The greatest change that COVID-19 has brought to our daily lives would be the transformation into a “contactless” system. With the rapid emergence of services that minimize human contact, our lifestyles are undergoing major innovations. The staffless stores are a prime example of this. With the development of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), it is now possible to provide various convenience services at stores without staff. Baskin Robbins created a new wave in the premium ice cream market by recently launching the first staffless store, Flow. Shall we check out this Flow store, filled with unique experiences and convenient services?
Baskin Robbins’ convenient staffless store Flow with cutting-edge technology
A new wave in the ice cream market: Flow by Baskin Robbins
Exterior view of Flow store
On December 2nd, the first Flow store by Baskin Robbins opened at the IS Central Tower in Wirye New City. It is the first time Baskin Robbins has introduced a staffless store that provides all services in a completely contactless manner. The name Flow represents how customers can conveniently use all of its services, including payment and delivery, whether it’s day or night, without face-to-face interaction. Through the concept of “Seamless Pleasure,” Flow provides a variety of experiences and services that accommodate our customers’ lifestyles.
The exterior of Flow stores catches the attention of passers-by with a lighthearted, fun atmosphere. In line with the brand concept, a rainbow with five colors is painted in a constantly flowing shape. Inside the store, it’s easy for customers to find and choose what they want as products are neatly organized by type.
Interior view of Flow store, designed for customer convenience
In addition to ice cream, the Flow store offers a variety of iced desserts such as macarons, mochi, rolls, cereals, snacks, and party supplies that can accompany the ice cream. You can find over 120 products, including organic, delight, and probiotic flavors that are hard to find in general stores. Flow also exclusively serves ice cream cakes and pizzas for a whole new kind of experience.
Flow introduced a state-of-the-art IoT staffless solution with the technical cooperation of the Secta9ine Smart Store team, an affiliate of SPC Group specializing in total marketing solutions. We have built a staffless payment system with cutting-edge technology where customers can purchase products conveniently and management can control security and quality at the store. Thanks to this system, customers can be assured the safety to use the store 24 hours a day.
Flow’s simple self-payment system
Using the store is very straightforward. First, browse the store at your convenience, take out the product you want from the refrigerator or shelf, and put it in your shopping cart. After you have selected all the products, you can scan the barcode at the kiosk (staffless device) and pay with your credit card. It has a very intuitive and simple payment system that anyone can use with ease. To operate Flow stores safely at night, from 11 pm to 10 am, customers must go through the identity verification process by inserting a credit card as they enter the store.
Just like any regular Baskin Robbins store, delivery service is also available. Flow’s delivery is offered from 10 am to 2 am the next day. Through SPC Group’s simple ordering app, “Happy Order,” you can order delivery-only items such as ready-packs filled with one type of popular ice cream and a delivery-only set consisting of desserts. Delivery orders can be placed within a 2km radius of the store. In the future, in addition to Happy Order, we plan to offer delivery services through Baedal Minjok, Kakao Order, Yogiyo, Coupang Eats, and Naver.
Starting with the opening of staffless store Flow, Baskin Robbins plans to provide a richer and more enjoyable offline purchasing experience by launching a local marketing service, “Happy Real,” using XR (extended reality) technology in the first half of 2022. Let’s look forward to new customer experiences that Baskin Robbins will present in the digital, contactless era with innovative technologies.
Q&A: All about Flow
Available 24 Hours a Day, Flow by Baskin Robbins
Q. What was the motivation behind opening a staffless store?
To accommodate the contactless consumption trends and lifestyle changes, we have launched a staffless store that allows self-purchasing and can be used with confidence. We plan to expand new customer experiences by emphasizing product lines centered on desserts and ready packs optimized for staffless stores. Also, we plan to acquire growth engines and a win-win partnership model for the brand by offering opportunities to open staffless stores for existing franchisees.
Q. What was the most important point when while establishing the staffless sales system?
We introduced a system that monitors and manages the temperature and quality of refrigeration at all times so that customers who visit the store can find the products at their finest quality, 24 hours a day. We have temperature sensors at the Flow store, which allows the manager to check the temperature of freezers in real-time and take action if necessary. The freezers are equipped with sensors that detect when the doors are open. When a customer makes a purchase without closing the door, our process immediately responds and prompts this voice notification: “Please close the freezer door.”
Finished ice cream products that are easy to select and purchase
Q. What are the advantages of staffless stores that customers can experience?
Customers can enjoy more freedom as they experience the joy of choice that Baskin Robbins has always pursued. You can relax and revel in the pleasure of choosing what you want without time restrictions or anybody watching; in essence, this is the experience and value of the Baskin Robbins’ staffless stores. Because Flow provides all services completely non-face-to-face, it’s easy and convenient for customers to select and buy finished products stored in the freezers. You can still use and accumulate Happy Points, and the same services and benefits used at Baskin Robbins stores, such as mobile vouchers, can be applied. Another advantage of Flow is that delivery service is available from 10 am to 2 am.
Q. Are there any concerns about product theft or emergencies?
By installing a state-of-the-art IoT system such as intelligent CCTV and various types of sensors, we can respond promptly to situations that may arise in the store. A motion sensor is attached to the entrance to provide information on how to enter and exit the store as customers come in. The intelligent CCTV detects customers wandering or displaying abnormal behavior. In case of an emergency, when the customer shouts “Save me!” or “Help!” the voice recognition emergency bell is activated, triggering an emergency response system that calls the store owner and connects you to a nearby police substation.
Baskin Robbins, Offering a Variety of Food and Entertainment
Q. What is the Happy Real service scheduled to be launched in the first half of 2022?
Happy Real is a local marketing app service that provides customers with a new purchasing experience through AR (augmented reality) technology. Our goal is to deliver information to our customers in interactive and various ways, going beyond the existing system that sends texts, images, and videos one way. Through Happy Real, we plan to use Flow stores as the location for missions and offer various forms of entertainment such as quests. We are also considering various innovative services such as shopping in the virtual space using VR technology. Please look forward to these.
Q. Is there a plan to open more Flow stores in the future?
The Wirye Branch is a directly-managed pilot operation for developing a franchise model. When the business is stabilized in the future, it will be expanded into a franchise model. The most notable aspect is that existing franchisees can expect higher profits because only the existing franchisees are allowed to open new Flow stores.
With the emergence of Flow, a wave of innovation is sweeping the premium ice cream market. SPC Group will always do its best to respond quickly to changes in customers’ lifestyles with advanced technology and provide fresh experiences and satisfaction. With Flow, we hope you enjoy sweet and happy moments with delicious ice cream whenever you want, 24 hours a day!
