Crosstown co-founder launches online ordering technology: Crosstown co-founder JP Then has launched on-demand ordering technology Slerp. Following three years of development, Slerp has launched with three foodservice brands based in London who have been beta-testing the technology – Crosstown, Hummingbird Bakery and Gelupo. With the value of purchases made on-demand seeing 150% compound year-on-year growth in 2018, Slerp offers retailers a “viable” direct-to-consumer solution for on-demand pick-up and delivery. The technology integrates directly into a retailers existing website, enabling the business to retain complete control of their brand, their customer experience and their customer data. Slerp is offered to brands through a subscription and commission-based model, which can be used in replacement or alongside online market places directly from the brand’s website. Delivery can be fulfilled from a store or a warehouse by Slerp’s delivery partner. Then said: “The idea for Slerp was born out of a real business need to own the customer relationship, and sweat the retail space we had. It was clear in 2016 there was an opportunity for on-demand to become a significant revenue stream for Crosstown yet we didn’t have the technology to offer it directly. We were nervous about the inability to control our online presence through the market places and the viability as commissions kept creeping up. We wanted to own the customer relationship, the checkout experience and have a sustainable model so the Crosstown brand could thrive and own its online destiny. Now, we’re forecasting that digital revenue will account for more than 20% of our total business. There is a nervousness among operators about how they can make their retail premises work harder and smarter – Slerp directly answers that. Unlike a market place, we’re not building a consumer brand, so we can offer an affordable model with fair commission rates so our partners can grow their on-demand sales channel directly, and know who their customers actually are.” Slerp’s users have control of the ordering and delivery process from start to finish through control of branding and photography of product with a fully customisable SlerpSpace that is integrated into an existing website; control of inventory with a stock management system, which instantly updates; control of order and location settings, to learn and grow with each transaction; control of data, allowing brands to own and look after their customers directly; and control of customer service, putting decisions around issue resolution in the operator’s hands. Slerp has been testing its technology with Then’s business, Crosstown, since January 2017.