The concept of self-service has matured over the past couple of years, especially in hotels, restaurants, airports and retail outlets. However, according to a survey, 38% of 1,125 consumers would patronize a quick-service restaurant if self-service was available. Unfortunately, only hotels have put an honest effort into providing such services to consumers. There are a handful of quick service restaurants that are jumping into the trend but most are still stuck in old-fashioned ways of dealing with customer service.
The self-service era, according to Mary Carlin, began with ATMs. Now the concept has expanded into airports, retail stores and hotels and it alleviates the pressures that businesses feel from bad customer experiences, via long customer lines. A Florida McDonald’s franchisee, Gary Moulton, has taken advantage of this customer-satisfier and installed self-service kiosks in all six of his McDonald's restaurants. He installed the kiosks in a few restaurants back in 2001 then expanded over the past couple of years to his other four franchise locations. As Moulton explained in the article, customers enjoy being in control, having “ownership.” Thus, more people are waiting to use the kiosk versus being serviced at the counter. This has also increased the restaurant’s customer volume, and in turn has forced staffing numbers to rise as well. More staff is required in the kitchen versus working behind the service counter because more people are enticed to use the kiosk. Upselling is also on the rise, considering the creative layout of the ordering screens. Moulton also says his customers are happier considering the decrease in errors and the efficiency of the overall process.
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I believe quick-service restaurants which have provided this self-service option are a league ahead of their competition. If a business person has a one-hour lunch break and they are craving a cheeseburger and fries, they want that lunch as fast as possible. Waiting in line is not an option when 15 people are ahead of them – they want convenience at a low cost. This is where self-serve kiosks can fit into their busy schedule and save the hassle of lines and cash payments. I think the Whataburger chain has done an excellent job at reaching out to customers and improving customer satisfaction. By providing a self-service kiosk that remembers the last four custom-made burgers a person has ordered, they are embracing the familiarity factor that customers are searching for. If the business person with the one-hour lunch break goes to the same burger joint once a week and doesn’t want to go through the different screens that ask about burger toppings, they can automatically choose their favorite customized meal, make a payment and be on their way. Convenience at Whataburger is more than 1, 2, 3 process, it’s about providing the customer with an unforgettable experience while also playing the role of quick service – a task not many quick-service restaurants can put on their list of accomplishments.
Carlin, M. L. (n.d.). Order and out . Retrieved September 16,
2007 from , Web site: http://www.htmagazine.com/HT/archive/0705/0705_2.shtml
3 comments:
I agree with the increase in self service kiosks. It helps restaurants to become faster and more efficient because it takes away the middle man that has to take all of the orders. The only thing that I don't like, is the chance that this industry is going to become to self service and not enough person to person. In my opinion, I still want that personable hospitality experience but in some areas the self service is definitely a plus.
I definitely agree with you that Whataburger has done a really good job with the whole customization process and making the custmoer feel in charge. By doing this it also can reduce lines so people don't have to go through all those screens and if someone can't make up their mind, this way maybe they can choose faster when they see what they've ordered. I definitely think this is a great idea for most quick service restaurants since the modern day business person has little time for anything.
This system seems like it speeds up the ordering process while reducing ordering error. If customers can see all of their options and choose at their own pace they will be happy. Self-service is acceptable in this environment because it is in alignment with the goals of the establishment.
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