Fabia Maulabux

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Pokémon GO is a big hit. Pokémon GO is a game, developed by Niantic, for iOS and Android devices that use augmented reality to let the user catch Pokémon. The Pokémon can be found in different geographic places. In order to find the Pokémon, the user can use their camera to screen the place and if a Pokémon is virtually present, you will see it on your screen, which combines the virtual world with reality. The user therefore has to physically navigate in order to find and catch Pokémon. Studies even showed that playing Pokémon GO would lead to a healthier lifestyle, using it would lead to an increase in steps in order to ‘catch ‘m all’.

Pokémon GO is the first AR game that has been adopted by the mainstream public. AR can be used for much more than games though. It can also have an impact on an educational level. There are two main functionalities for AR technologies in an educational context. First of all, AR can help students engage in authentic exploration in the real world, and virtual objects are supplementary elements for learners to investigate the real-world surroundings (Dede, 2009). For example, annotating existing spaces with an overlay of information that is location based. The second functionality is the fact that it can extend to the combination of real-world and digital learning resources. For example, AR systems have been created to show students the virtual solar system, the process of photosynthesis and other chemical reactions that they normally could not visualize.

Pokémon GO was a cool and interesting way to make the public aware of augmented reality and how it can be practically used, but let’s use AR for educational purposes to make it more useful in the future. Do you agree with this statement? Do you think AR can be used for educational purposes in the short-term?

Dede, C. (2009). Immersive interfaces for engagement and learning. Science, 323(5910), 66–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1167311
Vega, N. (2017). Playing ‘Pokémon Go’ could make you a healthier person, study suggests. Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/pokmon-go-health-exercise-study-2017-3?international=true&r=US&IR=T
Wu, H & Yu Lee et al. (2012) Current status, opportunities and challenges of augmented reality in education. Computers & Education 62(2013), 41 – 49

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The experience economy is emerging, and it is important for companies to keep up. One company that really sets an example in this area is srprs.me. Srprs.me is a website where one can book a so-called “blind-break” trip. You don’t know your destination when you book until you arrive at the airport. The only thing you know is the category of the trip and the duration. The rest is a total surprise. Srprs.me and their concept are getting more popular, a total of 25.000 have already used this new way of traveling by booking a trip through the platform. Apparently, people are into booking surprise holidays, instead of using the traditional methods of booking a trip.

Let’s dive into the reason what makes this concept so successful. Clearly, this idea revolves around the experience of the customer. Making new memories and having fun are prerequisites for a successful holiday and that is dependent on the experience of a person. By not telling you where you are going, srprs.me creates this sense of anticipation that gets built up, the closer your holiday gets. The surprise significantly contributes to the great experience that the users apparently have. According to srprs.me, their average NPS is 9.4.

To distinguish yourself as a company, it is important to firstly focus on increasing the customer satisfaction. Customer sacrifice should then be eliminated. If the company then continues with adding elements of surprise in their company, they are really able to set themselves apart (Pine, 2000). This is exactly what Srprs.me is doing and that is what makes the “blind-break” formula such a success. By constantly creating new experiences that are all unique, customers will keep coming back, because customers don’t want to know what to expect. Surprises give people a sense of desire and an obligation to come back, which is beneficial to srprs.me. They are instigating the perfect planned customer surprise, which makes them leaders in the experience economy in terms of customer satisfaction. A lot of well-established companies should learn from srprs.me, otherwise their surprise will be a slap in the face when they fall behind in their industry.

Sources:
Peterson, P. (2016) ‘[Case] Contentmarketing srprs.me zorgt voor 25.000 verrassingsreizigers!’ Nieuws.social. Available at: http://www.nieuws.social/strategie_nieuws/case-contentmarketing-srprs-me-zorgt-voor-25-000-verrassingsreizigers-interview/ (Accessed 15 Oct. 2017)
Gilmore, J., Pine, B. (2000) ‘Satisfaction, sacrifice, surprise: three small steps create one giant leap into the experience economy’, 2000, 28(1), 8-23, Emerald Insight

– Fabia Maulabux (401230)

Where Pokémon GO stops and augmented reality continues

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How srprs.me maintains an outstanding customer experience

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