Blue Tea Software is releasing a free Web-based application for hospitality businesses in an effort to limit further spread of COVID-19. Owners of hospitality venues can register for free, and allow their customers to simply scan a QR code on arrival. The App will allow a business owner or the health authority to contact individuals who were close by if a report of a positive case comes in. The App can contact individuals directly in a secure SMS or email manner or the data can be downloaded and handed to the health authority to perform further track and trace activities. Although the current lockdowns, in the UK but also globally, are set to continue until December, the need for preventative measures will not disappear and hospitality businesses will need to ensure their customers’ safety and well-being after re-opening.
How does the App work?
After a venue/shop owner registers for free online, the application automatically generates QR codes for each venue, table or room. Visitors are requested to log their visit by simply opening their smartphone camera and scanning the QR code, with only basic details required. The process takes seconds and does not disrupt the overall dining, leisure or shopping experience. The App keeps a database of all visits, per day, per hour, per location as well as the email address and phone number of each customer encrypted securely. Personal data collection is GDPR-compliant, information is not used for any other purpose, and is discarded after a short period. In case a customer is later confirmed as COVID-19-positive, they or the local health authority can notify the venue. With a few clicks, the COVID-19 Trace App can send a mass-update (via email and SMS) to all customers who might have been in contact with a person falling ill on a particular day with instructions on what to do next. This is in-line with government recommendations globally, and users’ privacy is of utmost importance.
What are the benefits of using the App?
Blue Tea’s application is free and ready to use. There are no costs involved in implementing it in the already financially-troubled hospitality and retail sectors. From a practical point of view, the application saves time and effort to contact many people manually. Businesses should be focusing on delivering a great service, with COVID-tracing taken care for them in a compliant manner. The venue’s notification email/SMS template can be set up in a few minutes once, then sent out in seconds many times.
David Savage, founder of Blue Tea, comments: “We saw that a nation-wide COVID-19 tracking App was not feasible as it was facing a number of social, political and technical issues. Indeed, globally there are still no health authority applications to do this task. Still, at Blue Tea, we feel that there is a need for tracing technology, particularly in sectors like hospitality where other anti-COVID-19 measures cannot be effectively enforced at all times. Wearing protective masks and social distancing are not always possible in restaurants and pubs, so we felt responsible to develop a solution to monitor and warn people when they may have been exposed to COVID-19. We hope that by releasing this App to businesses free of charge, globally, we can contribute to a better tomorrow and some sense of normality.”
Are you a hospitality venue owner? Try out our free COVID-19 tracing App HERE.
