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Between five and 20 percent of the traffic visiting the average restaurant's website does so from a mobile phone, meaning that the PDF menus offered by so many establishments are typically not viewable. Whereas companies like Blue Shoe Mobile Solutions are tackling that problem with custom, branded iPhone apps for every restaurant, Ohio-based Mobile Hunger is taking a different approach by offering a web-based tool that simply converts a restaurant's menu into a mobile-ready site with native interaction. Restaurateurs interested in using Mobile Hunger's free service begin by entering their menus, menu categories and individual items. Mobile Hunger then converts that information into a site that's viewable by iPhone and iPod. There's no need for customers to learn another web address, because Mobile Hunger automatically redirects mobile users to the new mobile site; there's also no need to convince users to download and use a custom app. Restaurateurs, meanwhile, can take advantage of analytics tools, photo galleries, social networking links, Google Maps and fully customizable colours to match their brand and logo. They also gain the ability to reach customers who use apps like Open Table, Urban Spoon, Four Square, Gowalla, Yelp and more. Once Mobile Hunger gains traction with its basic, free service for iPhone and iPod, it plans to offer a suite of paid upgrades such as support for other mobile devices—including Blackberry and Windows Mobile—as well as detailed analytics and dedicated hosting. There's little doubt organizations large and small need to reach out to the growing masses of mobile users. The question now, it seems, is whether that should be via a custom app that must be downloaded or via a mobile-ready website--or both, targeting loyal and occasional customers, respectively. One to ponder for your own mobile-friendly brand? Website: www.mobilehunger.com |
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Mass-market goods are all very well and good, but there's nothing like finding a unique, hand-wrought gem. That's why there's Etsy for handmade treasures, Foodzie for artisanal food and now—our own latest find—IndieReader for independent, self-published books. IndieReader bills itself as “a venue for you to find and purchase books published and produced by the people who wrote them,” in the site's own words. The books sold on the site are not only the publishing world's equivalent to handmade goods, but they're also curated by IndieReader to ensure that the cream of the indie “crop" is well-represented. Self-published authors begin by sending their books to New Jersey-based IndieReader for vetting—reviewers for the site include editors, literary agents, publicists and assorted other book lovers. They then pay an annual fee of USD 149 for their first book; if the book is not accepted, IndieReader refunds all but its USD 25 submission fee, which is also the price for selling subsequent books through the site. If their book is accepted, however, it goes up for sale on IndieReader, where shoppers can browse by genre or author name or among recent releases. When a consumer makes a purchase, IndieReader notifies the author by email and the author ships the book out. IndieReader pays authors 75 percent of the sales of their books at the end of each month, plus the shipping fees paid by buyers. There's no question that self-publishing is on the rise, as evidenced not only by sites like Leanpub and Authonomy but also by the fact that even Amazon has created its own self-publishing arm. What happens when any such product category takes off? There's a need for curation. (Related: Online community promotes indie bookstores.) Website: www.indiereader.com |
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Patients the world over who are sick of long wait times at doctor's offices and emergency rooms are increasingly getting respite through services such as InQuickER and Queue Watch. Lending further proof that the concept is a good one, Quebec-based TechnowaiT has now come up with something similar. TechnowaiT's 1-2-3-Go! service is designed to allow patients to leave the waiting room and go somewhere else to pass the time until it's their turn to be seen. Patients begin by registering at the doctor's office and taking a number. They can then go anywhere they're reachable by phone; by calling in regularly to an interactive system, they can find out via an automated message how many people are still ahead of them, and how much waiting time still remains. As their turn approaches, they can then return to the clinic in a just-in-time fashion. Eventually, TechnowaiT aims to add phone alerts so that patients can get notified half an hour before it's their turn, according to a report on Montreal's CTV. Currently free, the service will ultimately be priced at CAD 3. After a pilot project in Laval, Que., TechnowaiT now aims to implement the technology in myriad hospitals and walk-in clinics. Spotted by: CTV Montreal via RP Website: rendezvous.technowait.com |
