The "shoptimizer" draws attention to the special features of each community and each tourism facility. It informs guests in an uncomplicated but permanent manner about the beauty and sights of a region.
Every community is happy about more visitors, lively tourism and additional guests. Unfortunately, tourism in particular has declined during the pandemic period. A young Austrian company now wants to give tourism new impetus with the help of modern technology and ensure better networking with local guests.
Numerous communities are already benefiting from a small, sustainable product called "shoptimizer". Behind the brand there is a kind of universal key to the online world and to the product and service evaluations that are important today. The "shoptimizer" works with the completely uncomplicated NFC technology. NFC stands for near field communication and is known, for example, from the door openers in the hotel industry. Recently, this NFC technology experienced a further boost in popularity through payment services such as ApplePay or Google Pay. With NFC technology, a brief contact with a smartphone is enough to connect digitally with customers and guests in a matter of seconds.
The "shoptimizer" is not only functional, it also looks good. The small device is made of 100 percent fine, Austrian and is produced by a regional, medium-sized company. The "shoptimizer" can be individually designed with the coat of arms of a community or equipped with a cheerful text. This makes the "shoptimizer" a real eye-catcher:
The NFC technology is more user-friendly and cannot be manipulated compared to the QR codes used for this purpose. Since 2015, almost all smartphones have been equipped with NFC and are compatible with the "shoptimizer".
The NFC technology is completely invisibly integrated into the elaborately finished wooden designer piece. The small NFC heart is then programmed with the various web and social media channels of the communities without much effort. Tourists, guests and locals only need to "tap" the "shoptimizer" placed at busy squares, sights, info points and popular meeting points with their smartphone and they are automatically connected to the digital channels of the municipality, the tourist office or, for example, hotels or guest services forwarded.
Examples of such "shoptimizer" connections are:
- Social media profiles (Instagram / Facebook)
- Information documents (hiking trails / tourist attractions etc.)
- Newsletter subscriptions
- event calendar
- Google reviews
Almost all smartphones that have been on the market since 2015 are equipped with NFC and are therefore compatible with the "shoptimizer". NFC technology is more user-friendly and tamper-proof compared to QR codes used for similar purposes.
With the "shoptimizer" "offline visitors" become "online visitors" in no time at all. This allows a long-term relationship to be established, as guests and visitors continue to be connected to the municipality or tourist office via the specific digital channels. You can also address your own residents.
The benefits for a community include:
- More followers/likes on social media from visitors who are really interested in the region.
- several ways to reach offline visitors online via Google Ads.
- several channels to inform guests about news even after a single visit.
- Larger number of newsletter registrations and thus better loyalty to guests.
- more Google ratings and thus better findability on the web and subsequently more guests.
The "shoptimizer" is thus proving to be a cost-effective, tourism-promoting digitization measure, which enormously facilitates the information work of a municipality or a tourism organization and can draw the attention of many new guests to a region and its offers.
