Operators generally employ payment apps to move toward “frictionless” checkout, but a Kansas college’s new payment platform actually gives foodservice employees a bit more face time with customers.
Southwestern College, a 1,300-student institution in Winfield, Kan., adopted a “pay with your selfie” technology in late October. The FreshX platform, which uses Bluetooth beacon technology, eliminates the need for meal plan cards and encourages customer interaction, according to the school. As soon as students walk in the dining hall door, a selfie they uploaded to their FreshX app pops up on the dining employees’ POS, allowing the staff to greet students by name and make suggestions based on their previous purchases. Students then approve charges from their phone.
“FreshX is a platform to get [students] what they need and interact with them in a way they want to be interacted with,” says Bob Love, chief technology officer at Fresh Ideas Food Service Management, the facilities contracted operator.
He says the platform helps the dining services team understand the way students eat and therefore offer them a more personalized dining experience. “We can have 2,000 patrons and still deliver a personal touch,” says Love.
The foodservice program will use the system’s predictive analytics to offer students services tailored to their needs, Love says. He cites such examples as installing pop-up food stations that take into account class schedules; employee scripts customized for each guests’ dietary preferences; and targeted promotions.