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Tourism agencies have become innovators in the arts of promotion—witness last year's job contest spotlighting the Great Barrier Reef Islands, for example—but lately we've seen several new efforts aimed at the influx of international visitors expected for a particular global event. Shanghai's AtYourSide service was launched to coincide with Expo 2010, for example; Africa Talking, similarly, is ideally positioned to benefit from the World Cup. The latest along those lines? Pass It On, an initiative to turn the nearly million New Zealanders who live overseas into a network of virtual ambassadors in anticipation of the Rugby World Cup 2011 event. Kicked off last month by the Kiwi Expat Association, Pass It On aims to get expat New Zealanders to spread the word about everything the country has to offer. With funding, distribution and content support from a variety of New Zealand partners, the effort offers monthly prize draws for participants with Kiwi-centric prizes for the winners. Participants begin by signing up with the effort and then sharing stories from the Pass It On site with friends, family and colleagues—sharable videos focus on travel and cuisine, creative talent, and business and innovation. When the recipients of those stories follow the sender's link back to Pass It On and sign up, the sender earns “pass points.” Those points then become entries in a prize draw that takes place on the second Monday of each month; prizes range from locally focused T-shirts and ice cream to the Expat Reconnaissance Tour, an opportunity for four Kiwis living overseas to bring their best non-Kiwi mates home for a week of “money-can't-buy” experiences. Using the Pass Navigator, meanwhile, participants can view their “chain of passes,” including upstream and downstream statistics, the number of people reached, and the countries spanned. As we've noted on so many occasions before, advertising can no longer hold a candle to the unstoppable force that is peer-to-peer promotion. How can your brand tap the power of crowdsourcing and social media for its own promotional gain...? (Related: Crowdsourcing the sales force — Referral program helps landlords find tenants on Facebook — Crowdsourced chocolate bar promotes Yellow Pages — InterContinental hotels get staff to share mates' rates.) Website: www.passiton.co.nz Spotted by: Scott Riddle |
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While national automobile associations have been branching out into other areas—from credit cards to car rental—the primary reason drivers sign up is for emergency roadside assistance. Building on that "there when you need us" sentiment, ANWB, the Dutch motorists association, has launched a mobile store that will tour France* this summer. The ANWB's store on wheels will stop at campgrounds across France, selling tourists items they forgot to pack, from toothbrushes and sunblock to its own maps and travel guides. On July 10th, the association will sell its wares from rest stops along the Autoroute du Soleil, where it will be joined by motor care teams who'll check tire pressure, give traffic updates and clean car windows and mirrors. The ANWB will also treat drivers to a massage while sitters entertain their children. (This might seem excessive, but the Autoroute du Soleil is the main motorway from the north to the south of France, and is so choked with traffic on heavy travel dates that July 10th is dubbed Black Saturday.) Last but not least, when drivers have finally reached their destination, the ANWB's 'Helping Hands' will pitch tents, fill jerry cans and even dry dishes. All of which makes for a prime example of what our sister-site calls brand butlers. As trendwatching.com puts it, "serving is the new selling", and by following its members and assisting them when and where they need it most, the ANWB builds a stronger relationship with its customers and highlights the diversity of its offerings. (Related: Light therapy for weary travellers — Method's mobile laundry truck facilitates clothing donations.) Website: www.anwb.nl Spotted by: Ruben van Rhijn * Not only has France long been the number one holiday destination for Dutch tourists, last year 87.8% drove there from Holland, making it a prime marketing location for the ANWB. |
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Kindness is a goal whose merit few would dispute, which is why we've seen myriad cards, games and even a clothing brand focused on inspiring it. Until recently, however, we hadn't yet come across Pittsburgh's Here You Go, which gives out umbrellas on rainy days with just a request to spread the kindness in return. Equipped with a stock of 1,000 umbrellas, Here You Go has outfitted a staff of some 50 volunteers for random acts of kindness on Pittsburgh's many rainy days, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Specifically, those volunteers watch for sodden individuals without umbrellas on the city's soggy streets and then cheerfully give them one of Here You Go's bright yellow offerings. Attached to each specially designed umbrella is a waterproof postcard encouraging the recipient to do something kind for someone else in return; if they do, they're invited to describe their kind act on the card and mail it back to Here You Go, which then posts the story on its site. Umbrellas also feature prominently, incidentally, in the eco-minded Shibu-Kasa project in Japan, whereby students from Aoyama Gakuin University have set up an effort to encourage reuse of the disposable umbrellas dispensed by many Japanese convenience stores; people who return a free 'Shibu-Kasa' umbrella to a participating store can now receive a ticket called 'Earth Day Money' good for a JPY 50 discount. Either way, it appears the humble devices are good for more than just staying dry. Here You Go has already received queries from like-minded individuals in Seattle, Baltimore and Sydney, Australia, the Post-Gazette reported, with an eye toward expanding the program. Website: www.1000umbrellas.org Spotted by: Jim Stewart and Miriam Brafman |
