The one thing we all love more than a cold brew is a cold brew served fast. No one appreciates waiting on drinks, regardless of how busy a restaurant or pub may be. Sure you could get that pint in a bottle served quick, but would you really take that over a larger poured fresh out of a tap? Probably not. Yet the fact remains that unless you’re the only one at the bar, it’s going to be a bit of a wait before the bartender pours out a mug and the waiter brings it over. So the only logical thing to do would be to pour it yourself, right? Well, you’re not the only one who thinks so. A group of ardent beer drinkers in Bangalore had that exact thought, which is when TapIO was born.
The beginning of the self-serve revolution
So while waiting on being served at a brewery on a busy day in Bangalore, a bunch of beer head IT nerds from InnovatorsBay Technologies Pvt. Ltd. came up with the idea for self-serve beer, because it was taking just that long to get their drinks. Short of tearing up the place, they decided to put their heads together, and in minutes, began drawing up prototypes for what eventually became TapIO, an AI and IoT based technology for dispensing beer. The idea was simple, have a tap that a customer can use to pour their own beverage while deducting the payment from a prepaid card. But the implications, especially with regards to AI and IoT went further than that, and that’s where the magic happens.
So, how does it work?
It’s quite simple really. The beverage dispensing taps look pretty much like a regular beer tap, albeit with some extra technology thrown into the mix (pun intended). The tap has a card reader where the user places his or her prepaid card that is already topped up with as much as they would like to spend on their night out. As long as the card is in or on the reader, the tap is ready to go. As the user fills their mug with their favourite brew, the amount gets deducted from the card in real time – down to the last drop. Screens on top of or near the tap provide information on pricing, offers, and other options. Some taps also funnel multiple beverages, giving the user an opportunity to select what they would like to drink. It’s a brilliant system that cuts that customers wait time down to absolute zero, and takes care of billing at the same time.
Pay by the drop, drink and don’t stop
The greatest USP for TapIO, self-service aside, is the benefits that the AI and IoT systems bring to establishments that choose to use the technology. Since billing is done by the drop, a brewery could use this data to do all kinds of analysis with regards to running offers, marketing campaigns, and the like. Various implementations such as Islanders that are portable dispensers, and table or wall-mounted units also provide tons of flexibility during installation. These can also be connected directly to kegs, direct transfers, or python pipes. A fun application of the software is also the ability to run a stock market-like event where based on consumption, a brewpub can choose to vary the prices of different brews in realtime. How awesome, and slightly annoying is that?!
TapIO is already being touted as the disruption that the beer industry in India needs. A beverage self-serve system that uses the power of AI to generate higher returns on investment, while improving the customer experience and reducing wastage has been a pipe dream until now. The company who is the only one to offer this kind of solution is currently expanding through Bangalore, but will soon be entering Pune, Mumbai, and of course, Goa. In fact, InnovatorsBay is excited to host their first event in India’s party capital sometime in the next couple of months, and we’re super stoked to try out the technology first hand.
What do you think of this revolutionary technology? Are you looking forward to seeing TapIO in action? Let us know in the comments below. Also, speaking of beer, check out how Kingfisher pranked the whole of India last year with their instant beer. Classic!
