by rblakerice | Apr 8, 2021 | Scent Marketing, ScentBridge Spotlight
As your fitness facilities begin to reopen, what are you doing to bring back members into your gyms and studios?
No one could ever predict the impact COVID-19 would have on businesses, especially in the fitness industry. With the many difficult challenges that come with re-opening, like addressing members’ fear of space cleanliness/safety and marketing against home workouts, gyms have taken a massive hit in their financials and business performance.
As members return, everyone should be focusing on welcoming environments while enhancing the member experience. Fitness facilities are now turning to scent to engage more members and provide a better workout environment.
For low cost, gym owners and management can continually elevate their membership experience with scent. In the context of fitness marketing, scent can be a powerful tool in calming fears and reaffirming a clean, safe environment while providing members with an enhanced experience.
Gym managers know membership experience is among the most essential variables in contributing to a business’s strong brand and revenue growth. Deploying scent to enhance members’ overall experience, such as eliminating distracting odors and providing a cleaner, upscale environment, can now be a norm for gyms.
From body odor to rancid workout clothes, gyms have always been a contender for “musky” environments. But the good news is your facility doesn’t have to smell like a sweaty gym. Integrating scent into your members’ experience gives your gym a breath of fresh air — literally. As strong as the reek may be, it’s no match for today’s scent delivery systems. With the ability to control scent delivery everywhere from locker rooms to recovery areas, these systems combat unpleasant odors in your facility.
Scent delivery systems, like ScentBridge’s, provide a clean, aromatic, upscaled environment where members can rejuvenate, recover, and most importantly, focus on their workout. With the right scent delivery system, scent can be a powerful tool to improve your fitness facilities’ business performance as you welcome back members.
Meet Chad Clark
Chad Clark is an innovative, dynamic, sales and marketing leader with 25 years of experience. Chad has a history of leading executive teams of blue chip companies through high-value sales and marketing initiatives. Some of Chad’s most notable deals have included complex transactions in the world of sports, including NASCAR, PGA Tour, NFL, as well as media, retail, and licensing acquisitions in children’s entertainment.
Chad joined Scentbridge in 2015 as one of the first business development executives and has focused on bringing scent marketing to the fitness and franchise verticals to increase customer experience and drive overall brand impressions. Chad has become a trusted resource for his clients, providing best-in-class solutions while meeting the budget needs of the organization he is engaged with.
Chad, is a member of the board of Directors for the United States Restaurant Alliance and has become a trusted resource on sales and marketing for some of the world’s largest private equity companies.
Chad has been married to his lovely wife Tracey for 16 years, is an avid boater, fitness enthusiast, and while not very good, still enjoys playing golf.
by rblakerice | Mar 25, 2021 | Scent Marketing, ScentBridge Spotlight
The gaming industry has always been known for its strong and impactful marketing strategies — with customer experience at the foundation of it all. With a strong pulse on their consumers, casinos know what keeps guests playing and draws them to keep coming back.
Casinos have always exploited sensory marketing, giving players an enormous sensory overload in their facilities. But, the biggest breakthrough in casino marketing has been the adoption of scent. Armed with their carefully crafted fragrances, casinos now using scent to
allow players to relax and elevate their experience even more.
Enhancing the Guest Experience with Scent Marketing
Casino managers know guests’ experiences are among the most essential variables in contributing to a business’s strong brand and revenue growth. For most guests, the expectation when visiting a casino is to have a full-on luxurious experience filled with a fun and immersive atmosphere.
Scent enables an extra layer for that customer experience. The moment a guest walks in, they are struck with a stimulation of senses — the flashing lights, the chimes of the machines, and that consistent, fragrant smell that rejuvenates the urge to play. Casinos can elevate the full-on gaming experience further by reaching their guests at a deep, instinctual level through scent.
Casinos can also use scent strategy to employ more customer loyalty. After selecting a specific scent, gaming facilities will use that fragrance throughout the casino so guests will associate their brand with that specific smell. This scent strategy allows guests to recognize not just the exhilaration of the game— but the thrill of playing at that particular gaming facility.
Meet Jesse Jackson III
Jesse currently serves as ScentBridge’s National Director of Gaming & Resort Sales. With over 30+ years of sales management experience, Jesse has held a variety of sales roles throughout his career, including Sales Director/VP of Sales for AromaSys, Director of National Sales for Yankee Candle Scent Systems and Newell Brands, VP of Sales & Marketing for Innovatech, and Regional Sales Director for RBS Lynk and Moneris.
