Quick Service Restaurants put an emphasis on the work “quick,” especially as it pertains to their drive-thru lane. One of the most important ingredients to accomplish speedy service is the headset system. With constant drive-thru traffic, the bustle and noise of a busy kitchen, and customer interactions, any underperforming headset system can lead to dollars lost. Order errors often stem from employees not hearing the customer clearly and vice versa. Couple that with fellow employees mishearing instructions from one another. This leads to orders being punched into the POS system incorrectly and employees preparing food or drinks based on what they “think” they heard. The clearest path to prevent or, at least minimize, these occurrences is to invest in a proven, high definition, headset system.
The accuracy of the orders taken is heavily dependent on what your employees hear. Any muddled, faint or interrupted audio increases your vulnerability. One onion on a burger that was requested without can lead to remakes which cost you money, slow down the drive-thru lane and ultimately frustrate not only the impacted customer but those who are now stuck behind them. Nowadays, beyond the crisp audio, most of the modern / reputable headset systems also have noise cancelling capabilities. This ensures that you can take an order from someone in a gurgling diesel truck and hear what a customer in an electric car is saying with equipment and coworkers increasing the decibel level in the background.
While clear audio is paramount for the order taking process, it also goes a long way to streamline your operation behind the scenes. For starters, it makes training a lot easier. Many headset systems have a “whisper” function that allows managers to train their employees on operating the drive-thru lane. This includes what to say and do from order taking through passing out the food. Better trained employees = greater output = more revenue. In addition to the training benefit, being able to communicate with coworkers in other areas of the restaurant and / or having them listening (only) to orders coming in real-time, allows everyone to get a jump on each order to maximize speed.
While we’ve touched on the importance of clear communication and how it impacts your bottom line, it also enhances customer experience, thus providing greater satisfaction. The formula is simple. Affordable + Quick + Accurate + Tasty = Happy Customer. And what are happy customers more likely to do? Come back, leave positive reviews, tell their friends about their experience and leave with a smile.
The QSR market remains uber competitive and you can live and die on the margins. An incoherent headset system, a fixable and preventable product, should never play a negative role in this. Starting with or upgrading your technology should not be seen as a luxury purchase. It should be considered a strategic move that will position yourself in the best position to succeed.
Do you need help making these determinations for your business? Give us a call today at 888-235-2579, email us at info@origindisplays.com or contact us here to speak with a solutions specialist.
