It’s been proven that COVID-19 thrives on the surface of paper money, putting at stake so many end users in the retail industry. Now that restaurants are back in operation, there’s a justified wave of paranoia circulating in both households and businesses. Could there be a long-term solution to put these worries to rest?

“The global pandemic caused a number of uncertainties for businesses and communities, as the world is gradually adapting, everyone is required to do their part in guaranteeing a safer post-COVID-19 future,” says Mostafa Medhat, the founder of Touch-less. Providing QR-code solutions, Touch-less was born during the pandemic with the purpose of creating a touch-less solution for both customers and retail-operators.

Founded by Medhat, who is also the owner of Tradeline, Egypt’s premium reseller of Apple products, Touch-less was able to sign with 55 restaurants across Cairo, Dubai and Beirut in just two weeks.

We solve the need of having a full touch-less ecosystem where customers can be safe, but still do what they’re used to, everywhere they go and all the services they need.

Mostafa Medhat, Founder, Touch-less

Beyond the dining industry, Medhat has plans to expand this solution to stores and shops by providing QR codes on storefronts. Customers would be able to scan for an immediate app download (that of the store), website visit or promotional offers. 

This is how it works. In the case of restaurants, managers will stick QR codes on the tables and, in turn, diners will scan the codes using their smart phone cameras with no need to download an app. This code will take them to Touch-less’ platform displaying the given restaurant’s menu, social media links and Google Maps location.

For EGP 1,000, these restaurants will not only be able to protect both their employees and customers, but will also be able to track their conversion rate. Touch-less offers stores weekly data analytics on the use of their QR codes; the smartphone model used, the time of scan and the location. This data enables businesses to track their results and improve their customer experience.

There are many variables to the success (or mere survival) to Touch-less’ solution. Since it’s a QR-code solution company, it only works if the user owns a smartphone that is on iOS 10/OS 9.0 or later versions. This could be viewed as a risk in Egypt since its smartphone penetration is still at 28%, whereas a golden opportunity in the UAE with its whopping 91%.