| | September 20178CIOReviewBy Bernard Gay, CIO, Delaware NorthSpeed and convenience are two essential pillars of a traveler's experience, especially when it comes to air travel. This has been the case for years, but modern air travel is full of friction points (think long lines, tight connection times, stricter TSA screening) that increasingly press fliers for time and patience. With airline ridership at an all-time highthe U.S. Department of Transportation reported more than 930 million passengers traveling through air in 2016it has never been more important for service providers in the industry to focus on delivering experiences that are as quick and convenient as possible.For Delaware North's travel business, which operates more than 300 food, beverage, and retail outlets at airports all over the world, creating a seamless dining and shopping experience for travelers has shifted our focus in recent years to a self-service model. Our goal is to allow customers to eat and shop when they want and how they want. Self-service can be the answer by giving more power to customers to choose the methods with which they order a meal, pick up their food, and pay for their products.New and emerging technology has allowed Delaware North to employ a variety of different self-service channels at our airport outlets in recent years:· Mobile: Mobile phones and devices have changed the way people do many of their daily activities, and that includes ordering food while traveling. Using a mobile applicationsuch as Grab, which Delaware North has integrated at locations in most of its airports, customers can order and pay for their food ahead of time from their phone.· Kiosk: Currently used at quick-service restaurants, customers can place an order and complete payment via a touch screen monitor, instead of verbally ordering at a counter. · Tablet: Ideal for casual restaurant concepts, where customers prefer to sit and eat, tabletop tablets can be utilized for ordering and payment.Self-service Tech can Mean Clearer Skies for Airport Dining and ShoppingBernard GayIn My Opinion
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