An ex-banker is banking on you really, really, really wanting that free wifi

(Image by Frank Knaack)

I think we’ve all seen Maslow’s diagram of the “hierarchy of needs” updated to show wifi as being the primary motive force of humanity, but companies have been slow to catch on to just how much we crave connectivity. There are cafes, malls, and hotels that have put in comfy sofas, elaborate waterfalls, commissioned artwork, and all kinds of other creature comforts but they have no complimentary wifi – forcing you to open your mouth to communicate with the fellow human being sitting nearby, like some kind of caveman.

That has created a vacuum that Timothy Tsui’s startup is now filling. He created a system he describes as social media login for wifi, which he sells to businesses as an easy way for them to offer wifi to customers while also growing their online social fanbase.

Tsui’s startup is Fanswifi, which he co-founded with Sam Yeung last year in Hong Kong.

Social connections

If a business is using Fanswifi, the customers can get onto the web by connecting with the brand on Facebook or Instagram by liking or following the account. In China and a couple of other markets, there’s the option of WeChat or Weibo.

Fanswifi’s Timothy Tsui (left) with fellow co-founder Sam Yeung.

It’s a way for these businesses to “build social media engagement,” Tsui says. Even better, they’re not random followers. “Because all of these users have basically seen or been to the restaurant, shopping mall, or retail shop, so they’ve seen the brand – they recognize the brand. It’s not some random advertisement, you’re doing targeted marketing to people who know of the brand.”

There are similar startups out there, such as Wifigen and Waffle.

See: Wifigen offers free wifi in exchange for social media logins

Tsui sidesteps the question of whether people resent having to surrender their social media loving in exchange for wifi. Instead, he points out that a number of companies who make use of Fanswifi opt to sweeten the deal by dishing out digital coupons to people who log in via social media to their wifi – and then those can be exchanged for discounts.

The businesses who sign up with Fanswifi get more than ‘likes’ – they get real-time data about users from their social media profiles, things like your name, age, gender, contact information, or personal details. That might irk some people, but it’s the pact we make each time we connect a social profile to a new app, game, or service. Next time you connect your Facebook to a new thing, dig into the settings and see what you’re giving away. Pro-tip: you can opt to not reveal a lot of things, like your contacts or your email, leaving the brand/app/game solely with your name – but Facebook’s default is to give away all your info willy-nilly. Take it up with the Zuck.

Importantly, neither the brand, Fanswifi, nor the social media service know which pages you’re visiting as you make use of the free wifi.

So while firms need to pay Fanswifi for the service, Tsui says that the social fans, the channel for coupons, and the useful data presented in the ubiquitous metrics dashboard make it “a value-add compared to a no-password system” for offering wifi.

WeChat followers

Banking on wifi