Serge Taborin is the latest Sainsbury Management Fellow to use his combined business and technology skills to co-found and develop an innovative business – Q App – alongside an impressive group of experienced digital entrepreneurs and senior hospitality industry professionals.
Q App is a revolutionary mobile ordering and payments platform. The London-based mobile start-up offers a solution to a problem that has existed since the first bar was opened – having to stand in a long queue to make an order. A fundamentally inefficient process, it is a nuisance for customers and places a limit on the number of orders that can be processed by venues.
Serge Taborin, Q App’s CEO said: “This unique app enables hospitality and entertainment venues to keep up with the speed and efficiency of modern times. It’s a win-win situation for customers and venues: customers can spend more time socialising and venues can increase staff efficiency and offer a better service whilst generating more revenue and gaining valuable insight into customers’ purchasing behaviour. We’re aiming to enhance the customer/venue ordering experience within the food, drink and entertainment industries.”
How Q App Works
Focusing on market segments where long queues are most common, including busy pubs/bars, fast-food outlets, coffee shops, sports grounds, theatres/cinemas and major entertainment establishments, Q App uses its proprietary platform to enable users to browse the menu, select products and pay for their order using a pre-registered credit card at any participating venue, all from their smartphone avoiding queuing, carry cashing or the need for a paper bill.
When the order is ready, the user receives an alert with a unique code and collects their products from a dedicated ‘fast lane’ at the counter – or even has them delivered to their table/seat. Amongst other benefits, the app also allows users to specify their collection time-slot, ideal for takeaway outlets, coffee shops and theatre intervals.
The accelerated process has not only seen an average 10% rise in orders across participating venues, but also reduces operating costs and increases average order values.
Customer Roll Out
Q App, which aims o have 250,000 downloads by summer 2014, has been growing exponentially since its launch and is now live at a number of major venues across London, including Southbank Centre, ETM Group’s The Botanist, The Cadogan and Angel and Crown, Glendola’s Waxy O’Connor’s, Palace Theatre (part of the Nimax Theatre Group) and Konditor & Cook, with plans underway for a nationwide expansion. The company has also recently added a Premier League club to its rapidly expanding portfolio of clients.
Ed Martin, co-founder of ETM Group commented: “The addition of the Q App platform to some of our flagship venues has improved our operational efficiencies. Using the app means we are able to process significantly more orders during busy periods, while the average order value is also noticeably higher as a result of our ability to promote and up-sell additional products. Just as importantly, the customer feedback has been excellent – the convenience provided means our customers don’t have to queue so are able to benefit from this virtual VIP treatment at a press of a button.”
Technology
Q App is available on both iPhone and Android platforms, while its unique format gives venues premium product placement slots to assist with up-selling higher margin products. In addition, the app gathers rich customer data which can be used for highly targeted special offers and seasonal promotions.
Founders and Investors
Q App was co-founded by Serge Taborin, formerly of Perform Group and Archant Media, and Tim Bichara, former Managing Partner of leading mobile development agency Nimble Mobile.
Investors include Paul Ettinger, business development director and co-founder of Caffè Nero; Tom and Ed Martin of the ETM Group; Alex Carlton, founder and MD of funkin; and Alex Chesterman, founder and chief executive of Zoopla and a serial entrepreneur. It has been developed in response to a wave of innovations in apps which have used smartphone platforms to revolutionise other market sectors. Click here for more on Q App.
