Smart dining with self-service technology

In this latest edition of the Food Frontiers podcast, India Business and Trade welcomes Chetan Patil, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of GoSelfServe. GoSelfServe is serving the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry with AI-powered self-service kiosk solutions. These kiosks enable customers to browse menus, customise orders, and process payments, streamlining operations, reducing wait times, and enhancing customer satisfaction.

This episode aims to provide insights into how these innovations are shaping dining experiences, making them more convenient and efficient for customers and restaurant operators. In this discussion, we delved into Mr. Patil’s journey in developing self-service solutions, challenges he faced, technological advancements that have pushed GoSelfServe to the forefront, and his vision for the future of food service technologies.

IBT: Could you please share the journey of GoSelfServe becoming a player in the self-service solutions industry, particularly in helping QSR in India?

Chetan Patil: The company began with a mission to enhance customer experience in various outlets, including restaurants, showrooms, and banks. We realised a significant demand for self-service technology in India and found no proper solution from vendors or providers. As co-founders with an electronics background, we developed our own hardware and interactive hardware, which were sold to various locations. We found out that people were looking for a complete solution, including hardware and software combined with service. We focused on building software that accommodated all self-service features.

Three years ago, we launched our own self-service solution for restaurants. Initially, we sold hardware outright and software as a subscription. However, after listening to customer feedback, we realised that most restaurants couldn’t afford hardware upfront. We decided to merge hardware and software, offering it as a subscription model. This marked the beginning of our journey in self-service technology, starting with restaurants three years ago in 2021.

IBT: As a provider of self-service solutions, what specific services does GoSelfServe offer to businesses in India looking to improve their operations and customer experiences?

Chetan Patil: The company offers a comprehensive self-service software suite, including interactive digital signage and self-service software. This suite can be used in various sectors, such as corporate offices, retail showrooms, and restaurants, where customers can easily access live menus and self-service features.

For instance, a restaurant can use a digital money board, advertising display software, and self-ordering QS solutions. This suite can also be used in retail stores and banks, where it serves as a digital notice board and a scan and learn tool for retail showrooms. The interactive solutions allow customers to browse the digital catalogue and access information about products and services. The company has bundled this suite as a self-service software suite, ensuring that all customer touch points can be digitised in a single umbrella.

---

---

IBT: What are some of the main challenges that businesses in India face when implementing self-service solutions, and how does GoSelfServe address these challenges with its tailored offerings?

Chetan Patil: Self-service technology, a decade old, has not been widely adopted in India due to factors such as lack of hardware suppliers, a focus on software, and lack of hardware domain expertise. To address these challenges, the company has combined software and hardware services into an affordable subscription model, allowing small restaurants to try the technology for a few months before returning if it fails.

To mitigate the challenges faced by people adopting self-service technology, the company offers a lifetime warranty on the solution, treating it as an IoT device. This ensures that there is no worry about hardware and software breakdowns, and the focus is on maintaining the restaurant rather than the kiosk. This approach allows restaurants to focus on maintaining their establishments without worrying about initial capital investment. Overall, the company’s approach aims to provide a comprehensive solution for self-service technology adoption in India.

IBT: How does GoSelfServe stand out from traditional service providers in India, especially in terms of affordability, efficiency, and flexibility to meet different business needs?

Chetan Patil: The company offers affordable self-service kiosks in subscription options, catering to small and large chains. The hardware configuration costs around a lakh rupees, making it more accessible for smaller restaurants. The subscriptions are either six months or a year, allowing customers to try the technology before committing. Most restaurants continue to use the kiosks after three years, even for early adopters. The kiosks have enhanced operational efficiency, with most restaurant partners seeing a 10% increase in revenue due to digital menu photographs on the screen. Customers are also satisfied with the self-service and contactless technology, as they can browse and order without human interaction. These flexible ways of using self-service technology are proving useful and adaptable for customers.

IBT: Looking forward, what role does GoSelfServe see itself playing in shaping the future of self-service solutions in India, and what factors are driving growth in the industry?

Chetan Patil: The company is focussing on enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency in India. We are setting a trend in self-service technology with unique features, such as sensors that switch from customer to admin mode when opened with a lock. These features are crucial for small restaurants, as the operators are often not tech-savvy and not educated.

The company aims to make the kiosk easy to use, allowing customers to adapt. The company also highlights the growing trend of self-service kiosks in India, driven by factors such as low labour shortages, high wages, and customers preferring self-service and human-less interactions.

IBT: Given the importance of technology standards and data security, how does GoSelfServe ensure compliance with regulations and standards in India, and what are your thoughts on recent technological advancements affecting self-service solutions?

Chetan Patil: The company strictly adheres to the Indian IT Act and compliances, ensuring customer information is safeguarded during transactions, storage, and processing. We store all customer and client data in India, with data centres in the country. Kiosks are connected to the cloud using a secured transport layer and their own VPN, virtual private networks, to prevent misuse.

To prevent nuisance or unauthorised content, the company has enabled VPNs, and M-to-M SIM cards are connected to these devices. Regular checks and penetration testing are conducted to check for vulnerabilities. These measures are particularly important as consumers are increasingly concerned about their data and how companies use it. The company’s commitment to data localisation is evident in our data security measures.

IBT: What are GoSelfServe’s strategic objectives and aspirations for the future, and how does the company plan to innovate and stay competitive in the ever-changing market of self-service solutions?

Chetan Patil: The company’s main objective is to be the market leader in self-service technology. We continuously innovate by changing hardware versions based on customer feedback and user concerns. We are launching a modular kiosk next month, focussing on research and development. We are also partnering with Indian companies to provide a complete solution in the self-service and digital signage sectors. Our solutions are vertically integrated with existing software and have partnered with BOSS solution providers and ERP software solution providers to expand their market reach.

The company focusses on scalability, accommodating both small and large restaurants. We believe in a customer-centric approach, enhancing the customer experience and ensuring efficiency for both the restaurant and the customer. The company is adopting new technologies like AI-based recommendations to enhance revenue. Restaurant partners have seen a 10% increase in revenue, resulting in a 100 crore GMV increase in just a short period. The company’s focus on customer experience and scalability is key to their success.

---

Mr. Chetan Patil is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of GoSelfServe. Views expressed are personal.