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It's a well-known fact that the more steps a shopper must take in order to make a purchase, the less likely that purchase is. The same is true for shoppers on Facebook, of course, which is why San Francisco-based Payvment has developed a tool that lets them buy from vendors without ever leaving the site. Now in beta, Payvment turns companies' Facebook fan pages from marketing platforms into sales platforms. Specifically, its Facebook app gives vendors everything they need to create a storefront on the social networking site, including a built-in, full-featured admin area. Installation takes 15 minutes, the company says; once it's done, Facebook users can shop and make purchases from that store without needing to leave Facebook. Each TRUSTe-certified storefront can be added to an unlimited number of Facebook pages. Integrated product search enables discovery of the store's items from across Facebook, and a universal shopping cart lets customers complete their purchases from any Payvment-powered storefront on the site. Payvment currently supports sales in more than 20 currencies with automatic conversion; PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover are all accepted. Other features include automated inventory control, email receipts, storefront comment capabilities and instant discounts for Facebook fans. Payvment is free for participants in its public beta program. Christian Taylor, CEO of Payvment, explains: "Facebook users want a buying experience that captures what's truly unique about the Facebook experience. They want to be able to easily find products and brands, use a shopping cart that travels with them across storefronts, and take advantage of discounts sellers can offer to attract their loyalty. Payvment delivers on the promise of the social network, and helps sellers transform a relationship into a sale." Since Payvment launched in November, more than 20,000 businesses and individuals have started to sell goods on Facebook and over 500,000 Facebook users have shopped for products in stores using the Payvment app. Businesses large and small: time to venture into the social shopping waters yourself...? (Related: Avon takes to Facebook with social sales boutique — An online store in 60 seconds.) Website: www.payvment.com Spotted by: Michael Corrales
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Good ideas seem to inspire the launch of countless variations. To wit: house swapping and subletting, which we've already seen on several occasions. Similar to Creative Caravan, UK-based Onefinestay facilitates that process with a service that's designed to build trust among members. The variation? It adds a wealth of amenities designed to mimic what's available in a good hotel. Now in beta in the London area, Onefinestay focuses its efforts on what it calls the “unhotel”—specifically, a place to stay with all the advantages but none of the disadvantages of a standard hotel. Listed on the site are a variety of distinctive homes throughout the area whose owners have agreed to accept tenants while they're away; at minimum, they are all “comfy, in a great location, easy to get to and safe,” the site says. Booking a stay—which requires membership on the site—is as easy as booking a hotel room, with online payment and confirmation. Every home is properly cleaned before and after every stay, including bed-making, “five-star-quality” linens and towels, and bathroom toiletry courtesy of The White Company. Maid service is available, as are myriad other hotel-style amenities, such as refrigerator supplies. Once guests are settled in, Onefinestay is available by phone 24/7 for anything from restaurant recommendations to extra toothbrushes—staffers make deliveries and site visits via scooter. The site prides itself, in fact, on supplying personal recommendations from the owners of each home to those who rent them, providing guests with an insider's experience of the city. Membership costs and details are still forthcoming; rental costs are listed alongside each featured property. Onefinestay supports itself by taking an as-yet-unspecified fee from each rental. Though it currently serves just the London area, Onefinestay aims to expand to other cities near and distant. One to partner with toward that end...? Website: www.onefinestay.com Spotted by: Nigel Lamb |
