Are you a Valentine’s Day procrastinator? You are not alone and it’s not too late. AutoID is here to save the day. In the spirit of everyone’s ‘favorite’ Hallmark holiday, we decided to blog about how an AutoID-enabled ecosystem can help ensure a romantic, love-filled day with your significant other.
OK – you’re late to the game because you’re just coming home from a business trip, but no sweat … you’ve got your NFC-enabled smartphone (which you used as your boarding pass). As you get off the plane and sprint toward the baggage claim, you pass a flower dispensing kiosk that has the perfect bouquet. You quickly select the bouquet, swipe your phone near the machine, approve the transaction with a tap and voilá, instant flowers for you to hand deliver.
You grab the flowers and make your way to the baggage claim. Although you take solace in the fact that your bag isn’t lost because the airport is using RFID, you still get there before the bags come out and know you’ll be there for at least a ‘few’ minutes. During these valuable few minutes, you call to make a dinner reservation at her favorite restaurant and are told that the only reservation they have is for 10pm and the table is next to the kitchen. But you don’t panic, because this restaurant has a loyalty program that ensures a premium table for its members and you are a longtime member. So you go online, transmit your loyalty card information (as a tech savvy user, you already have this scanned into your smartphone) and reserve a table for two in a dark, romantic corner.
Surprisingly, your bag comes early – must be that RFID system – and you are quickly on your way home, speeding along the highway using your toll transponder to avoid the long lines – and added stress - at the toll booths. You finally make it home, with flowers in hand, are greeted by your significant other with open arms, and are summarily rushed out of the house to make your dinner reservation.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, the hostess scans your loyalty card (displayed on your phone) to authenticate your reservation. You sit down and enjoy a lovely meal. When the bill comes, you pay with your NFC smartphone – at the table, with a quick and virtual ‘high five’ with the waiter’s device. As you are walking out of the restaurant, your sweetheart sees a movie poster advertising the latest Rom-Com (romantic comedy) and says they want to go. You quickly hold your NFC phone to the movie poster, watch the trailer and decide that this is not the movie for you both, but another movie playing at the same theater is. You buy your tickets online and drive to the cinema. At the cinema, you display your tickets on your phone, have them scanned (barcode) or read (NFC), make a quick stop to grab some soda and popcorn (again paying with your phone), and watch the movie.
You’ve had a successful and romantic evening, but wait…we’re not done yet. Keeping this blog post rated ‘G’, you get home and both of you slip into something more comfortable. As you cuddle up by the fire with a glass of merlot, you use your NFC phone to pair with your Bluetooth speakers and play some smooth jazz to set the mood. The rest is up to you – even AutoID has its limits.
Happy Valentine’s Day!