Hi there! My name is Bob, and I am an executive and professional in the Telecom & IT industry with over 25+ years of experience in national & international business. I am a strategic thinker, visionary, and inspiring leader who always puts the consumer first by applying human-centred design.
I graduated from Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne in 1992 and worked for Ericsson in the telecoms sector from 1994 to 2002 in various international roles in more than 30 countries. At Ericsson, I managed projects, handled marketing, and eventually moved up to business management, where I won some major deals with Hutchison Whampoa, totalling $830 million.Now, I am proud to be a part of Tavolo360, an emerging SaaS platform designed to improve the in-dining experience for guests by removing all the current friction points and reducing the cost of doing business for restaurants/venues.
Starting my entrepreneurial journey as a kid, I’ve always loved business. However, it wasn’t until 2003, when I exchanged my corporate gloves for entrepreneur gloves, that things took off. My first venture was developing the first mobile online navigation service in Australia, which we now know as Google Maps/Apple Maps. Despite rejection from potential channels, I pivoted and changed my company from a solutions company to a consulting company. Fast forward a few years, I joined Wayfinder Systems, where I played a key role in repositioning and expanding the business in markets like India and Singapore. After successfully positioning Wayfinder Systems for acquisition by Vodafone in 2009, I explored new ideas. I launched the first Mobile Social Marketplace in 2010, which allowed consumers and businesses to sell anything, anytime and anywhere, with just a few clicks. I later launched Shopy2Go in 2014, which became the first mobile native e-commerce platform for consumers.
Tavolo360 was born in the summer of 2018 when my family and I visited some friends in Gothenburg, Sweden. We visited a restaurant called Pinchos, where the entire ordering and payment process was done through a digital menu on a mobile app. As someone who had always been frustrated with the inefficiencies and friction of traditional in-dining experiences, I was blown away by the convenience and ease of use of the Pinchos system. Inspired by this experience, I built a solution that provided a similarly seamless and efficient experience for restaurant owners and guests. Drawing on the foundation of my previous mobile e-commerce platform, Shopy2go, I created Tavolo360, a turnkey solution for all restaurant IT needs.
After launching Tavolo360 in July 2019, we have continued to refine and improve our platform to serve our customers better. By digitizing the menu and ordering process, guests can browse and order directly from their smartphones, reducing the need for physical menus and minimizing contact with staff. This improves the in-dining experience for guests and increases restaurant operations’ efficiency, allowing employees to focus on providing excellent service rather than taking orders and processing payments.
Since the inception of this platform, we have continuously evolved and adapted to meet our customers’ needs. One of the significant changes we made was to focus on localization to ensure a better customer experience. We adapted our solution to benefit consumers and F&B in the Malaysian market by doing this.
Our industry vision revolves around social innovation, collaboration, and change-making, aimed at disrupting the in-dining experience for restaurants and patrons’ mutual benefit. Our ultimate goal is to make dining out more enjoyable and effortless for guests while simultaneously reducing restaurant and venue operational costs.
To me, it’s essential to challenge the status quo and strive for innovation because I believe that’s how we progress as a society. I want to create solutions that improve people’s lives and provide the value they deserve.
Among the many areas that pique my curiosity, hospitality marketing is one of the most fascinating. It involves a delicate balance between customer targeting, relationship building, and loyalty enhancement, which can set a business apart. Furthermore, staying abreast of the latest trends and developments in hospitality technology is crucial. These include virtual concierge services, mobile check-in, and digital payment systems. Understanding the nuances of different types of lodging businesses, including hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals, is also critical in this constantly evolving industry.
The journey has been full of challenges, but the biggest has been securing external funding beyond my investment. To keep my vision alive, I had to continue consulting for large organizations to generate enough revenue to sustain the business. While my friends admire my commitment and energy, they also think I am crazy for taking so much risk.
In my experience, I have learned that adequate funding is crucial to running a successful business. It allows you to gain valuable experience and solve many other issues that may arise. Additionally, having the right mindset, assembling the right team, and establishing leverage, directly or indirectly, in your target industry are key success factors.
One of the most gratifying experiences was cultivating a dynamic and adaptable agile team that can readily pivot and execute original ideas. On the other hand, it can be discouraging and frustrating to operate in an industry where some do not fully appreciate technology, especially as a small player with limited resources and no established reputation.
My parents are my greatest inspiration. They arrived in Australia in the early 1970s with nothing but a small suitcase, and they did not even know any English. Despite their challenges, they worked hard to provide me with the opportunities to pursue an education and follow my aspirations, ultimately shaping me into the person I am today. My greatest wish right now is to inspire and guide my children to become successful and kind individuals who will positively impact the world.
I would like Tavolo360 to be remembered for improving the in-dining experience and for being a pioneer in using innovative technology to benefit the food and beverage industry for future generations. If you want to improve your business and make some changes in your company, I am the person you need. Let’s work together to create a better dining experience for everyone.
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