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Last fall we covered Covestor Investment Management, a company that lets investors follow the trades of experts with their own managed funds. Approaching the topic with a like-minded spirit, San Francisco-based AlphaClone lets investors intelligently apply the publicly disclosed stock ideas of top hedge fund and institutional money managers. Also known as piggyback investing, cloning lets investors create a portfolio of stocks—known as a “clone”—based on the stock ideas of one or more fund managers at the time those ideas become public. The strategy has been found to outperform the overall market by a significant amount over time, AlphaClone says, so the company offers an online research service that enables investors to create customized clones and quickly determine via instant 10-year backtests if the strategies have added value over time. Investors can follow the stock picks of a single manager or a custom group of managers--AlphaClone currently tracks more than 280 in its database. Cloning strategies can be based on position size, recency or popularity, but AlphaClone also offers a family of Core Strategies that rebalance automatically via its investment accounts. Either way, once they find a good strategy, users purchase the stocks that the system suggests and rebalance quarterly when new holdings are disclosed. A YouTube video demonstrates the platform in action. A full membership on AlphaClone is priced at USD 99.95 per month; basic service costs USD 29.95 monthly. Users of the site's free Guest Pass, meanwhile, get access to the “Top 3 Holdings” clone strategy for any individual fund manager. Two heads are better than one, as the saying goes, and therein lies the dizzying power of the global brain. Just as the consumer crowds often come up with winning innovations, so it makes perfect sense to tap the expert crowds for investment guidance. One to emulate on a local or niche basis? Website: www.alphaclone.com Spotted by: Sam Mar |
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Hard on the heels of our story about Bluebox Avionics' iPad-based in-flight entertainment system comes word of what appears to be the first carrier to test out the technology: Jetstar, the low-cost subsidiary of Australian Qantas Airways. Starting later this month, passengers on select domestic Jetstar flights will be offered an iPad for a rental fee of AUD 10, according to Flight Global. Along with the device will come a wide assortment of music, movies, eBooks, magazines and games. The trial is being conducted in partnership with Bluebox and Stellar Inflight; if it goes well, Jetstar may roll out the iPad on all domestic and international services later this year, Flight Global reported. Now that iPad sales have reached 2 million, it just might be time to think about how this technology could enhance consumers' experience of *your* tech-savvy brand... (Related: Hotel equips concierges with iPads — For £20, a way to try the iPad before buying.) Website: www.jetstar.com Spotted by: Flight Global |
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The field of education is buzzing with innovation. Both public and private sectors are introducing ideas involving new technologies and methodologies. It's fertile ground for fresh enterprises; here are five we spotted recently: 1. SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION ARTS 2.0 — Launching this year in the UK, the School of Communication Arts 2.0 will resemble a creative incubator as much as place of study. Half of the 50 students will enter on scholarships, with much of the funding coming from advertising industry sponsorship. Some of this money will go into an investment fund to assist startups created by students. 2. KNOWMADS — Also with an entrepreneurial theme, the Knowmads school in the Netherlands sets itself out as a platform for what it calls "changemakers"—business innovators who want to make a difference in the world. Students on the one-year course join a 30-strong team that uses action learning and real-world assignments to develop new skills for sustainable and socially-beneficial enterprises. 3. KNEWTON — A host of companies in the US offer assistance to students preparing for their college admission tests. Knewton stands out for its entirely technology-driven model: all courses are purely online, and deploy adaptive learning software and reviewable videos to ensure they are suited to a student's needs and schedule. The USD 690 fee covers 40 hours of live classes and a year's access to the video archive. 4. MYTESTANSWERS — Rather than offering a course to help prepare for admission tests, MyTestAnswers provides a cheap alternative: it allows students to find out where they went wrong on tests they've already done. The site features videos that fully explain how to correctly answer each and every question that has featured in a prior SAT or LSAT exam. Each video solution costs USD 0.99. 5. LARKS & JAPES — Learning a skill doesn't always mean paying a teacher. Larks & Japes in Millerton, NY organises one-day skillshare workshops covering a remarkable range of subjects, from HTML to reverse decoupage. A voluntary donation of USD 10 is solicited to cover costs. Attendees are encouraged to propose and then teach future courses in their own areas of expertise. Larks & Japes was inspired by Brooklyn Skillshare—and similar events are being organised in other US cities. Spotters: Sam Mar, John Greene, Paige Harnden, Gergana Stoeva |
