2006 Applied Technology Stars
QSR Magazine | Issue 91 | July 2006 |
page 2
Marketing and Promotion
User: McDonald’s
Technology: mCoup Mobile Coupon
Provider: Gamut Industries/GoldPocket Wireless and Ericsson IPX
Before rolling out its most recent “smart coupon” campaign in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, this spring, McDonald’s tested the mobile marketing
system in two other markets: the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.
Through Gamut Industries’s mCoup Mobile system, customers in Oregon,
Southwest Washington, and Southern California received coupons for free food
via their cell phones. The system was powered by the customer’s phone
processor and carrier network. A 30-percent redemption rate among opt-in participants
during those tests convinced McDonald’s it was on to something. In April
the brand again partnered with Gamut, this time tying the coupons to a broader
cell phone–based campaign that also included a scavenger hunt and online
picture gallery.
Called Mobile Whoa, the Tulsa promotion ran from April 17–May 28. Print,
television, and radio advertising directed area residents to www.mobilewhoa.com,
where they were offered a free small fry or hash brown coupon. Those interested
were then asked three questions: Who is your cell phone provider? Can you view
web pages on your phone? And, what is your phone number?
Based on their responses and cell phones’ hardware, the first 4,000
participants received either a text message asking them to opt-in and a second
text with a coupon code (sns-enabled); a link to a web page featuring the coupon
(wap-enabled); or a link to download the coupon itself (Java)—all via
their cell phones. From there, claiming the free side was simply a matter of
showing the electronic coupon to McDonald’s counter staff, who then entered
each coupon’s unique code into the POS. No printing, no clipping.
In the Tulsa promotion, the electronic coupons were good for unlimited redemption,
but the mCoup system includes functionality that allows McDonald’s to
set parameters. Coupons can be time-sensitive, redeemable only during off-hours,
for example. Or they can be one-time use. Additionally, the unique codes make
it possible to track exactly when the coupons are used, allowing for further
customization in future offers. Redemption data is stored in Gamut’s
servers but can be easily integrated into existing POS systems.
Automation
User: Wendy’s
Technology: Store Automation
Provider: Time Management, Demantra, ERS, Plateau
In creating its Store Automation program, Wendy’s International worked
with five technology companies and its distributor partners to create a web-based
application suite that automates many of the manual back office functions in
all 1,500 Wendy’s company stores. The new system is fully incorporated
into existing systems systemwide and integrated with distributor systems—a
complex undertaking that makes Store Automation unique.
Now a Wendy’s manager starts his/her day by reviewing labor and food
forecasts and making needed changes. Those modifications are then entered into
the Store Automation’s food management, labor scheduling, bin chart,
and manager work applications, where updated order, bin, and prep forecasts
are generated. Forecasts are also integrated into labor guides and prep efforts
to determine the optimal crew size for a store based on sales throughout the
day. As result, Wendy’s company stores are now operating under broader
operations consistency, with improved supply chain efficiencies, greater visibility
for multi-unit managers, and a platform for future updates.
The program’s forecasting system, FCST, is the central point for all
data. Information is uploaded on a weekly basis from store POS systems. That
data is then sent to a Demantra forecasting application, where a 90-day sales
and product mix forecast is created. Via the web, those forecasts are then
inputted into Store Automation’s scheduling, food management, and bin
chart applications.
During Store Automation’s pilot testing phase, Wendy’s selected
a general manager from each of its regions to take on a regional expert (re)
role. The RE’s responsibilities included benchmarking stores pre- and
post-implementation. Training for Store Automation was approached through a
blending of computer-based and paper-based sessions. Training workstations
were also installed in each store.
Savings have already been seen in food and labor. Store Automation’s
product mix forecast is 95-percent accurate, thereby saving Wendy’s managers,
on average, 1.5 hours a week. Stores are also carrying a smaller inventory
thanks to the system. Waste was reduced, as were product transfers between
company stores—tasks that used to take six hours now take half as long,
Wendy’s says. And managers are better able to create effective schedules.
The scheduling tool is tied to the time clock, preventing early clock-ins,
thus saving even more. end
