#QSRNext
How restaurants can automate successfully
A panel at QSR Next held virtually on Nov. 13 will address how restaurants can uncover automation opportunities and build a tech stack that delivers high ROI.
October 2, 2024 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator
Automation has become such a buzzword lately that it can be difficult to discern what exactly the word means and whether it truly will replace employees. This is certainly the case for restaurants, many of which are utilizing AI in the drive-thru, operations and other areas. A panel at QSR Next held virtually on Nov. 13 will address how restaurants can uncover automation opportunities and build a tech stack that delivers high ROI.
Susan Carroll-Boser, chief information officer at White Castle, will discuss during the panel how White Castle successfully implemented automation. See the Q&A below for a preview of key insights she will offer to attendees.
Q: We wrote not too long ago about how voice automation is boosting your drive-thru efficiency. Can you give us an update?
Carroll-Boser: We run on lean labor already, so it's not reducing people, it lets them do different things. For example, in good weather we open our hospitality door and spend time really talking to the customer, give service to the car behind. All because the person is not tied to taking the order. We also are getting consistent upsell on everyone's order.
Q: What about your loyalty program?
Carroll-Boser: We switched to Marigold last year. We had converted over to a similar program, and they just launched a revamped version. Most high-end loyalty platforms are the same. The difference is the time and effort your company puts into the platform, to get the most out of the data to drive sales and the improving the customer journey.
Q: When considering restaurant technology solutions, what factors do you prioritize in terms of cost, scalability, and integration capabilities?
Carroll-Boser: I believe we need to spend more time in the planning stages of technology. Setting goals and truly testing. If you are already running lean labor, do not count in technology to reduce labor. Your goals around speeds by decreasing motion or improving team life may not be the ROI you are looking for in the short term. You need to deploy other soft changes and training to get your true ROI. Technology will not fix your teams performance, if they do not embrace it.
Q: How do you assess the potential ROI of a technology solution before implementing it?
Carroll-Boser: We are aligning with our company strategies, if we are focusing on winning at late night, our technology efforts need to be able to support SOS at lower team numbers. If we our introducing technology to free team members to spend more quality time with customers, we need to train the team how to use this time and measure our results.
Q: What are some common pitfalls to avoid when evaluating potential automation solutions?
Carroll-Boser: Human expectation is very high. I look forward to improved computer vision that is more accurate. We have a low tolerance for errors, which human eyes easily see.
Click here to register for QSRNext!
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