Question

Read the following case and answer the question below.

McDonald’s When a customer drives up to the speaker box at some McDonald’s drive-throughs, their order is placed with an employee located in a distant call center. The order, along with a photograph taken to the match the customer with the order, is then instantly displayed on a video screen in the food preparation area of the restaurant where the order is placed. Brainerd, Michigan – Ellie Feld pulled into the drive-through lane at McDonald’s the other day, craving a double cheeseburger. As she leaned out of the window of her Chevy Blazer to place her order through a speaker box, Feld was greeted by the friendly voice of an order taker she thought was working inside. Not even close. Four states away in a Colorado Springs, CO call center, “Linda” recorded Feld’s order and flashed it onto a computer screen inside the kitchen of the Brainerd McDonald’s. Less than 2 minutes later, Feld drove away, a smile on her face and a burger in hand. In these McDonald’s test sites, the drive-through turnaround time improved by 20 seconds and orders contained fewer mistakes. “In most McDonald’s you’ve got someone to take the order, make the change, and go get the food – you’ve got somebody doing three things,” said Glenn Cook, owner of Brainerd McDonald’s. “Here, someone is sitting at the call center and they have nothing else to do. They are not multi-tasking.”

Question 1 Why has McDonald’s opted to utilize call centers for order taking? Limit your response to 200 words.

Answer 1

The main intention behind the usage of the call center from McDonald's is the customer service and the improved quality using the technology. The normal drive-thru is not as efficient as the Brainerd McDonald's. The customers want seamless service and they do not wish to see any errors in the delivery of the food. The technology has made the life simple for everyone and the same can be observed here. The system can take pictures of the person ordering and a dedicated person will take the order and then display it on a big screen. The order will be accurate and the restaurant will know who ordered the food. They can make the delivery without any hassles and the customers will be delighted. The success of the business depends on the customer satisfaction and it very crucial in the food business. Food is a very personal choice and the people expect excellence in the delivery when they are paying for it. The business strategy of many companies rely on the customer experience and this is also one of the examples of the same. Treat the customers well and reduce the errors along with the excellent food quality, the customers will keep coming back for more from the restaurant.