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Whether it's an iPad or an urban chicken farm, there's no doubt consumers like to try before they buy. Why, then, should camping equipment be any different? Aiming to address that very need, UK-based Contented Camping gives first-time campers a way to rent out top-of-the-line gear before deciding to make the full investment. With prices beginning at just GBP 29 to rent a family-sized tent, Contented Camping offers a full range of newly purchased tents, airbeds, tables, chairs, storage units and stoves from top-quality manufacturers. Campers begin by selecting what size tent they need, and for how long; they then choose whatever accompanying gear they'll need. All goods are delivered direct in reusable boxes. Once the camping adventure has been had, Contented Camping has a “Ready to Buy” option that directs consumers to its partner, Outdoor Megastore. Those less inclined to rough it next time, meanwhile, can avail themselves of Contented Camping's motorhome rental options. Though Contended Camping serves just the UK with its camping equipment rentals, the concept is one that could do well anywhere people enjoy getting back to nature—that is, pretty much anywhere. (Related: Farm camping in cottage-style tents.) Website: www.contentedcamping.co.uk Spotted by: Steve Cosby |
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Much the way TeachStreet helps consumers find nearby experts who can teach them something new, so Betterfly aims to connect them with teachers, tutors, coaches, trainers, stylists or anyone else who offers a service that can help them learn, look or feel better. Now in beta, New York-based Betterfly deliberately excludes companies from its list of service providers, focusing instead on individuals with specific expertise. "When searching for someone to teach you Spanish, give you a massage or improve your yoga technique, it's more important to know who the best person is, rather than knowing just the name of a language school, spa or yoga studio," founder Joshua Schwadron explains. "Imagine if eHarmony.com told you that your future wife worked at Citigroup, but left it up to you to figure out who she is. Now what?" Such experts can create a free, highly customizable page on which they can promote their qualifications, services, locations, special offers and payment policies; display reviews from verified clients; upload resources like instructional videos and lesson plans; maintain real-time booking systems, complete with last-minute deals; and even create their own blogs. Users seeking an expert of some kind, meanwhile, can search for free based on more than 20 factors such as availability, friends' recommendations, verified reviews and value. Ad-supported Betterfly is currently available only to U.S. users. One to partner with or emulate for aspiring self-improvers in your part of the world...? Website: www.betterfly.com |
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The global recession has made things tougher in virtually every industry, but it comes as a particularly sharp blow to those that were already highly competitive. Hotels, for example, have had to keep innovating to survive, whether by implementing the latest technologies or hiring a roving reader in residence for entertainment. The latest spotting? An in-hotel program of ongoing cultural events designed to enrich guests' stay. Dubbed “Night School,” the Seattle Sorrento Hotel's effort is a collaboration with chef Michael Hebb and “an array of intellectuals, artists, writers, filmmakers, mixologists, chefs and the leading cultural institutions in the Northwest,” in the site's own words. The Night School's Midnight Symposium series, for example, invites guests to gather together in the Sorrento's seventh-floor penthouse for the express purpose of discussing a particular reading. Readings are assigned via PDF upon confirmation; a fee of USD 50 includes a repast of hearty stew, whiskey and wine as well as a copy of the author's latest book. Then there's the Drinking Lessons series in the hotel's Hunt Club bar, through which leading bartenders and drink historians offer two-hour lessons in the preparation and history of three distinct cocktails along with snacks from the Hunt Club kitchen. The hotel has also established a “Chamber vs. Chamber” musical series pairing classical and indie musicians, as well as a small bookstore featuring books that are being published or written in or about the Northwest. Guests can order books by room service from the 12 Books store. Alternatively, “because no one wants to read alone”—as the Night School blog puts it—a series of “Silent reading” parties are offered in the Hunt Club bar. Still not convinced? Sales of food and beverages at the hotel are now 25 percent above where they were a year ago, according to the New York Times, and room bookings are up as well. The lesson to be learned? The Experience Economy is still going strong; hospitality entrepreneurs, listen and learn! (Related: Hotel targets expectant mothers with 'birth tourism' packages — 10 branded suites make up renovated boutique hotel — Hong Kong hotel opens 'His Space' rooms for men — Free mags for hotel guests via digital newsstand.) Website: www.hotelsorrento.com Spotted by: nytimes via Parul Rohatgi |
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