There were several issues with the previous guided tour of the London Eye: there were few languages available, the cabin was noisy and had poor signal, the cultural explanations were too simplistic, and the equipment did not meet the standards. Yingmi Self-guided tour system customised a solution, supporting 12 languages, resolving the interference and high-altitude signal problems, making the equipment waterproof, resistant to low temperatures and compliant, and adding local stories to the content. After implementation, the multi-language satisfaction rate reached 95%, the cabin complaints decreased by 80%, and it helped global tourists understand the scenery of the London Eye.
I. The “Sky Troubles” of the London Eye
On the banks of the River Thames in London, the 135-meter-tall London Eye rotates like a large blue ring. When the sun is shining, the glass of the cabin reflects the river water, even casting shadows on the Gothic spires of Big Ben and the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Every visitor who sits in wants to take away the stories of these 55 scenic spots. However, for this “Millennium landmark” that receives over 3 million global tourists every year, the issue of guiding Tours has never been sorted out. It is always held back by various problems.
1.Multilingual gap: Global tourists “can’t understand”
Visitors to the London Eye come in all kinds of ways: Chinese families push baby strollers, trying to explain to their children why the Ferris wheel is so big. Arab youth came in groups to take photos and pointed at the River Thames, asking, “Can large ships be driven on this river?” German scholars, carrying blueprints, squatted outside the cockpit to study “how to fix the steel cables”. A Japanese tourist held up a camera, wondering “How do solar panels power the cabin?” However, traditional guided Tours are only available in English, French and Spanish, with no more than one.
Mr. Thomas, the operations manager of the London Eye, rubbed his forehead and said: Last month, a Chinese tourist pointed at Big Ben outside the window and asked, “Why is it called Big Ben?” I racked my brains and would say, “Big Ben is a famous clock.” No matter how many details there were, such as “Big Ben is actually the name of the clock and the building is called the Elizabeth Tower,” they simply couldn’t be said in Chinese. The tourist stared at the bell tower and took a photo. The look of regret in his eyes, I still remember it to this day.
What’s even more embarrassing are tourists who speak minority languages. Last summer, a group of Japanese tourists surrounded the solar panels in the cabin, asking all kinds of questions. They approached three staff members, but none of them could speak Japanese. In the end, the tourists could only use a mobile phone translation app to translate sentence by sentence. They pointed at the screen and frowned, and finally had to wave their hands and walk away.
2. Cockpit Interference: The “Noisy Problem” at 135 meters
Each cabin of the London Eye can accommodate 20 people, and it is packed to capacity during peak season. If two or three teams were giving explanations simultaneously in the cabin, the sounds of English and Chinese mixed together, along with the chatting of tourists and the clicking of camera shutters, it would feel as if there were a cotton ball stuffed in one’s ears. Emily, who is in charge of cabin service, said, “Once an elderly couple wanted to hear how the London Eye was built. The explanation from the Chinese tour group sitting next to them was too loud. The old man had to move forward and almost bumped into a tourist with a camera.”
What’s more troublesome is the high-altitude signal. When the cabin was raised to the highest point of 135 meters, the traditional audio guide began to “get stuck”. Once, Emily was listening to the tour guide talk about “There are 27 Bridges over the River Thames”. When it came to “27 Bridges”, it suddenly broke down, leaving only the noise of “Bridges, Bridges”. Tourists could only look at each other and guess what the second half of the sentence was.
3. Cultural Interpretation is “too superficial” : The charm in the details is “deeply hidden”
The design of the London Eye is full of tricks: 60 cabins correspond to London’s 60-minute time zone, solar panels can save 120,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, and the Tower Bridge seen below actually has two towers, and the bridge deck in the middle can even be raised. But no one talks about this, and overseas tourists simply can’t figure it out. An American tourist wrote in his travelogue: “After riding the Ferris wheel for 30 minutes, I knew ‘the scenery was beautiful’. Until I left, I still didn’t understand why there were 60 cabins. I felt like I had wasted my ride.”
Another time, an Australian tourist asked the ventilation opening in the cabin, “Where does this wind come from?” The staff couldn’t answer and could only say “air conditioning.” The tourist smiled and said, “I thought it was powered by solar energy,” his tone brimming with disappointment.
4. Device compatibility “card compliance” : British standards are “hard to break”
The UK has strict regulations on electronic devices. Neither CE certification nor a lack of radio frequency is acceptable. Previously, some scenic spots had tried out tour guide devices of other brands, but were asked to stop using them after just three days – they had not passed the CE certification. Some machines break down whenever it rains in London. After the heavy rain last year, water got into the interface of the tour guide machine, reducing its battery life from 8 hours to 4 hours. The battery ran out halfway through the tour, and the tourists had to ask the staff to replace it, which was quite embarrassing. “Surely we can’t let tourists ride the Ferris wheel with machines running out of power, can we?” ” Mr. Thomas spread his hands and said.
