Enhancing customer experience using Ella, the robot barista

The café industry in Singapore is a very competitive industry, with international brands and boutique cafes seeking to survive and expand their its customer reach. Among the hurdles that the industry faces are the availability of trained manpower, cost, and scalability. Crown Coffee is the first in Singapore to offer Ella, a robot barista as a solution to the hurdles mentioned. Considering the concept of the uncanny valley and technological determinism, is Crown Coffee's business model based on a robotic barista, then sustainable? Set against the concept of the uncanny valley and technological determinism, is Crown Coffee’s business model sustainable? The study prompts students to explore how Keith Tan, the founder, adopted this business model, emphasizing that the journey is as significant as the outcome. The study further engages students in examining the challenges and potential of this business model, as well as the broader future of automated barista cafes.