Today, multiple Sauder alumni came to share their experience of starting their own company. The one that caught my attention the most was Tangoo, an application that suggests restaurants and events based on the users’ moods.
After reading an article on The Huffington Post about Tangoo, I’ve formulated some of my own suggestions and thoughts about it.
For starters, my main criticism is that the application almost seems too simple; while the main function demonstrated in class worked smoothly and stylishly, there should be auxiliary products that directly support the goal of Tangoo, which is to improve the way people socialize.
One idea I had was a “pre-pay” system where people can charge a certain amount of money into their Tangoo account. While traveling to a restaurant, customers can pre-order dishes that fall within their charged amount. Customers can pay through their Tangoo balance or any normal method and withdraw remaining balances any time. If a customer fails to show up, then penalties will be deducted. Essentially, this creates value for Tangoo users because they can save time while eating out.
In addition, Tangoo also gains value because it can now track loyal consumers who eat at specific restaurants which is very useful information that can be sold or further developed upon.