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BUSINESS WHAT’S NEW VIRUS-TRACE APP FOR ‘SAFE’ VENUE VISITS Promoted as a “one-touch solution” to lockdown restrictions, the 1breadcrumb app is said to allow shoppers to safely check in and out of venues. The app’s developers say they responded to an urgent call from businesses needing a simple digital solution that allowed them to monitor who was visiting, without threatening the privacy of customers. 1breadcrumb founder Paul Willson says returning the retail industry from hibernation means ensuring retailers and shopping centre managers can feel confident in quickly tracing impacted customers if there is another coronavirus outbreak. “In order to confidently and safely reopen restaurants, hotels, pubs and shopping centres, businesses need to be able to access information about who’s been onsite, for how long, and who they interacted with – in case of a secondary outbreak,” he said. “1breadcrumb was developed with built-in geofencing, allowing for businesses to easily and securely manage an automatic checking process while ensuring the privacy of customers and guests.” Mr Willson says 1breadcrumb is quick and easy to use as an alternative to the federal government’s COVIDSafe app, ensuring businesses are able quickly to trace anyone who has been in contact with a customer or staff member diagnosed with coronavirus. “1breadcrumb allows people with a positive diagnosis to quickly and easily check their history to see where they’ve been and then contact those venues and authorities,” he said. “Digital check-ins and check-outs will become part of the post-pandemic normal, and 1breadcrumb provides a non-invasive, one-touch solution.” REFILL STATIONS FOR CLEANING PRODUCTS Unpackaged Eco has introduced refill stations for supermarkets, supplying “planet-friendly” cleaning products. According to Unpackaged Eco founder Irene Chan, the Australian business was launched to “unpackage product, cut out single-use plastic and refill our way to a cleaner planet”. She claims Unpackaged Eco has helped to save nearly 8000 bottles from landfill, partnering with 18 independent supermarkets around Victoria to “refill for good”. Each store has been fitted out with “neat looking” refill stations supplying Unpackaged Eco’s dish liquid, handwash, multi-cleaner, disinfectants, hand sanitiser and laundry liquid. Customer response, says Ms Chan, has been positive to date, with one in every two Unpackaged customers opting to refill. “Our system has been designed to enable an easy check-out process for supermarkets,” she said. “First-time customers purchase a prefilled bottle and check-out as per normal. Returning customers bring back their empty bottle to the shop, refill it themselves at a station and peel off the barcode to scan the refill barcode underneath.” Savings for customers who choose to refill are claimed to be between 30 and 50 per cent off the initial price. “The goal for us is to make this refill service accessible to every household in Australia, so we’re inviting local retailers in every state to join us in helping to make this possible,” Ms Chan said. SAMSUNG’S ‘REIMAGINED’ ENTERPRISE-READY PHONE Samsung Electronics has recently unveiled the new Galaxy XCover Pro, a smartphone said to be designed and engineered for frontline workers across a variety of industries around the world. According to Samsung, the Galaxy XCover Pro completely reimagines the enterprise-ready smartphone, delivering a “rugged, yet stylish” device for both field and customer- facing settings. The new device, says the company, builds on Samsung Galaxy smartphones’ “premium legacy” features, including an immersive display, long-lasting battery, and the protection by Samsung Knox security platform. In addition, the device is said to be enhanced with unique partner-enabled mobility solutions for use in a wide range of business scenarios, including the ability to integrate the new ‘Walkie Talkie’ capability in the Microsoft Teams collaboration app. “The Galaxy XCover Pro is a reflection of Samsung’s increased investment and commitment to B2B market,” Samsung Electronics President and CEO Dong Jin Koh said. “We believe the business mobility market is ripe for transformation in 2020 and we intend to be the leader in pioneering an open and collaborative mobile platform for the next generation of a digitally enabled workforce.” 54 RETAIL WORLD JUN, 2020