Schaerer Coffee Link and Turnpike wearables bring staff and technology together intelligently and take service and coffee quality to a new level. By transmitting events in real time, service employees are proactively informed about upcoming tasks on their smartwatch. This means that breakdowns can be rectified at an early stage and the team does not have to be constantly behind to ensure that the coffee machines run smoothly. Customers also benefit from consistently high coffee quality and innovative service features such as live notifications from staff if, for example, assistance is needed with preparation.
The smartwatch on our wrist makes our lives easier in many areas today. Together with the Swedish wearable tech company Turnpike, Schaerer is now offering retailers an exceptional smartwatch integration solution for Schaerer coffee machines. This proactively informs employees about upcoming service tasks, thereby increasing both staff efficiency and machine availability. The basis for this is the digital solution Schaerer Coffee Link. Its interface (API) enables seamless networking of Schaerer machines in the Internet of Things (IoT) and thus integration into Turnpike's cloud services and smartwatch software. The innovative application was jointly implemented for the first time for long-standing Schaerer customer Circle K - a leading operator of convenience shops and petrol stations. The sale of speciality coffees makes an important contribution to turnover in petrol stations, service stations and convenience shops. At the same time, servicing the machines, most of which are used for self-service, is a challenge for the staff. In addition to their main tasks, they have to ensure that the coffee machines are filled with sufficient coffee beans, milk or toppings. The smartwatch integration solution from Schaerer and Turnpike takes the pressure off staff to check the machines at regular intervals. Instead, the watch on the wrist proactively informs staff that a service, such as refilling milk, is required based on the machine consumption data transmitted in real time. In addition to notifications for required ingredients, other events can also be transmitted to the smartwatch, including upcoming cleaning, descaling or any machine malfunctions. This allows the employee to optimally schedule all tasks into their workflow. The solution also has clear added value for end users. Thanks to the perfectly serviced machines, they receive the beverages they want in the best quality. What's more, they can even trigger a notification to the service employee's smartwatch by touching the corresponding symbol on the machine display. For example, if they need help customising their personal favourite coffee. In combination with the high beverage quality, this added service enhances the customer experience at the coffee machine.
"The collaboration with Turnpike underlines our ambition to inspire the world of coffee enjoyment. By integrating Turnpike's wearable technology into our coffee machines, we are helping our customers to optimise their coffee business and at the same time reduce the workload on their employees. In addition, we support them in creating a special coffee moment for their customers," says Sandro Bianchi, Customer Success Manager at Schaerer.
"We are delighted to be realising this smartwatch integration solution together with Schaerer. The combination of our wearable technology and Schaerer's coffee machines sets new standards in retail in terms of efficiency and service quality. Our goal: a seamless collaboration between man and machine to create an unrivalled experience," says Carl Norberg, co-founder of Turnpike.
The new smartwatch application was implemented for the first time for long-standing customer Circle K. The brand, which belongs to the Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., is one of the world's largest operators of convenience shops and petrol stations. The collaboration between Schaerer and Circle K began in the USA in 2018, and European shops have also been equipped with Schaerer coffee machines since 2020. The company currently has a total of around 1,800 Schaerer Coffee Soul models in its shops.
