The Simmer Geoff Alexander, President & CEO, Wow Bao
Dec 17, 2024
Geoff Alexander, the President & CEO of Wow Bao, reveals the intriguing journey of his Asian bun restaurant. Starting in Chicago, Wow Bao has embraced modern channels like vending machines and ghost kitchens. He shares his tech philosophy emphasizing the importance of being first in innovation. The discussion also dives into the challenges of managing a brand across diverse platforms while highlighting strategic partnerships that fueled growth during the pandemic. Geoff’s insights blend technology with genuine hospitality in the evolving restaurant landscape.
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Embrace Early Tech Adoption
- Be an early adopter of technology; early adoption allows room for errors and attracts more technological opportunities.
- Early adoption helps build brand awareness with younger generations who will be future customers.
Early Kiosk Adoption
- Geoff Alexander had only three Wow Bao stores when he implemented self-ordering kiosks.
- This was inspired by his experience using voting machines in 2008.
App Development Challenges
- Wow Bao developed a new app to streamline delivery and help customers locate their products in grocery stores.
- Promoting app downloads has been challenging due to limited resources.