Hajime Robot Restaurant in Bangkok

Another one from Gail!  It's a Japanese barbaque restaurant in Bangkok that uses robots to cook and deliver the food.  Yes, a gimmick, but also an interesting look at how things might work in the future.   Take a look at the video!

Payment at Starbucks

This is one that Gail Sirikantaporn (MMH 10) sent me.   

Basically, there's an iPhone app (here's the link!) that allows you to pay for purchases made at Starbucks located in Target stores.  Very interesting--makes you wonder how payments at restaurants will occur in the future!  

Great source of service ideas

I get a periodic online newsletter called Springwise which has all kinds of great ideas in it: some for services and some for products. Here is the link to the Springwise archive for F&B ideas: www.springwise.com/food_beverage/ There is also a category for travel and tourism.

What's the Wait?

What's the Wait? is an iPhone app that allows users to type in how long the waiting time is at restaurants they are at and also to search for restaurants (and see their waiting time). I don't know how used this is, but it's pretty interesting. It allows customers to gain more control over their waiting time since they know in advance what it will be (and can possibly change their mind).

Tune Hotels

Here's another one I love. I know that many of you have heard of this, but I doubt that many people in the US have. Basically, the interesting thing here is how Tune Hotels decided to compete on the basis of cost. In order to do that, it first needed to understand what customers wanted (cheap, safe, good location, clean, good bed, nice shower) and then design a product that would meet those needs. What's also interesting here is that they are as far as I know, one of the first hotel companies to really unbundle their different services.

UrbanSpoon

This is an interesting one that I came across the other day when I was looking for innovative uses of mobile technology in hospitality.  UrbanSpoon has an iPhone application that lets people select restaurants, view reviews etc.).  They've recently launched an iPad application so that restaurants can accept reservations, maintain their reservations book and manage their tables.   And, it's only $99/month (the app is free) plus $1 per cover.  Very interesting.

Urbanspoon Rez from Urbanspoon on Vimeo.

Interesting Examples Needed!

I'm going to be teaching a required undergraduate course in Operations Management this fall and am looking for some interesting examples to use in class.  If you come across any particularly innovative service delivery systems, interesting uses of technology, interesting ways of managing the wait or just anything, please post it here.  Also, I'd love to hear what you've been doing with some of the things we talked about in class.  Photos, links and videos would be fantastic to have as well!

I will do my share and start posting some of the things I've come across here as well.

Thanks in advance for your help.