METRO Xcel (Accelerator) alumni, tsenso test their solution with METRO
tsenso tests their solution in METRO CC in Dussledorf
It is undeniable that the digital revolution is moving forward and has also reached the hospitality and food industry. The METRO Start-up Study, successfully conducted for the second time in cooperation with GfK, examines the motivations, hopes and goals the entrepreneurs have, and reveals how they relate to digitalization. To ascertain what the need is for digital services, the study also surveyed consumers.
Digital revolution in full swing
Ordering food or reserving a hotel room online has almost become the norm. Most hotels and restaurants now have some online presence or other, be it a website or at least a social media channel on which they have listed all the important information about their service, such as menu, room prices, address, opening hours, etc. It is exactly with these tools that the entrepreneurs in the study hope to significantly enhance their company image. Given the obvious success it brings, the digitalization of the industry is of course seen in a very positive light.
Digital services, like doing business transactions or making online reservations, still poses an immense challenge for the industry. Young adults especially place a lot of value on certain digital services – but with digital services, the customers’ needs and the business realities at times diverge. Other core hurdles for the founders include the time factor, privacy protection or high costs.
Founders happier this year than last
All in all, the mood in the industry is nevertheless very positive. Founders enjoy taking on responsibilities, working creatively and independently, being in constant contact with people and living out their passion in their profession. The happiest are the freelancers working in the catering industry and restaurant owners. Their happiness is only clouded by external factors, for the skills shortage is rising. 87 percent of those interviewed are feeling it. That’s about 10 percent more as in 2014. This obstacle has to be mastered, because the more revenue an entrepreneur generates, the happier he is at the end of the day, the study shows.