When the call for heading out for a sociable drink at a bar with friends beckons, nobody wants to waste time thinking about where they should go. You just want to be there; in the right place that suits you. No worries, just pleasant conversation whilst enjoying a refreshing drink. Sounds good doesn’t it. Sounds easy, and so it should be.
How many of us have our stomping grounds? The areas that we know really well, and if an out of town friend comes to visit that’s where you end up taking them. I think most of us are guilty of that. It’s usually an area close to work, close to home or because we now know the owners of an amazing pub somewhere so we’ll stay loyal.
It’s fair to say that we also like to be thrilled with finding something new and unique. Like the feeling of going on holiday to somewhere distinctly different to home. It puts a spring in the step of the adventurer, bounding new horizons, fascinated by the secret treasure trove they have just found; that new discovery. ‘Make way, I’m an explorer! I’ve seen things!’ The scene is different, the people are different, and the drink is different. So what stops us from venturing to a new bar or club each time we head out for the evening? After all, there’s so much choice out there!
It’s simple: Time.
If our goal is to go out somewhere for a drink, then we face two major influences on our time. The first is travel to a location; we will place a limit on how much time we are prepared to travel in order to reach our goal. So, let’s say we’re currently in Shoreditch, looking to head out to Soho. If you’re looking for that thrill in finding a new venue, which one in Soho do you choose? There are so many. This brings in the second factor of time; travelling further around a location. We do not have time to go on a wild-goose chase, looking in the window of each potential place. We cannot afford the time in our busy lives to take a stroll around until we settle upon a place. No doubt before we find it the bar will be packed with no seats! So, we want to make best use of our time. We want to know what a place is like before we get there. You’re making your decision now and need the right info to help you decide, so when you arrive in Soho, you know exactly where you intend to go.
Well, the solution to our problem is coming and it’s called Shnergle. As more and more of us have smartphones and we increasingly make decisions on the move, a ‘reconnaissance’ app that allows us to ‘see’ other places right now would be very valuable. Time-stamped images, time-sensitive deals, intentions of others, and a social comments feed, are all beneficial ingredients to solving the problem of not wasting our time; helping us choose before we commit to going there. Here’s a video to show you what I mean.