Australia’s popular iPhone-based ordering system NoQ (No Queue) has extended its market reach by agreeing to develop self-branded versions of the intuitive ordering system for customers.

NoQ’s developer, Hub IT, founded by former Adelaide Crows ruckman Brad Moran, has already sold eight self-branded versions of NoQ Plus to customers including Bean Bar and Aroma Café.

Launched in August last year, NoQ www.noqapps.com.au allows customers to use an iPhone app to order and pay in advance for coffee or food orders to avoid queues at the counter when they reach a store. The vendor issues an online receipt and confirms a time to collect the order. Payment occurs automatically via credit card using the secure CTEL payment gateway.

In December last year, the 10,000th NoQ app was downloaded from Apple’s AppStore.

NoQ is unique in the Australian marketplace as an easy-to-use app that allows customers to order products from multiple vendors. NoQ’s transaction-based revenue model makes it affordable for vendors of any size. NoQ requires no special hardware and is simple for staff to learn and use.

Hub IT founder and director Brad Moran said NoQ had worked so well that some vendors wanted their own version of the ordering app. “After a number of requests, we decided it would benefit both NoQ and vendors who want this deeper engagement with the system,” he said.

“Vendors who choose the self-branded NoQ Plus version of the system get all the benefits of NoQ without having to share the app with other vendors. These businesses are willing to pay an upfront development cost in order to ‘own’ the convenience of NoQ packaged in their own brand.

“The bonus for these customers is they also appear in the main NoQ app, so they can still acquire new customers through the multi-tenant model that makes NoQ so affordable in the first place.”

Aroma Café, which operates more than 50 franchised coffee shops in WA, SA and Victoria, has already ordered its own self-branded NoQ Plus iPhone app.  Aroma Café Franchise Partner Harry Lalidis said his company had chosen NoQ Plus because mobile ordering was the way of the future. 

“We believe it will benefit our customers and our business,” said Mr Lalidis. “It will improve our service by alleviating some of the bottlenecks we get during the course of the day, so people won’t have to wait in queues. Rather than develop our own system, NoQ provides us immediately with a cost-effective and efficient way to gain the benefits of iPhone ordering and payment.” 

Mr. Moran said NoQ Plus was part of a strategy to extend the reach of the online ordering service. “This is about transforming NoQ from an iPhone app into a mobile ordering platform,” he said.

“Demand for NoQ has lived up to expectations since our launch. About 45 vendors with 60 outlets now use NoQ. National customers coming on board include Subway, Gloria Jeans and Cold Rock

“Customers love NoQ and vendors are learning how to integrate the system with their operations. Our first four months of trading was where the rubber hit the road. We’ve learned that the strongest demand is from the highly habituated areas, such as ordering coffees, so we’ve launched initiatives, such as our Deal of the Day email offer, to encourage NoQ customers to broaden their ordering.

“2011 was about developing and roadtesting the NoQ system. 2012 is about broadening the NoQ platform and expanding nationally. We’re confident we have a great system that gives the customer a great end-to-end experience, from placing their order on an iPhone to picking up their coffee or pizza. 

“For vendors, NoQ makes it easier for their customers to get what they want without having to queue.”

By leveraging the system’s cost over multiple retailers – whether self-branded NoQ Plus or within the NoQ app – Hub IT aims to make NoQ a “category killer” product. Coffee, food or other vendors who want to learn more about Hub IT can visit the NoQ website at www.NoQapps.com.au.

About Hub IT and NoQ www.NoQapps.com.au

Hub IT is an Australian company that has designed its online ordering system to use the popular iPhone to help retailers improve their business sales and customers to avoid standing in queues. Due for release mid-year, the NoQ (No Queue) ordering system allows customersto order and pay in advance for their coffee or food orders to avoid queues at the counter when they reach the store. Using a simple online ordering screen on an iPhone, NoQ lets customers place orders before visiting a cafe or store: The retailer issues an online receipt and a time to collect the order. Payment occurs automatically via credit card using a secure third party payment gateway.

For media assistance, call John Harris at Impress Media Australia on 08 8431 4000 or email jharris@impress.com.au.