I still think that mobile ordering and payment will have minimal impact on QSRs
that already have service problems. This article about Taco Bell's initiative makes
it sound like they've got it all together but the information comes from their
"mobile lead", a person who wants to keep his job.
Check out this misguided strategy: "If the drive thru line is long, for example, they
can tap “in-store” pickup and go inside. Jenkins said a separate pick up window
for mobile orders will be available to allow those guests to avoid the line."
(Jeff Jenkins, mobile lead for Taco Bell)
I have two problems with that:
1) If there are lines everywhere maybe they should be working on improving service
speed and worry about smart phone integration when the operation is improved?
2) Imagine standing in line at a QSR or standing around with your arms folded
waiting for your food and a guy walks in, goes to a separate pick up window and
is served instantly! That's demonstrating that one customer is more important
than another customer and is a really, really bad way to run a business. That
would my last visit to that QSR.
And get this quote, “Mobile is the biggest shift in QSR since the drive thru,”
said Jenkins.
Absolute hogwash. But here again, we have someone with zero knowledge about
the restaurant business "reinventing" a brand.
Here's the Nation's Restaurant News article:
Taco Bell to offer mobile ordering nationwide | Technology content from NRN
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1 comment:
Taco Bell's Jeff Jenkins is probably a capable guy but he's only been with YUM for five years, mostly in marketing. Before that he was with NASA (insert rocket scientist joke here) in public relations. In any chain more experienced management and franchisees need to provide the guidance necessary to avoid adding complexity to the operation.
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