McDonalds 2001 Annual Report Download - page 24

Such efforts are part of an ongoing simplification
process that focuses on big and small changes, such
as using easy-to-open sauce tubes...eliminating
menu items that don’t sell well...streamlining
inventory management by consolidating cup and
lid sizes...and using fewer, more targeted point-of-
purchase materials.
As appropriate, these simplification initiatives
will be shared with other markets around the
world, making our restaurants more employee and
customer friendly.
DIVIDING AND CONQUERING
More and more of our restaurant staffs in Japan,
the U.S. and Latin America are using a new team-
based service approach to enhance our customers’
front-counter experiences. It’s really simple: one
crewmember takes the order and payment, while
another assembles and presents the order.
It’s fast, too. Using this system, the crew at a
McDonald’s on the Pennsylvania Turnpike served
a caravan of seven buses in 35 minutes, less than
half the time it otherwise would have taken. Also,
our people in Venezuela and Costa Rica attribute
increases in transactions and average checks to the
better customer/crew interaction resulting from this
servicing technique.
In light of these positive results, we are begin-
ning to test this team approach to wowing our cus-
tomers in a number of other countries.
FASTER IS BETTER
Customers using the drive-thru tend to be pressed
for time. So, we continue to focus on improving the
speed of our drive-thru service.
We are exploring opportunities to enhance the
drive-thru experience by serving two cars at a time.
In some locations, we are using double-lane drive-
thrus. In others, crew people equipped with remote
order-taking devices are assisting drive-thru cus-
tomers during busy periods.
Adding a creative twist to branding speed of ser-
vice at the front counter, as well as in the drive-
thru, we have adopted a Formula 1 racecar-inspired
approach in a number of Asian markets. Racing-
themed signs and uniforms, as well as timers and
crew incentives, make the program fun for crew and
customers alike. In Indonesia, where this approach
originated, we have rung up double-digit compara-
ble sales increases for the past two years. Further,
95 percent of our transactions in that market have
been completed in 60 seconds or less.
NO MONEY...NO WORRY
We also are exploring alternative payment methods
to make a visit to McDonald’s more convenient.
Customers now can pay for their McDonald’s
meal by swiping electronic devices or credit/debit
cards past an electronic reader at a number of
McDonald’s restaurants around the world. For
example, more than 400 restaurants in the Chicago,
Illinois, region accept Mobil Speedpasses as a pay-
ment method, and many of our restaurants in
Australia, Denmark, France, Germany and New
Zealand accept credit or debit cards. In some cases,
customers can even get cash back.
This payment option not only speeds service,
but customers are finding that being short on cash
does not mean having to pass up a meal at
McDonald’s.
NOT SO MYSTERIOUS AFTER ALL
We are putting ourselves in our customers’ shoes.
We are introducing mystery shopper programs in
countries where we have not used them and step-
ping up their use in those that do.
In essence, mystery shoppers are “undercover”
restaurant visitors who evaluate the experience
from a customer’s perspective. The results of
mystery shops, which are often accompanied by
crew and manager incentives for excellent perfor-
mance, are helping our restaurant staffs to cele-
brate successes and identify training opportunities.
In addition, the feedback is being used to assist
each restaurant’s management team to develop
action plans to raise the bar on service levels.
We believe this relevant measurement tool will
drive improved performance. In fact, customer
satisfaction scores in Argentina and Australia have
improved since mystery shops were introduced.
“Satisfied customers are our goal
and our reward.”
Jack Greenberg, McDonald’s Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
22