When all these things are piled up together, the 135-meter-high journey of the London Eye turns into a regret of “only seeing the picture but not listening to the story” – tourists can see the outline of the city but cannot understand the ins and out of it.
Ii. Yingmi’s “London Eye Customized Solution” : Full-scene Adaptation from high altitudes to riverbanks
After learning about the trouble of the London Eye, Yingmi didn’t dare to directly bring the “universal” device to the door. The regulations in the UK are strict and the weather is changeable. The cabin environment of the London Eye is even more special – high-altitude signals, confined Spaces, and dense crowds of tourists – none of these aspects can be overlooked. The Yingmi team conducted on-site research at the London Eye for 21 days, following Mr. Thomas and his team to measure signals every day I came here as soon as the Ferris wheel opened at 9 a.m. and didn’t leave until it closed at 6 p.m. I took it 37 times in a row. Once, it was raining, and the cabin was stuffy and damp. While wiping the sweat, I kept remembering “weak signal at 100 meters and restored at 120 meters”, and finally got to know the “temperament” of each cabin. Finally, I came up with this plan:
1. Multilingual self-guided Tours: Let every scenic spot be “accompanied by your native language”
The self-guided tour machines of Yingmi specifically support 12 languages – in addition to English, French and Spanish, they also include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German and Arabic, all based on the visitor data of the London Eye (Asian visitors account for 40% and European and American visitors account for 35%). When tourists select their native language, they don’t need to press a button. The position sensor in the cabin will automatically trigger the explanation.
When turning towards Big Ben, the device will softly say: “The clock tower you see is called the Elizabeth Tower. ‘Big Ben’ is the name of the clock. During World War II, its chimes never stopped and even inspired many Londoners.”
When turning to Tower Bridge in London, they would say: “This bridge has two towers. The bridge deck in the middle can rise to make way for large ships. It rises about 100 times a year. If you are lucky, you can see it.”
To avoid making mistakes, Yingmi also invited historians and architectural experts from the University of London to review each sentence one by one. For instance, when it comes to solar panels, it is specifically stated that “Each cabin’s solar panel can generate 2.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day, which is sufficient for ventilation and lighting. This is a ‘green idea’ that was considered when the cabin was built in the millennium.” A Chinese tourist, after trying it out, came to us with the tour guide and said, “Before, when I looked up travel guides, I only knew that the London Eye was beautiful. Now, I even understand the story of how the architects Mark and his wife won the design competition in 1993. The Chinese explanations are so considerate!”
2. Anti-interference Technology: Breaking the “Noise Curse” in the Cockpit
To address the noise in the cabin, the Yingmi has adopted 2.4G wireless digital transmission technology and added a customized anti-interference algorithm – even if the cabin is fully occupied with 20 people, the signals of different teams will not crossedge. Last National Day during the peak season, there was a cabin where three teams in Chinese, English and Arabic were giving explanations simultaneously. During the test, the explanations in all three languages were clear and even details like “The bearings of the London Eye are made in Germany” were not missed.
Tour guide Li, who is in charge of leading the Chinese tour group, said, “In the past, when explaining in the cabin, I had to shout at the top of my lungs. By the end of the day, my voice was so hoarse that I couldn’t speak. Even if tourists surrounded me to listen, I could only grab a few words.” Now, standing in the corner of the cabin and talking, the tourists in the back row can all clearly hear “There are 27 Bridges over the River Thames.” It’s so effortless.
3. High-altitude and climate adaptation: Addressing the pain points of “signal and durability”
When the London Eye rises to 135 meters, the signal is easily blocked by buildings. Coupled with the fact that it rains frequently in London and the coldest temperature in winter can drop to -5℃, the equipment has to be “durable”. Yingmi has specially made optimizations:
In terms of signal, the antenna Angle has been adjusted and relay devices have been added to each cabin. Even at the highest point, there will be no disconnection.
The casing is made of IP54 waterproof material, so it’s fine even if it gets rained on heavily. Once during a test, it was caught in a shower. The device was placed by the cabin window and rained on for 15 minutes. After drying it, it still worked as expected.
The battery has been replaced with low-temperature cells. Even at -5℃ in winter, it can last for 8 hours, which is sufficient from opening to closing.
Mr. Thomas specially tested it: “During the coldest period of last winter, I took the Ferris wheel four times with the tour guide device, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The battery still had 30% left. It’s much more reliable than the previous equipment.”
4. Compliance Certification: Passed the “standard test” of the UK
Yingmi had already passed the European CE and ROHS certifications as early as 2010 (the same set of certifications was used when guiding the British Museum before). This time, for the London Eye, it specially translated the certification documents into English and marked the local radio frequency requirements in the UK to avoid conflicts with the public signals in London. Mr. Thomas, holding the documents, said with a smile, “The brands we previously collaborated with took three months just for the certification. As soon as you arrived, you handed over the complete set of documents. Even the details of the radio waves that we didn’t consider were marked. It saved us a lot of trouble.”
