As a partner of digitalswitzerland, Valora is committed to the digitisation of Switzerland. On Digital Day, which takes place on 21 November, the company will be on hand with three activities at Zurich main station: with ok.– brand ambassador Belinda Bencic in the virtual reality cinema, live frequency measurements at Brezelkönig and the new ok.– button.
“As a leading convenience provider, Valora exploits the opportunities provided by digital technologies in order to meet the needs of its customers even better than in the past. It is for this reason that Valora, together with digitalswitzerland and more than 40 other companies, will seek dialogue with the population during the nationwide Digital Day”, says Valora CEO Michael Mueller.
Virtual reality cinema: the wow experience in 360 degrees with Belinda Bencic
At Zurich main station, Digital Day visitors will be able to experience films from a new perspective, giving them the feeling that they are really part of the action. For example, they will have the opportunity to train on the tennis court with ok.– brand ambassador Belinda Bencic at the VR cinema run by Valora together with Blick – up close and almost like in real life.
Those who don't want to stand queuing up to experience the VR cinema upon arriving at Zurich main station can secure a fast-lane ticket in advance via the k kiosk app. The k kiosk app, which allows users to benefit from digital stamp cards as well as to use and give away coupons at any time, is available for iOS and Android. Valora will also demonstrate how the app works as part of Digital Day at Zurich Airport.
Live frequency measurements: reduce waiting times and support employees
Valora uses new technologies in order to meet customer requirements at its highly frequented locations even better than in the past. Customers at train stations often have little time and it is at such locations that the number of customers can vary greatly within a very short period of time – a real challenge for employees. In order to serve customers more efficiently and to ease the burden placed on employees, an optical sensor will be deployed at Brezelkönig in the Sihlquai passage during Digital Day in order to measure the frequency of customer visits live. The employees will be informed automatically about high volumes of people in front of the shop and will thus have the chance to switch immediately from the production of sandwiches to serving customers at the checkout.
The project will be implemented in cooperation with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and the developer ASE. The system is based on "Internet of Things" technology. It captures the number of moving objects in a clearly defined area and transmits a signal to the point of sale. The measurement is anonymous and no personal data is recorded.
Order at the press of a button: the ok.– button enters the test phase
The new ok.– button makes shopping easier for customers thanks to the use of modern technologies. At the press of a button, customers can order large volumes of their favourite ok.– energy drinks, which until now have only been available at Valora outlets, with no effort at all to their home or place of work – the processes for the delivery and payment of the ordered goods are automatic. During Digital Day, ok.– will present the new ok.– button for the first time and interested parties will have the chance to apply to participate in the beta test. After a successful test phase, an expanded six-month pilot will take place at the beginning of next year. Registration for the beta test is also possible via the website at www.okbutton.ch.
Innovation with the Valora Lab
For two years, Valora has been running the Valora Lab, which has employees in Zurich and San Francisco. The Digital Innovation team observes the developments and trends in the retail market in order to use new technologies that allow customers to enjoy new shopping experiences or utilise new services.