Growth in Quick Service The pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact on the fast food industry however: the successful vaccine rollout and pent-up customer demand are now paving the way for good recovery with continued industry growth predicted over the next five years. This is largely driven by the popularisation of collected and drive-thru orders, which account for the majority of takeaways as well as greater innovation, as operators have rapidly adapted, allowing consumers to dine in, take out, order via a food delivery or ordering app, or use drive-thru and curbside service. And, as Tom Downes, CEO, Quail Digital, explains, at the heart of this innovation and sustained growth lies improved communication across all aspects of business operations.
From optimising accuracy and efficiency at the point of order and point of delivery, to enabling retailers to maximise the increasing number of digital ordering channels - including mobile apps; touch screen table service; and third party websites - communication within and throughout the entire estate is fundamental to an efficient and profitable operation. As every restaurant owner knows, the clearer you can hear the customer, the more accurate and quicker the order preparation process is and the less waste there is. The speedier the execution, the better the customer experience. The latest generation of communication hardware,
Digital Transformation
such as digital, multi-channel headsets, enable new
The pandemic has resulted in a fundamental shift in
levels of agility and flexibility with the addition of a third
consumer behaviour towards quick service and to keep
communication channel for single and dual lane drive-
pace with this, years of transformative investment in
thru, curbside ordering and in-restaurant table service,
technology have been rapidly realised to address this. From
all from the same headset, with a range that covers
cloud-based software and communication platforms that
kitchen, seating on two floors, drive-thru lanes, drive-to
streamline ordering, payments and inventory, to curated
bays and parking lot.
experiences as guests drive up, digital technologies have
Moreover, they will come with advanced noise
enabled the industry to embrace remote ordering and
cancelling
– in some cases – delivery – as well as adhere to social
all the constant noise it hears, such as traffic and
distancing measures, almost overnight.
weather, leaving just voices. This allows for improved
technology,
which
maps
and
removes
While these technologies are facilitating the shift in
intelligibility by creating a decibel level of closer to 60 in
how consumers dine, they’re also allowing us to rethink
the headset of the order taker, which is around the level
nearly every other aspect of the quick service trade.
we experience with face to face conversation.
From outdoor dining to curbside pickup, innovative operators are rethinking their real estate options; reimagining how customers navigate lines, with new and creative app-based, kiosk and tableside ordering / pickup options. The physical space is being reinvented to meet the changing needs of consumers that may want faster, more touchless options and less face-to-face interactions. Accurate & Clear Communication
Conclusion The last 18 months have demonstrated how quickly consumer behaviours can adapt and change. They have also demonstrated how quickly the quick service industry has embraced innovation to evolve in line with consumer demand. As the industry works through the remaining challenges of the pandemic, the restaurant business model, consumer habits, and our definition of ‘normal’ will have changed, probably permanently.
With so many companies thriving with drive thru and
While innovation continues to take place in many
curbside conversions, this could well be the retail model
ways, what has remained constant is the fact that clear
of the future. So how can operators ensure all orders are
and accurate communication sits at the heart of the
taken and fulfilled accurately and efficiently, across the
customer experience. Digitisation and modernisation of
entire estate, while keeping both customers and staff
quick service communications can help to make every
members safe?
second count, across all aspects of business operations.
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Fastfood Professional • October and November 2021
October October and and November November 2021 2021 •• Fastfood Fastfood Professional Professional
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MONEY MATTERS
Improved Communication is key to Sustainable