Iii. Content Refinement: Make the explanation “Have the warmth of London”
Yingmi knows that a tour guide is not just about “talking”. The content needs to have a “London flavor” – don’t just list knowledge points dryly, but make it easy for overseas tourists to listen and remember.
1. Integrate “Local stories” : Bring Architecture to life
The explanation added many “little secrets” about the London Eye – for instance, when talking about its color, it would say, “Architects Mark and his wife initially wanted to make it red, but later when they were taking a walk along the River Thames and saw the water under the setting sun looking like blue silk, they changed their mind on the spot.” When it comes to the number of cabins, it will be added that “60 cabins correspond to the 60-minute time zone of London. The designer hopes that ‘each visitor can see a different London at different times.'”
After hearing all this, a German architectural scholar deliberately approached Mr. Thomas and said, “I used to only focus on the steel cable structure. Now I realize that color and the number of cabins are also important. This is the soul of architecture.”
2. Interpreting “Overlooking Details” : Making the Scenery “Profound”
For the 55 scenic spots visible from the cabin, the explanation will dig deeper into the background. For instance, when seeing Big Ben, it will say, “Its chimes ring 16 times a day. It was suspended for three years due to air raids during World War II. On the day it resumed in 1941, many Londoners went to the streets to listen.” When seeing the River Thames, one would explain, “The first bridge over this river was London Bridge. The current one was rebuilt in 1973. The old bridge was moved to Arizona, USA, and became a tourist attraction.”
After hearing the story of the River Thames, a Japanese tourist said to his companion in Japanese, “I never knew this river had such a long history. Next time I come, I must take a boat tour.”
3. Align with “tourist habits” : Make the experience “more considerate”
Considering that tourists tend to take photos when riding the Ferris wheel, the pace of the guide machine’s explanations is deliberately slowed down, with each section controlled at 1 to 2 minutes to avoid “stopping at the very beginning of the exciting part”. The volume can also be adjusted. Even at the highest volume, it won’t disturb others. Emily said, “There was an old man with poor hearing. After he turned up the volume, the tourists sitting next to him didn’t complain – because of the anti-interference technology of the equipment, the sound wouldn’t ‘drift’ out.”
Iv. Data and Word-of-Mouth: Visible Experience Upgrades
The system of Yingmi has been in use in London for five months. The changes are not exaggerated by us; they are the real feedback from Mr. Thomas and his team.
Overseas tourists have been staying for a longer time. Previously, most people would leave after sitting for 30 minutes. Now, 65% of the tourists will stay in the ground exhibition hall for an additional 40 minutes, specifically listening to the audio guide machine talk about the “model of the London Eye’s construction”.
The positive review rate for multilingual services has reached 95%. The guestbook is filled with messages: A Chinese tourist wrote, “I brought my parents here. They couldn’t understand English. After listening in Chinese, Dad said, ‘Finally, I know the story of Big Ben.'” An Arab tourist drew a London Eye with the words “my mother tongue guide is amazing” written beside it.
The complaints about the cabin tour guide have decreased by 80%. The previous problems of “unclear hearing” and “noise” have all disappeared. Mr. Thomas said, “Now when tourists come to us, they all ask, ‘Where can I rent a tour guide?’ No one complains about the noise anymore.”
What moved Yingmi the most was that the operator of the London Eye specially sent a thank-you letter, which also included a screenshot of an email from an Australian tourist – the tourist said, “The solar energy design I learned at the London Eye, I also want to try it on our Ferris wheel here.” Mr. Thomas said, “This is the power of guided Tours, which can spread good ideas to other countries.”
Conclusion: Let the scenery at 135 meters above sea level “Speak”
One evening, the Yingmi team saw a Chinese tourist wearing a navigation device and holding a commemorative coin of the London Eye in front of the slowly rotating Ferris wheel, listening to the explanations repeatedly and murmuring, “It turns out that the designer couple built the Ferris wheel here because they love the River Thames.” The setting sun dyed the blue cabin of the London Eye a warm yellow. The Chinese audio guide from the audio machine gently wafted out, blending with the wind of the River Thames, creating a particularly warm atmosphere.
What Yingmi does is not merely a “wireless audio guide device”, but also a “cultural bridge” – enabling Chinese tourists to understand the story of the London Eye, Arab tourists to learn about the history of the River Thames, and global tourists at an altitude of 135 meters to not only “enjoy the scenery”, but also “understand the scenery”.
In the future, Yingmi will continue to focus on the European market – just like serving the British Museum and the London Eye, it will provide customized solutions based on the characteristics of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Colosseum in Rome. After all, good scenery should not be restricted by language walls, and good cultural transmission should ensure that every detail is “heard and understood”.