On top of his 10+ years in the scent marketing industry, Jesse has almost a decade’s worth of experience within the hospitality industry. Jesse began his career in the hospitality/casino industry at the Las Vegas Hilton, where he climbed the management ladder to Director of Hotel Operations. He additionally held a role as Asst. General Manager at the Alexis Hotel in Seattle, WA.
Jesse also spent almost ten years as an entrepreneur, becoming the founder of North Star Lighting and Elite Salon Systems.
by rblakerice | Mar 11, 2021 | IOT, ScentBridge Spotlight
In his 30-year career, Todd has focused on helping companies successfully transform their initiatives using smart connected technology. As Todd puts it, these businesses have “surfed” the Three Waves of IT that Michael Porter (et al.) defined as the major transformative forces of information technology that drive business advantage and productivity.
Since the 1960s, three waves of IT have radically shifted the competitive landscape for businesses. In the ’60s and ’70s, the first wave automated activities like order processing and manufacturing resource planning across business operations. As the internet began to grow in popularity, the second wave of IT transformation enabled businesses to integrate, coordinate and communicate with their suppliers, channels, and customers across their “value chain”.
Now, as the third wave emerges, products themselves are being transformed. IoT is now becoming an integral part of products and services, improving the overall experiences of customers. Smart connected technology provides a new and impactful wave of innovation so users can expect more out of everyday products and services.
Thanks to IoT, everyday objects are enabled to do more for users and consumers. IoT’s evolution has brought us where we are today, allowing for a transformation in productivity, economic gains, and the perfection of service.
Meet Todd Becker
Todd Becker currently serves as the President of ScentBridge. As a successful entrepreneur, management consultant, C-level exec, and venture capital investor, Todd has successfully launched, grown, or “digitally transformed” numerous businesses with smart connected device architectures, including mobile, cloud, IoT, Blockchain technologies, and of course – smart scent delivery systems.
Todd’s extensive technology experience covers corporate development, business planning, market strategy, intellectual property, product development, operations, IT, and business finance. Todd has held many executive positions at many businesses (including private-equity capital raises, acquisitions, and IPOs) as a Board Member, President, COO, CTO, CIO, and CFO.
His latest new venture is BlueStreak IoT. BlueStreak sits at the center of information, providing sensors, devices, networks, and software that combine to deliver valuable, actionable data and automate critical functions across retail, hospitality, entertainment, health & fitness, real estate, and other commercial venues.
by rblakerice | Feb 17, 2021 | ScentBridge Spotlight
“Internet” not only defines our computers, laptops, and smartphones anymore. Now, most industries have found ways to incorporate IoT integration into numerous products and services they offer to their customers.
From increased efficiency and quality to accelerated innovation, almost every business aspect can be profoundly changed by the “internet of things” (IoT). In fact, almost 85% of decision-makers say they are currently developing or deploying IoT solutions. Businesses late to adopt IoT innovations and techniques will most likely be left behind by their more innovative competitors.
So, where can businesses begin incorporating IoT into their products, services, and daily operations? Here are some examples for facility managers in commercial companies to consider.
Commercial kitchens solve their messiest problem with technology: GREASEwatch
Many IoT initiatives work to improve not only a business’s operational efficiency but performance quality and safety as well. GREASEwatch is a great example, as it helps facility managers with commercial kitchens in the restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice industries monitor and manage their grease traps.
The GREASEwatch Interceptor Monitoring Device (IMD) offers a grease trap management solution. It uses two acoustic sensors that measure the accumulation of Fats, Oils and Grease (F.O.G.) inside grease interceptors, buried several feet underground in parking lots around the world. Inside of a grease interceptor, most of the Fats, Oils & Grease float to the top and the heavier fried or other food solids sink to the bottom. When the grease interceptor reaches capacity (e.g., 25% Total F.O.G.), a pumping truck is automatically dispatched to clean the tank.
Not only does GREASEwatch help its clients take preventive measures that avoid health department violations and kitchen shut-downs from grease backups or clogged drain lines, it avoids unnecessary and costly “emergency pumps” by knowing “when” to pump. It also avoids near-term performance problems by confirming “how well” the pumper did their job, triggering invoice payment approval for the pumper AFTER a quality pump is confirmed. By “seeing” inside the tank with similar sensors used in a boat’s fish-finder, GREASEwatch removes the guess-work, avoids costly mistakes, and makes grease interceptor management easy and predictable.
