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weirdworld
ofmarketing
glancing at marketing askance
Pepper, the robot
that delivers better
customer service
The customer service robot that responds to language and human emotion. Plus, the ‘man
crèche’ that women shoppers love. It’s all in the weird world of marketing!
IN AN AGE WHEN CONSUMERS with the entire transaction taking place type rather than by brand. All T-shirts, for
demand outstanding customer within the customer’s digital wallet.” example, can be found on a single rail,
service but businesses often regardless of brand, price or quality.
struggle to deliver it, could robotic ?
customer service agents be the Pepper has the STARSHIP DELIVERS
answer? Pepper, a humanoid (human- ability to read While the likes of Amazon and Google
like) robot developed by Japanese- human emotion continue to wrestle with the practicalities
based SoftBank Robotics to respond to of delivering goods to consumers via
language and certain human emotions, HAPPY WOMEN SHOPPERS unmanned airborne drones, a small
has been used for some time as a Women shoppers around the world may European company believes it may have
customer service agent by a banking have reason to celebrate. A department developed a viable high-tech alternative.
group and by coffee brand Nescafé at store chain in Britain is pioneering
its coffee bars in Japan. a concept to keep bored husbands, Rather than going the aerial route, it
boyfriends – and perhaps even sons – has built a six-wheel ground robot that is
Now Pepper is going international and entertained while the females in their capable of navigating its way to through
financial services giant MasterCard is lives are involved in the serious business busy streets to deliver medium-sized
launching a trial at Pizza Hut restaurants of shopping. packages, such as groceries.
in various parts of Asia. The robot’s
services will be available to restaurant Harvey Nichols has turned the According to Allan Martinson, the Chief
customers who use a digital payment basement of its store in the Knightsbridge Operating Officer of Starship, the zero-
product called MasterPass. area of London into what the local media emissions robots can make a delivery for
is calling a ‘man crèche’, ‘man zone’ 10-15 times less than the cost of current
“Diners first pair their MasterPass or ‘man cave’. Designed to amuse and last-mile delivery alternatives, most of
account by either tapping the Pepper entertain the exasperated and unwilling which involve human drivers.
icon in their digital wallet, or scanning male shopper, it includes a bar, a barber
a QR code on a tablet carried by shop, big-screen TV and a games area. During delivery, shoppers can track
the robot. Pepper can then provide the robot’s location in real time through
personalised recommendations, There is also a shopping area designed a mobile app and on arrival only the app
product information and assistance in specifically for males. Because men don’t holder can unlock the cargo. Integrated
paying for items,” explains MasterCard like to browse, clothes are displayed by navigation and obstacle avoidance
in a press statement. “Pepper can software enables the robots to drive
start, approve and complete a payment autonomously, but they are overseen
by connecting to MasterPass via wi-fi, by human operators who can step in to
ensure the safety of other road users.
56 strategicmarketing August–September 2016
