Verizon Brought Autonomous Shopping to the Indianapolis 500

If you think the cars are fast at the Indianapolis 500, and they are, the Aifi NanoStore with Verizon 5G set a new record. How does your team edify your brand with the next new customer?  Are you looking a customer ahead? Are you looking for a new out-of-the-box partnership to drive new electricity into your brand?  Is your team inviting existing customers at peak the next big thing? It just might be better for your brand and better for them by saving both time and money.   

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes customer relevance intersects companies and consumers with a universal commonality of technology, discovery, and saving both time and money. 

This year Verizon Communications Inc. brought an autonomous shopping experience to the 105^th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Ticket holders, volunteers, staff, and drivers were able to purchase an assortment of snacks, beverages and Indy 500 merchandise using AiFi's portable computer vision enabled NanoStore, which will run on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network.

Steve Gu, founder and CEO at AiFi, stated "As in-person gatherings start back up, venues and consumers alike will prioritize personal safety in every way possible," ... "Our NanoStore allows attendees to avoid crowded lines and experience contactless shopping while purchasing their favorite snacks and drinks. We're incredibly excited to partner with Penske to bring a seamless shopping experience to event attendees, allowing them to get back to their seats faster to enjoy the race."

So, customers could enter the NanoStore by scanning the Indy Express Shop app. Once scanned, the computer vision-technology around the store will observe and track the items that a customer chooses. When customers are done shopping, they can walk out and will receive a receipt to their app or email within minutes.

Rebecca Russelink, chief information officer at Penske Entertainment, stated, "The NanoStore provides a completely new and futuristic shopping experience for attendees.”… "We're excited to work with AiFi and Verizon to ensure the best possible customer service with this unique store."

Get this, AiFi's computer vision-technology has achieved an accuracy rate of 99 percent for a seamless customer experience, without using facial recognition or storing biometric data, the company stated. The 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 took place on Sunday, May 30, with several preliminary events taking place on days leading up to the final race. The AiFi NanoStore was also open for that.

Andy Brady, vice president, Enterprise Sales, Verizon Business, stated, "Giving race fans the ability to experience the power of Verizon 5G at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through AiFi's autonomous shopping NanoStore is an exciting moment for us,"  "Our long-standing partnership with Penske is filled with industry-driving innovation. AiFi shares that same passion and have been amazing partners in making this autonomous shopping experience come to life."

At the intersection of the consumer and technology is the common and universal goal to save both time and money.  Combine that discover and your brand can hit a home run. What are you thinking about as your next move?  Who will you be partnering with to help drive new electricity into you brand and customer base?

How is your brand building new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new menu related products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, music, developing brands, unique urban hemp clothing, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.