Chongqing - During the height of the COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing, a pressing issue was the need to minimize close contact between members of the public. Despite the fact most people were staying at home, the need to purchase daily necessities meant that enclosed spaces like supermarkets and pharmacies still received large numbers of shoppers.

In response, Chongqing software developer Tongsu Technology released an online retail application free of charge. Instead of going out in person, members of the public ordered goods using a one-stop system that incorporates location services, product selection, in-app payment, and delivery options.

However, this basic principle applies not only to retail products, but also ticket sales for parks and tourist attractions. The ability to purchase advance tickets through the Tongsu self-service app means that customers may enter directly without the need to queue, while management can record the identity of visitors and prevent overcrowding through fixed daily quotas.

The hotel industry can also benefit from the Tongsu Self-service application, as customers organize their own reservations and payments without the need for reception staff. When they check-in, the application uses facial recognition to confirm the identity of guests, who can then subsequently push an access button on a smartphone to open their room instantly. Likewise, check out formalities are completed in-app, and there is no need for deposits or separate payments for room expenses.

Whilst this technology helps lower the risk of infection during an epidemic, it is also challenging the monopoly of online travel agency giants through increased cost efficiency. 

So, in order to learn more about how Tongsu Technology has contributed to fighting the epidemic, iChongqing arranged an interview with CEO Mr. Zengyong Li their flagship 'Free Mall Hotel' in the city.

Free Mall has achieved a number of key industry breakthroughs that have increased the immunity of business to unforeseen events, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, whilst also lowering the risk of infection to both owners and customers alike.

Instead of the traditional, more rigid practice of fixed check-in, check-out times, guests can stipulate their period of usage down to the last minute, according to individual needs. The self-service reservation process is highly efficient and self-explanatory, with control of the electricity in the users' hands, and which even distinguishes between guest use and that of hotel staff!
Another creative feature completely new to me, and which embodies the concept of a 'Mall hotel,' is the fact that virtually everything on display is available for purchase through reception. This includes the furniture, building materials, upholstery, appliances, toiletries, even the live pedigree cats that proudly roam the lobby area!

For guests interested in whichever product, including the very bed they sleep in overnight, there are discreet but clear price tags hanging from objects large enough to be attached from. In fact, the concept was so novel, my first impression was that the furnishings were either newly delivered or the price tags were a compensation sum in case of breakage!

A smart in-app room key allows guests to open doors automatically with a push of their mobile screens, without the need to contact reception to obtain a card key

Although the hotel rooms were unavailable for a time during the height of COVID-19, the sale of display products remained unaffected, meaning that business never truly came to a halt. In order to help businesses in Chongqing survive the crisis whilst also expanding their customer base, Mr. Li offered free registration to the Tongsu application that positively received over the city.

While consumers benefitted from a streamlined purchase and delivery service, business customers were incorporated into a platform-wide network, where points and vouchers are valid for use between all participants. This helped otherwise unconnected businesses find custom during a period where few people were unable to leave their homes, thus allowing them to stay afloat.

 

 

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