Remote tank monitoring for fleet managers: Vertrax
Businesses that use IoT solutions greatly benefit from its remote accessibility and monitoring through interconnected platforms.
Vertrax’s Tank Monitoring Service allows fleet owners and managers to measure fuel tank liquid levels through a customized platform for both customers and suppliers. Users can monitor everything from tank levels and health to usage rates and projected runouts. This service even notifies customers when tank levels are getting low, so they can place orders and never run out of fuel.
Thanks to this IoT solution, fleet management has full visibility into tank consumption and metrics, improving inventory management, routing efficiency, and delivery forecasting.
Equipment owners and manufacturers work with one connected platform: SmartEquip
As IoT integration progresses, one of its many benefits is allowing users access to accurate and real-time information.
In manufacturing, technicians spend on average 50% of their time looking up part numbers for equipment. SmartEquip gives manufacturers one integrated platform with real-time access to equipment updates, parts, service manuals, diagrams, and more. Providing easy access to these resources, SmartEquip works to increase wrench time while reducing the total cost of ownership.
As an IoT solution with instant accessibility to information and data, SmartEquip helps fleet owners, manufacturers, and contractors keep their assets on the job to increase operational efficiency and uptime.
Since its creation, the internet has been an integral tool in the growth and expansion of the world economy. Now, the “internet of things” drives even greater value, as IoT integrates into products and services that manage the resources we use at home and work.
About Smart Connected Ventures
Smart Connected Ventures™ is a synergistic portfolio of high-impact digital solutions that effectively and efficiently manage commercial services. Their core division, BlueStreak IoT™, manages and secures remote connections for monitoring IoT-enabled services and devices, including GREASEwatch™ and ScentBridge™. BlueStreak utilizes an advanced commercial IoT framework that sits at the center of information from sensors, devices, networks, and software that combine to deliver valuable, actionable data and automate critical functions across retail, hospitality, entertainment, health & fitness, real estate, and other commercial venues.
SCV’s team has been:
- Creating IoT solutions since 1996
- Specializing in “Product as a Service”
- Supporting compliance-driven organizations with operations distributed across large geographies
- Intelligently facilitating local service logistics that add tremendous value to customers
- Managing segregated, machine-class cellular networks that are secure, reliable, and easy to deploy
by rblakerice | Jan 28, 2021 | ScentBridge Spotlight
Digital Intelligence’s Impact on Customer Experience
Consider which option would more likely put a smile on a customer’s face: A technician calling to schedule a proactive service due to a potential product problem vs. a break-fix call after the fact. In a world where reputation and brand is now everything, customer experience is a critical success factor. With digital intelligence, companies should no longer need to react to disgruntled customers. We have the ability to be proactive, fix it before there is a problem.
As consumers, we all know customer experience is among the most essential variables in contributing to a business’s strong brand and revenue growth. Businesses must constantly execute initiatives to improve their customers’ experience.
We’ve all received recommendations for products and books, even when we didn’t even ask for them. Similarly, companies seem to know our desires before we are aware of our own needs. Personalization and purchase history allow intelligent systems to make assumptions of what we will like and find value in.
These same digital intelligent technologies allow commercial product companies to provide outstanding, proactive, highly valuable experiences. Deploying new technology to predict negative experiences before they happen should be the norm for all companies. Products today should never be standalone devices but should be combined with intelligent services to enable outstanding customer experiences. Examples include proactive diagnostics, proactive parts replacement, adjustments required, status changes, device monitoring, and so on.
Pervasive communications networks, IoT, and artificial intelligence allow all product companies to imbed intelligent devices into their products. These devices enable companies to independently communicate critical information. This information is then used to predict, alert, take action on issues, adding value to the overall product experience.
Driving the Overall Customer Experience with Digital Intelligence
Digital intelligence technologies specifically help businesses improve relationships with customers by enhancing their overall experience. Take Scentbridge as an example. ScentBridge uses their smart IoT scent system to provide businesses with a unique and personalized customer experience through fragrance impressions that match their brand. Not only does this provide a great environment for the customer, but organizations can also track and monitor how effectively their scent marketing is working through their scent system and metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).
Throughout the years, IoT has provided many benefits from convenience to efficiency. Now as we add digital intelligence, AI, machine learning, and other advanced capabilities our ability to deliver a superior customer experience is stronger than ever before.
