Technology

3 key performance areas your QSR can't scrimp on

2021 will test QSRs in three primary areas of operation. Is your brand up to snuff?

Photo: iStock

February 16, 2021 by Bethany Allee

When someone asked me to recommend three QSR priorities for 2021, my first instinct was to revisit my predictions for 2020. Guess what? "Prepare for a global pandemic" wasn't on my list. But even if I'm not exactly a Nostradamus-level forecaster, we can safely assume that we'll continue to experience accelerated market disruption, ultra-high levels of competition and compressed technology cycles. In other words, expect a lot of business challenges. But there will also be unique opportunities if you carefully prioritize your investments and resources.

Here's the top three areas I believe QSR leaders should prioritize in the year ahead:

Reinvigorate your digital guest experience.
Increase cybersecurity beyond your building.
Make your business hyper-adaptive.

Reinvigorate your QSR's digital guest experience

With social distancing regulations and quarantining, diners quickly shifted to online and mobile ordering, as well as curbside pickup and delivery in 2020. They're now ordering more through digital means than in person. That means QSRs have had to embrace the digital model much sooner than anticipated.

However, the accelerated pace of change hasn't diminished diners' expectations. They now demand a seamless ordering, payment and fulfillment experience. QSRs that had already invested heavily in their digital guest experience were able to make the transition much faster. Those which had not focused on digital are now playing catch-up.

The growing popularity of delivery and curbside pickup have also made order accuracy and fulfillment much more important, because there's greater urgency to "get it right" the first time. The key is delivering a digital experience that creates guest loyalty and trust, rather than simply treating them like a transaction. You must also ensure that any in-person interactions with your guests stand up to what your digital experience promises.

Here are some ways to elevate your guest experience:

Dedicate drive-through lanes exclusively for digital orders (to improve operational efficiency and reduce wait times).
Extend ordering and fulfillment beyond the walls of the restaurant (such as taking curbside orders on mobile tablets or providing self-service kiosks).
Improve Wi-Fi service, including coverage into your parking lot (to better support your staff and guests).

Increase cybersecurity beyond your building

With the guest experience changing so much, cybersecurity now plays an even more vital role, from online ordering to contactless delivery and payment outside your restaurant. With all the high-profile cyberattacks and data breaches in 2020, secure payments are top of mind for everyone, even though diners now expect more flexibility in their purchasing options.

And, with the growing popularity of the digital model, online payment security is now under the microscope. That's especially true since so many QSRs function as remote sites at the edge of highly distributed networks—one of the most vulnerable areas for moving and securing data. Yet you must extend the same high level of security beyond the walls of your restaurants.

You can boost security and reduce your risk profile in the following ways:

Invest in next-generation firewalls, intrusion detection system and physical equipment (such as video surveillance cameras).
Double down on secure capabilities for online and mobile payments.
Improve your ability to meet payment card industry (PCI) compliance mandates.

Make your business hyper-adaptive

Throughout 2020, we experienced business disruption at an unprecedented scale, yet most industry leaders have only become stronger. So, how have they managed to thrive during this period of disruption?

One common characteristic is their ability to adapt faster and more seamlessly than their peers. When you don't know what's coming next, having the agility to respond quickly and decisively is a clear competitive advantage.

The fastest way to become a hyper-adaptive business is by modernizing your technology infrastructure and getting rid of legacy technical "debt" that stifles innovation. To start, invest in technology that's flexible and resilient enough to account for the unexpected. QSRs that have embraced digital transformation are well ahead of their peers. Unfortunately, if you didn't modernize before the pandemic, you now face even greater pressure to remain competitive.

Here are three areas where you can gain some ground:

Accelerate your digital transformation, using breakthrough technologies to leapfrog your competitors.
Use the cloud model to support higher levels of scalability and security without adding onsite IT resources.
Build a more resilient network with automated wireless backup and robust failover capabilities to help ensure business continuity.

Keep adapting in 2021

After all the disruption we experienced in 2020, I hope we all return to some semblance of whatever we call "normal" these days. However, we'll likely feel the pandemic's impact for years to come.

With that in mind, my advice is to position your business to prepare for the unexpected. The more agile and hyper-adaptive your business is, the higher your odds of success in 2021 and beyond.

Technology

About Bethany Allee

Her go-to-market efforts include a product line with 78% market share in Storage Area Networking. Ms. Allee has a deep commitment and passion for developing female leaders and for the arts. Most recently, she joined Dress for Success Austin at the Board Treasurer. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for WISE4 Women, a networking organization that provides free consulting services for women-owned businesses and female executives. Ms. Allee holds a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies and she resides in Austin, TX.

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