Pepper, the humanoid robot made its debut in France

Pepper, the humanoid robot was first revealed more than a year ago at a conference on June 5 2014. Starting the next day Pepper was showcased to the public at SoftBank Mobile stores in Japan. Although it was said that it will become available for purchase starting February 2015 it only hit the stores on June 20 this summer. Now, Pepper the humanoid robot got out of Japan and landed in France. Pepper was created by Aldebaran Robotics and SoftBank Mobile.

Pepper, the humanoid robot was created for businesses although it could have been a nice companion for home also if you are lonely. It is a great device to have in a store. Being an extremely intuitive presence, Pepper can great customers and even help them with their shopping. The humanoid robot is able to guide customers through a big store and help them find the products they need. If Pepper isn’t able to help customers on its own via its CRM, sales tools or pre-programmed relevant information, it will call a member of the staff.

Pepper, the humanoid robot will definitely change customer experience. It can guide them through the whole range of products and services your store has to offer. It will do this by using interactive animations and demonstrations. Not only will Pepper, the humanoid robot, entertain customers, it will also inform them about your products and service, optimizing this way the store’s sales. 

Given the robot’s characteristics, it’s no surprise it ended up in French Carrefour hypermarkets. Several Pepper devices were installed in Carrefour stores in the Claye-Souilly region of France. These little humanoids help customers choosing the right products and even suggest recipes and wines to customers. Pepper models are able to recognize face features and relate them to feelings. This way interacting with Pepper can be a thrill. If it suggest a good recipe also, customers will surely leave with a smile on their faces. And more importantly, they will mot likely return to your store.

If you would like to purchase a Pepper humanoid robot for your store it will cost you €1500. Besides this sum, payable up front, those who purchase Pepper robots will also have to pay a €200 monthly subscription for about three years. Of course, this is not exactly a small sum to pay, but if you consider the fact that there is a great chance that Pepper will make your customers happy and this way it will increase your sales, it might be a good investment.