Meet Rich Eldh
Rich is a successful entrepreneur and industry thought leader in sales, marketing, and customer experience. He has more than 30 years building his knowledge, leading businesses, and people, executing go-to-market strategies throughout the world. Rich is a trusted advisor, offering his executive leadership and marketing, sales, and operational experience and guidance to the ScentBridge team. He is also a board member and investor in Smart Connected Ventures, the parent company of ScentBridge and BlueStreak IOT.
Rich is the Co-Founder Emeritus of SiriusDecisions which is now part of the public company, Forrester Inc. SiriusDecisions was a world-renowned business advisory organization. It specializes in Sales, Marketing, Customer Experience, and Product advice and consulting. While leading SiriusDecisions, Rich worked with hundreds of companies across multiple industries, including Software, Enterprise Technology, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Information Services organizations. He worked with organizations in the US, Europe, South & Central America, S. Asia, and Australia, providing guidance and advice on go-to-market strategy and operations. This experience offers a rich set of insights and best practices to draw upon when interacting with new and established organizations.
Rich has previously participated in the startup and sale of multiple successful businesses. In addition, prior organizations he has worked at include, North American Plastic, Four Phase Systems, Hewlett Packard, Gartner Group, SiriusDecisions sold to Forrester.
by rblakerice | Jan 13, 2021 | ScentBridge Spotlight
Get ready for our first ScentBridge Spotlight!
Each spotlight will highlight some of ScentBridge’s most innovative SMEs and professionals in the industry and include their thoughts and expertise around a specific topic.
The Value of Scent
with Jeff Sneed
As scent marketing has grown over the years, Jeff has immersed himself in the sales, management, and strategy behind scent delivery. As one of the industry pioneers, Jeff can attest to the value scent gives business in conjunction with other media.
For the most part, businesses and facilities focus on branding themselves through senses like sight and sound. For example, using specific colors for the walls, adding distinctive decor, or playing a particular style or music genre. While these strategies may tie in a company’s branding, they don’t compare to the emotive power of scent.
Our sense of smell is hardwired through the limbic system — the part of the brain that deals with emotions and memory. It regulates autonomic or endocrine function in response to emotional stimuli and also is involved in reinforcing behavior. When done correctly, scent can play a powerful role in how a customer experiences, feels and even remembers a brand.
Take this real-life scenario of a large hotel chain, for example. This corporation wanted to use the five senses to create a more memorable guest arrival experience. To capture each sense, the team established multiple initiatives. These included developing a custom music program, enhancing their lighting and decor strategy, creating a signature fragrance, adding towel service, and providing an arrival beverage for guests.
The most effective of all those initiatives? Scent. The hotel found that customers reacted most favorably to the consistent fragrance they were using in the lobby of their hotels worldwide. Customers could recognize and associate the brand solely based on smell. Later on, the hotel created amenity products (like shampoo and soap) with the same fragrance to further amplify their brand recall through the power of scent.
Facilities should no longer overlook the impact scent can have on their business. When brands capitalize on the value of scent, they can expect immediate results and an overall better experience for their customers.
Meet Jeff Sneed
Jeff Sneed is an accomplished, sales-oriented executive with over 25 years of experience in account management, corporate leadership, business development, and strategic sales. Currently, Jeff is the Vice President of Sales for Scentbridge, the industry-leading smart scent system provider.
Throughout his career, Jeff has worked extensively to enhance the Customer Experience for his clients in a vast array of markets through the use of multiple media.
Before ScentBridge, Jeff held executive positions as Vice President of Sales for Prolitec, Inc. and Chief Revenue Officer for Spectrio, LLC. He also founded and still serves as a managing partner for Sneed Consulting, LLC.
Jeff’s scent marketing experience stems from his work at ScentAir, where he served as ScentAir’s Senior Vice President of Sales for over 8 years. Jeff joined ScentAir as employee seven and quickly developed a go-to-market strategy that grew the sales and marketing organization to 90+ team members, transforming the relatively new concept of “scent marketing” from an interesting idea to a brand standard within marquee accounts.
Before entering into executive management, Jeff had a distinguished career in sales with Mood Media where he consistently ranked in the top 1% of his peers at the local, regional, and national levels. He was directly responsible for negotiating and closing multiple enterprise agreements with major brands in markets such as banking, specialty retail, restaurant, and healthcare.
