Delesline III (2017)'s article McDonalds in Williamsburg Debuts Digital Ordering and Table Delivery
Provides insight into how McDonald's has adopted emerging technology within its activities at the Pocahontas Trail. The use of self-service automated ordering kiosks at the heart of modern operations helps customers who frequent the fast-food restaurant to select meals and tailor their orders while being aware of the nutritious facts of their order. Customers can also pay using a variety of payment methods, including smartphone device wallets, and are then assigned a digital table. Delesline III (2017) further puts forth the owner's expectations as to how the new digital format will not decrease human labor input. To this end, the article presents facts that show that labor requirements for the restaurant will increase since the initial layout only allowed for three ordering points and one drive through point which are considerably lower than the current layout. This, as the article indicates is reliant on the increased points of service from the above to nine service points that the entity translates to increased orders and thus, the requirement to increase its kitchen and table service manpower as a capability in enhancing food delivery.
Sherlekar & Krishnamoorthy (2015)
State that the core purpose of marketing is the identification and satisfaction of customer needs that essentially starts and ends with the customer. To this end, the article indicates that the McDonalds initiative of introducing self-service digital ordering kiosks is an avenue where the entity's customers are given the opportunity to have information as pertains to their desires and needs. In this case nutritional information as part of the ordering experience. This is a marketing strategy best fit to meet the shifting customer needs for healthy eating as it offers them the discretion of altering the contents of their dishes, and as such, ensuring that the company is able to meet this need. In addition, the capability of the restaurant to accept payment from different platforms also builds on the identification and satisfaction of customer needs. This is because the company allows for different customers to use their preferred method of payment, and as such, has created an avenue where it can increase its sales by ensuring that it has removed the limitations that arise from using a specific payment platform.
Tanner & Raymond (2010)
Indicate that the success rate of a marketing strategy relies on ensuring that there is a decrease in sales leads time and increased interaction with customers. To this end, McDonald's have efficiently decreased the lead time of sales as a result of employing technological advances in its ordering process. Further, By ensuring that the company's staff interact with its customers as regards the use of the technology, the company is ensuring that it's sales and marketing strategy are the best fit for the different demographics that visit their restaurant.
Given that the core principles of marketing are encompassed in the 4 Ps (product, price, place, and promotion), the article fails to indicate the manner in which the company has effected price and promotion. No reference is made as to whether the company shifts its prices as pertains to self-serving kiosks and which promotional activities the company has undertaken to market its new services. However, as concerns the product and place, the company has successfully used a location that has been operating for over 40 years as an avenue where the technology can be introduced as well as ensure that its products are now offered side by side with nutritional information as a means of meeting market demand for healthy eating.
References: Delesline III, N. (2017, April 10). McDonald's in Williamsburg Debuts Digital Ordering and Table Delivery. Inside Business.
Sherlekar, S., & Krishnamoorthy, R. (2015). Principles of Marketing. Mumbai: Himalaya Publishing House.
Tanner, J., & Raymond, M. A. (2010). Principles of Marketing.
