Dunkin' Donuts has officially stepped beyond the realm of being simply the quick donut sh op around the corner that truck drivers stop at to grab a quick snack. The giant chain is slowly encroaching upon the likes of Starbucks in becoming a household name and a local neighborhood cornerstone.
The Coffee Wars are officially in full swing, and with the all the negative press that the Bux has gotten recently regarding its slowing growth, pitiful stock performance, and not to mention the lawsuits, Dunkin Donuts seems to be gaining momentum...and fast.
Historically, one of the defining differences between the two chains has been the personal attention and care that Starbucks has provided their customers (what they call the "third place.") But Dunkin has responded, and with a technological edge.
With a main focus on their blue collar customer base, they started a campaign called "How do you keep america running?" With the use of their very own YouTube channel, Dunkin Donuts has invited their loyal customers to tell their stories in a creative way, and reward the top 50 submissions with free donuts for a year, and a possible place on the Dunkin Donuts website.
This campaign is brilliant! Not only does it give customers the ability to personalize their Dunkin Donuts experience (something that Starbucks had relied on as a competitive advantage,) but it also shows that the big chain is no longer just a quick-stop donut shop. They are now giving their customers a voice. ""Our loyal customers regularly tell us stories, both heart-warming and funny, about how they keep this country running," says Dunkin' Donuts Brand Marketing Officer Frances Allen. "We're pleased to launch our new YouTube channel to give people a chance to tell their unique stories in their own creative way."
With this new customer focus, not to mention their new focus on gourmet coffee (without the pretentiousness of Starbucks,) it seems that Starbucks will be fighting an uphill battle in the Coffee War.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Where the CIA meets KFC
There is now a brand new tool on the market to help restaurant owners and managers control their costs; and it looks like something right out of Mission Impossible. The product is called Hand Punch. Click here to watch a quick video demo of how this product works.
As you can see, this product is pretty intense, and you may be thinking that it is a little over the top just to control an employee punching in and out. But "buddy punching" is an increasing problem in the restaurant industry. This example of payroll fraud is when one employee punches in or out for another employee, in essence stealing time and money from the company.
Systems like this ensure that employees are in fact present during their time on the clock, or as they used to preach when I worked at Starbucks, "time worked = time paid."
Surprisingly enough, 5 minutes of an employees time is equal to 1% of their daily pay, so 5 minutes here and there can quickly add up to lost revenue.
My first thought about this product was that it was a little too Big Brother. If there was a big problem with buddy punching at a restaurant, most likely there would also be a lack of good leadership and management for it to take place.
But as I thought about it any more, it is just like any other part of the industry. Technology continues to evolve, and just as it makes POS easier and more efficient, it should spill over into all other aspects of the business.
So next time you clock in before flipping burgers, you may feel like Will Smith in Men in Black. Don't forget to put your shades on before the red light flashes...
As you can see, this product is pretty intense, and you may be thinking that it is a little over the top just to control an employee punching in and out. But "buddy punching" is an increasing problem in the restaurant industry. This example of payroll fraud is when one employee punches in or out for another employee, in essence stealing time and money from the company.
Systems like this ensure that employees are in fact present during their time on the clock, or as they used to preach when I worked at Starbucks, "time worked = time paid."
Surprisingly enough, 5 minutes of an employees time is equal to 1% of their daily pay, so 5 minutes here and there can quickly add up to lost revenue.
My first thought about this product was that it was a little too Big Brother. If there was a big problem with buddy punching at a restaurant, most likely there would also be a lack of good leadership and management for it to take place.
But as I thought about it any more, it is just like any other part of the industry. Technology continues to evolve, and just as it makes POS easier and more efficient, it should spill over into all other aspects of the business.
So next time you clock in before flipping burgers, you may feel like Will Smith in Men in Black. Don't forget to put your shades on before the red light flashes...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
