Robotics and artificial intelligence are two of the most exciting scientific and business sectors today because of the immense promise they hold for bringing improvements to our lives. Robotics has virtually limitless potential to reduce human toil and speed up the efficiency of industrial work. Artificial Intelligence performs frequent, high-volume, computerized tasks reliably and without fatigue. Many tech experts have tried their hand at combining these two technologies. However, most industries are still in search of better robotic solutions that can improve their infrastructures and processes. Retail and hospitality in particular require robotics and AI help to improve speed and efficiency.
One company that is using the power of AI and interactive robotics to intelligently redesign customer services in the hospitality and retail arenas is BotsAndUs. Its fleet of ‘Bo’ robots enables retail and hospitality clients to understand their customers better and attend to their needs instantly. The company believes strongly in the symbiosis of humans and robots, and was founded with the vision to deliver robots that will help us live happier and more meaningful lives.
An Intelligent Robot
BotsAndUs has used its considerable AI, machine learning and hardware capabilities to give customers its brilliant robotic solution, Bo, an intelligent assistant created specifically for retail and hospitality. It reduces friction, supports in product discovery, and enriches the customer journey with better agility. The data it collects is also easily accessible real time, supporting companies in meeting customer demand on the spot and making sure the number of missed sales is reduced.
The company has invested extensively in robot design. Bo is an easy-to-use robot with an impressive look and shape. BotsAndUs deploys a Robot-as-a Service model. The company works closely with associate companies to build a bespoke solution to their business needs and following brand guidelines. It then continually observes customers interacting with Bo to understand the key pain points in the journey and ensuring the human-robot interaction is seamless. BotsAndUs deploy the robot fleet once it gets a satisfactory feedback from the user.
A Determined Entrepreneur with a Unique Idea
BotsAndUs was founded in the UK with a small team of just four individuals. The company launched Bo as its first product in 2017 at the Innorobo robotics show in Europe. Although the idea was relatively new, the company managed to attract the attention of, and offers of partnerships from, major UK and global organizations like BT, intu shopping centers, Etisalat, Virgin and many more. This fast-paced success is the result of the undying determination to innovate of Andrei Danescu, BotsAndUs’ CEO and Co-founder. Andrei has extensive experience in Motorsports within Formula1 and in Autonomous Car development with Jaguar Land Rover. He came up with the unique idea of Bo and established a start-up with Co-Founders Adrian Negoita and Oana Jinga.
Andrei drives the businesses with his resourceful robotics and autonomous systems knowledge, and manages economic affairs and customer relationships as CEO. He has been working tirelessly to make Bo a reality, and envisions an improvement of human lives through superior robotic solutions.
Expanding with Seed Funding
It has been a big challenge for BotsAndUs to bring a hardware product to life without the resources to access a full production line. Initially, the company employed local suppliers and manufacturers. However, many of the product parts required manual adjustments, and this became a tough ask once the robots were exported. Today, the company is exploring different solutions and aims to tackle the challenge by leveraging its international associations. The company has seen immense demand for Bo so BotsAndUs is now engaging in a seed round to grow its team and capabilities to fulfill that potential.
Proven ROI in Retail, Hospitality and Events
BotsAndUs has demonstrated a clear ROI for Bo to its customers across the arenas of retail, hospitality and events. This ROI comes from freeing clients’ staff to perform more complex duties while facilitating real-time data and insights about customer needs and new trends. The positive feedback from customers further enhances product quality and drives customer flows with swiftness. This helps the company’s clients accelerate sales and create pleasing, futuristic work environments for their own staff and clientele.
Bo blends the online and offline, and gives smaller stores the power of Amazon to access data during the customer interaction. BotsAndUs enables regional platforms to instantly collate information about customers and understand their needs and pain points with real-time precision.
Symbiosis of Humans and Robots
BotsAndUs was founded with a vision to shape a world of memorable experiences and unprecedented efficiency in both public and private environments. Over the next few years, it aims to grow as a team and expand its range of products, its customers and the markets in which it is active. The company is already surging ahead in various sectors, including education and numerous fields of manufacturing.
BotsAndUs wants to provide an affordable, accessible and useful fleet of robots that can empower humans of all backgrounds.
Source :- The 10 Most Innovative Robotics Companies to Watch 2018
