elisafoodle
Jessica M.
Ly N.
Saskia R.Thanks for your last post, dear Saskia! After having read that post, I was inspired for my own post and I was wondering how other bars, restaurants or stores choose their music and I found this: ROQBOT
Background – What is Roqbot?
“Roqbot is a social music service that engages the customers at bars, restaurants, events, and other venues by letting users interact the music played on sight directly from their phones…” This video just explains everything.
Long story short: It’s an app for smartphones with which customers can choose the playing music in stores, bars, restaurants and other venues right when they’re in it – just like a social jukebox. And this is how it works: Upon arriving at the store/bar/restaurant/etc., customers use Roqbot’s Android or iPhone app to “check in” (just like the Facebook Check-In some of you might be using). Then they browse a customized catalog, request their favorite music which can vary from recent hits through Oldies to holiday tunes and vote on others’ song picks.
Current situation and appearance
Roqbot exists since Oct./Nov. 2011. Co-founder and CEO Garrett Dodge gets the credit for that. Basically it is still in the test phase, but if it becomes a success, then Roqbot might expand throughout the USA and maybe even further starting this year. You can download it for free in the Apple App Store or the Android Market. Of course, all other smartphones also can access Roqbot at m.roqbot.com on their mobile browser. The system of Roqbot changes the available music based on the time of day (comparable to Saskia’s favorite restaurant which also picks their music depending on time of day).
Where to find:- GAP –> At the moment, there is one GAP store in San Francisco where shoppers can decide what music is played. They can check-in via Roqbot to receive a 25% discount on their purchases.
- Gym –> Lisa DeCanio tells us on BostInno about different gyms in the Boston area and their advantages. GymIt was the one sticking out to me because it is hooked up to the Roqbot app so that people in the gym can control the music during their workout.
- Barber shops (in Los Angeles)
- Clubs
- Restaurants and Bars
Analysis
Roqbot also incorporates top social networks, such as Facebook or Twitter, so users can share their favorite songs with friends and connect with other “DJs” using this service. Letting the customers choose their own music, for example while shopping, makes sure that they like the music within the store and make them happy so that they stay in there for longer. Additionally, shoppers can gain from using the app by discovering exclusive discounts and rewards.
What’s next?
Right now, the Roqbot music library already consists of over 6 million songs and they are always on the lookout to include more music always trying to be up-to-date. In her last posts, Saskia brilliantly explained how music affects all of us, our mood and behavior. So it is foreseeable that the hookup to Roqbot is a “growing trend of retailers aiming to engage their customers and create a brand experience”, says the admin of odm group.
I think, Garrett Dodge has invented a really interesting app for smartphones. Nowadays, it wouldn’t be wrong to call our society the smartphone generation. It used to be very special to have an iPhone, but now almost everyone has one and it is more special to have one of the “classic” phones which you can only call or text with. Millions of apps already exist for smartphones which makes it hard to compete, so we will see if Roqbot will be expanding and if yes, how long will it take to get across the boarders to Germany?
foodle 
Caroline
/ January 18, 2012Wow this is so cool! I did not know something like this existed and just hearing about it made me fall in love! I hope it will expand soon so that we can try it out here in Berlin! I’m addicted to the free Swedish music program “Spotify” that allows you to listen to music from an enormous library on your computer or smartphone (both online and offline for premium users). Because the extrem copyright rules that exist here in Germany the program has not been able to establish itself here and I really hope that won’t be the case for Roqbot! The cultural city Berlin needs something like this!
I didn’t just like your topic, I also think you post is well structured and you give me all the information I need to understand what Roqbot is and how I can use it and I especially appreciate the examples of where it’s actually beeing used.
annehwr
/ January 18, 2012First of all I think you implemented the Toyota A3 model very well!! It suited your topic perfectly and it made your post very interesting and comprehensive. I also like your personal, somehow informal way of writing which makes it comfortable to read.
Furthermore the choice of your topic was very good and I think you are right about us being the smartphone generation. Ok, I would be the exception by not having one of them, but I can definitely see the increasing iPhone/smartphone ownership around me. Unfortunately, that makes me unable to use this app, but when Roqbot comes to Germany, I might have already bought one under all that peer pressure. 🙂
Well done! Looking forward to read more interesting stuff from you.
Ly N.
/ January 21, 2012Thanks for your comments! I’m very glad, that I got you interested in that App and it makes me happy to hear that you like my way of writing! And thanks to Caroline, I didn’t know the program Spotify and I think it’s a really cool software, I just looked up some information about it and what I read sounded good! Too bad, I don’t have a smartphone;)
Larissa
/ February 10, 2012Hi Ly,
I really enjoyed reading your post and it clearly shows that you inspire eachother in your group! I had never heard of the app before, you really spotted a trend! I also like your long prognosis because the trend is so new that it doesn’t offer much on its own.
I think it’s a very smart method to make customers want to spend more time in stores and enhance commitment. I would be super-interested in whether there are indeed measurable mayor effects, I guess time will tell:-)
Marius
/ February 10, 2012Hi Jessica,
the reason why I decided to read your post is because I am an addict to music. I have an entire dj stand in my apartment so you can imagine that music is a very important element in my life.
I can remember a million times when I found a nice bar or a good shop where I simply could not stay that long because of the music (I have a very special taste in music… ;D)!
To me, this is a very useful app and I cannot wait until it is installed everywhere here in Berlin.
The only thing I am left wondering is how exactly this business idea generates profit since tha app is free. Do the stores havie to pay a fee?
I think you are a very good writer who is able to get down to the essence very quickly. It was smooth to read! Great!
Maybe you would like to read this for even more information on how it works and what else you can do with it:http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/03/roqbot-reinvents-the-jukebox-as-social-game/