a 30-inch display that is produced on a table (Microsoft Surface, 2010). Continuing with the research, multi-touch coffee tables already existed in the bars and cafe shops, but they were not very common. So I concluded to transfer this idea using similar technology in restaurant. However, further investigation reveals that a multi-touch restaurant table already existed, but based on different technology. This technology uses a touch pad-projection system with interactive ordering software (E-table interactive, 2009). For example, one multi-touch restaurant called Inamo, located in London, offers customers a completely unique dining experience as a result of touch-screen ordering tables (Inamo -Restaurant 2010). This technological improvement is bringing additional applications from multi-touch coffee tables to a restaurant environment providing more customer satisfaction and producing more business profits.

Customer needs

Over the past few decades the words “tourism” and “hospitality” are frequently mentioned and discussed in our society. This has resulted in tourism and hospitality assuming a more important role; not only in our lives but also globally. At the same time, technology is connecting with the tourism sector very closely, adapting to new customer tastes and trends. (Page, S. J. 2009). The major part of these businesses focuses on the customer and their needs. For example, there are many reasons and benefits why people enjoy going to restaurants. These include: social need as a meeting place, a food experience, entertainment and celebration of a special occasion (Wearne, N. and Morrison, A. J. 1996). Identifying and understanding customer needs is a key element for every business (Page, S.J. 2009).

Customer satisfaction of their experience within restaurants occurs when their wants and their expectations are fulfilled (Infosurv 2009). To be successful in this competitive industry, management must consider how to improve and develop hospitality operations for maximum customer satisfaction. “Product development is not just the key to success; it is also the means of survival” (The Magazine for hospitality management professionals 2010).

In this project, the customers’ needs are to have fun, to socialise and to have an exciting computing experience in a friendly restaurant or cafe environment. The use of multi-touch restaurant tables means that every person essentially gets to eat off a giant computer screen and allows browsing of e-menus, ordering meals or drinks, and payment of bills directly from the table without engaging a waiter. This also offers diners other entertainment options; like selecting the mood of the table by choosing between different “virtual tablecloth” images, the ability to download photos from cameras and phones, playing board games or selecting the next possible venue to visit around town. This provides a comfortable, creative and entertainment dining experience for a large spectrum of customers.

Technology

Technology has affected all of our society in different ways. It has helped to develop economies in today`s world, which has caused a rise in our lifestyle standards. Technology is an important player in the modern tourism and hospitality industry. People consume not only for practical purposes, but also for enjoyment, entertainment (Campbell, 2004) cited in (Jansson-Boyd, 2010), and to boost their social status, in the search for happiness (Dittmar & Beatty, 1998) cited in (Jansson-Boyd, 2010). Inamo’s innovative touch screen tables demonstrate how technology can serve to enhance the consumer’s experience and enjoyment through the use of technology.

Microsoft Surface

In this concept the main object is Microsoft Surface and other applications which relate to my idea. Microsoft Surface is technologically advanced with, yet it is user friendly, even for those without specific technological knowledge (Microsoft Surface 2010). It is a multi-touch computing product which produces horizontal interfacing, which allows the user or multiple users the ability to interact with an application simultaneously, instead of utilizing a mouse or keyboard (Dietz, P.H. and Eidelson, B. D. 2009). The touch screen surface allows user to interact from any side within a 360 degree orientation. This technology gives consumers the option to cooperate in a big group at the same time. There are different variations for movements, using one or more fingers (sometimes on both hands) to manipulate with the multi-touch surface. By movement, users can change position of the virtual object. This digital technology works on camera and image recognition, identifying different objects like fingers, hands, tagged things or shapes. Microsoft Surface is based on the Windows Vista Business operating system, allowing businesses to manage and support Microsoft Surface units. The latest version for software is the Microsoft Surface 1.0 Service Pack 1. New applications can be developed for a large spectrum of business sectors (Microsoft Surface 2010).

Concept

The vision of this project is to create a technological product for consumer satisfaction in the hospitality or tourism industry. Businesses are very competitive for every customer in the hospitality sector. In other words, without customers there is no business. Technological innovation, specifically the use of multi-touch screens, demonstrates how the hospitality industry can provide more interesting environments for customers.

Touch screen restaurant tables can fascinate people and give them more opportunities in their dining experience. Diners sit down in front of multi-touch displays which act as a serving table. The multi-touch table displays to the customer a ‘virtual plate’, allowing customers to visualize full meals before the actual food arrives at their table. On the right and left side of the table, there are icons which allow the consumer to easily navigate around the menu system (e.g. drinks and food selection, internet browsing). Users of this multi-touch table can manage everything from the table, thus eliminating the need for a waiter and having to take time to distract him or her. Without stress or rush, customers are able to plan what they want and when. Every dish has a description of its ingredients, including important notes for vegetarians or people sensitive to certain food substances. Also, the price of every dish is displayed next to the description, allowing the customer to know how much each dish costs. At any time, the diner can decide to order a meal simply by clicking on the option ‘send food’, sending the food order directly to the kitchen. Whilst the customer waits for a meal to arrive, the customer can still be entertained. Multi-touch tables have many different options for diners to interact and have fun with their fellow diners. If the customer wishes to see how their meal is being prepared, there is an option to view the kitchen via webcam, directly from the table. There are also entertainment options for children, such as video and board games. Changing the ‘virtual tablecloth’ to suit the diner’s mood or interests is also possible. At the same time, customers can check the bill anytime throughout the dining experience. Bluetooth technology has been incorporated into multi-touch tables which give the option to download pictures and photos from cameras, mobile phones, and other Bluetooth devices, to the multi-touch surface. The camera needs to be Bluetooth enabled for pictures to be downloaded to the table. Pictures can be moved around the surface and any side, and can be manipulated to different sizes.

Also paying bills straight from the table, it makes the dining experience full interactive. For example, paying by credit card; diners can simply move with their finger ‘pictures of their meals and drinks’ to the card.

Bibliography

Page, S. J. (2009). Tourism management – managing for change. 3^rd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann

Wearne, N. and Morrison, A. J. (1996). Hospitality Marketing. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Campbell, C. (2004). Elusive consumption. Oxford: Berg. Cited in Jansson-Boyd, C. V. 2010. Consumer Psychology. Berkshire: Open University Press

Dietz, P. H. and Eidelson, B. D. (2009) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Tangible and Embedded Interaction. SurfaceWare: Dynamic Tagging for Microsoft Surface, pp. 249 – 254. ACM DL Digital Library (online).

Available at: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1517664.1517717

(Accessed: 16 November 2010)

The Magazine for hospitality management professionals

Available at: http://www.instituteofhospitality.org/

Issue 18 Summer 2010

Innovation through Technology (2010). Dombrowsky, J., Derham, S., Millard, J. et al.

Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV4PFQR1u9w

(Accessed: 25 Octoberr 2010)

Microsoft Surface (2010).

Available at: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en/us/default.aspx

(Accessed: 25 October 2010)

Inamo – Restaurant (2010)