Restaurant Brands

COVID-19 has caused major disruptions throughout various industries. In what ways has your organization offered solutions to circumvent the pandemic-induced challenges?

With the pandemic, it became inevitable for the restaurant businesses to go online as there was no dine-in option due to the global lockdown. The first solution from Restaurant Brands was the creation of e-commerce websites that were integrated into our restaurants. We were looking for an automated solution to minimize manual operations. That’s how kfc.co.nz and pizzahut.co.nz entered the digital space in the pandemic.

We also devised a marketplace and point-of-sale (POS) integration platform that integrates ordering platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash directly to our restaurant POS system and manages all the ordering platform menus in one place. In this way, we were able to eliminate the need for separate tablets for each delivery application, and the manual labor to transfer orders from the tablets into the POS. Hence, the workflow was simplified and automated, and there was no risk of human errors while entering the order. Besides, the marketplace tech stack could work cohesively with the delivery apps integrated into the POS system.

Other benefits of an integrated system include simplified menu management. With this feature, the restaurants do not need to frequently update the availability status of particular items in their menu by logging in to each platform individually. Instead of making the same update in separate platforms, a restaurant can now make changes in their POS that will be synced automatically to all the ordering platforms integrated with the system. The simplified one-time menu updating saves time and energy, and the cashiers can now cater to the in-house guests with complete focus.

Could you mention the key reasons that prompted you to incorporate the aforementioned technologies?

The initial days of the pandemic witnessed an acute labor crisis and a significant demand for food delivery services that required a large number of on-the-ground workers, including drivers, chefs, and other in-house staff, to manage the orders. Finding and retaining quality staff remained the chief constraint during this challenging time.

Yet another challenge encountered by the industry was on how to adapt to digital customers’ preferences. As restaurant businesses turned digital, customers were more selective with their choices. It became easier for people to research on eateries and compare them with other restaurants to choose the most convenient one. To build a loyal clientele, restaurants needed to create an impressive digital profile with customer reviews and ratings. These are precisely some of the major reasons for us to adapt or risk losing loyal customers.

As the world recovers from the effects of the pandemic, what new projects have you envisioned for your customers?

Discussions are underway for an effective customer data platform (CDP). As we have transitioned a majority of our customers online, plenty of data is available at the moment to create an efficient predictive CDP and serve the customers better while boosting the business. CDPs are crucial for businesses to understand their customer base, build loyal relationships, and generate revenue. We aspire to leverage our CDP to predict the purchasing trends of our customers and provide personalized services to increase their satisfaction. With this platform, customer behavior and transactions can be easily analyzed in no time.

“A marketplace and point-of-sale (POS) integration platform integrates ordering platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash directly to the restaurant POS system and manages all the ordering platform menus in one place”

As part of improving customer relationships, we are also planning to launch a customer loyalty program. The aim is to go beyond mere discount offers and rewards and to improve the overall customer experience.

Do you have any particular technology in mind that would help the restaurant industry if implemented on a large scale?

We believe wearable technology can be an invaluable customer service tool that should be adopted across the restaurant industry. This technology can be used as an internal communications tool, from managers to servers, to stay updated on inventory data, specialized guest information, and staff information in real time. Unlike smartphones, wearable devices like smartwatches are less intrusive and won’t distract the servers with all the social media applications. 

The servers can also use wearable tech to stay notified of relevant information like customers’ food allergies and loyalty status, which can help restaurants offer better service.

Would you like to offer any advice to the up-and-coming entrepreneurs in the industry?

Food entrepreneurship requires sound industry knowledge combined with practical experience and a professional network. I recommend initiating mentoring programs at the school and college levels to educate youngsters about the fundamentals of the food industry. This way, we can nurture student interest in learning the ropes of food business and technology.