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27 Feb 2025
QHawk helps to increase sales by 25% in QSR pilot
Hawktivity Revolutionizes Hungry Lion's QSR Pilot with Integrated Computer Vision
Streamlined Queues, Faster Service, and Data-Driven Decisions for Hungry Lion's QSR Pilot Program
Introduction
Hungry Lion, a prominent quick service restaurant (QSR) brand with a vast network of locations, sought to innovate and enhance the customer experience across their stores. Recognizing the power of data-driven solutions, Hungry Lion partnered with Hawktivity to pilot an integrated computer vision and analytics solution in a subset of 50 stores.
The Challenge
Hungry Lion recognized common QSR challenges that could be addressed with a comprehensive technology solution:
- Queue Management: Long queues during peak times could lead to customer dissatisfaction and lost sales.
- Service Speed: Inconsistency in order fulfillment times could affect customer perception and repeat business.
- Operational Efficiency: Gaining deeper insights into customer behavior and store performance was crucial for optimizing operations.
- Proactive Management: Detecting and addressing potential issues before they escalate required real-time visibility and intelligent alerts.
The Hawktivity Solution
Hawktivity deployed its integrated solution, featuring Hawktivity's QHawk computer vision system and a powerful analytics platform.
Hawktivity's QHawk: Discreetly captured real-time data on customer flow, queuing times, order fulfillment times, and zone occupancy within the stores.
Integrated Analytics Platform: Integrated with Hungry Lion's Point of Sale (POS) systems, analyzing both camera data and transactional information to identify patterns, anomalies, and opportunities for optimization. The platform also provided real-time alerts to managers, enabling proactive intervention to address potential issues like long queues or slow service.
Beyond Efficiency: Understanding Bottlenecks for Long-Term Gains
The Hawktivity solution offers a unique advantage by measuring not just queuing times, but also collection times (time between order placement and receipt). This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights into two critical areas that impact sales but in distinct ways:
- Front-of-House Bottlenecks (Queuing Time): Long queues can lead to immediate lost sales due to customer abandonment and a lower capture rate. Frustrated customers who wait excessively might simply leave before placing an order. Additionally, a high queue volume can deter potential customers from entering the store in the first place.
- Back-of-House Bottlenecks (Collection Time): Slow order fulfillment, indicated by extended collection times, can negatively impact customer satisfaction. Patrons who wait a significant amount of time after placing their order might perceive poor service and leave feeling dissatisfied. This can damage brand reputation and potentially lead to lower future sales due to customer churn.
By measuring both queuing times and collection times, Hawktivity empowers managers to identify and address bottlenecks in both front-of-house and back-of-house operations. This allows for targeted interventions to optimise the entire customer journey.
Unveiling the Root Cause: Precise Bottleneck Identification
Hawktivity takes its solution a step further by not only identifying bottlenecks but also pinpointing the root cause behind them. This advanced capability allows for highly targeted interventions and faster resolution of customer experience issues.
For instance, queuing bottlenecks can arise due to various factors. QHawk, the computer vision component, can intelligently analyse customer flow as well as staff activity, identifying situations like understaffed Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals. The integrated analytics platform then triggers real-time alerts, notifying managers to open additional POS lanes and deploy more cashiers. This swift action minimises queue lengths and optimises customer service.
Back-of-House Intelligence: Kitchen Operations Optimised
The solution's power extends beyond the front-of-house. QHawk can meticulously track staff activity within the kitchen, identifying specific stations that might be experiencing bottlenecks. For example, the system can detect if the chips fryer is not receiving enough attention during peak hours, leading to a stock shortage when customer orders arrive. The integrated analytics platform instantly relays this information to managers, prompting them to allocate additional staff to the under-resourced station. This proactive approach ensures a steady flow of food preparation and prevents delays in order fulfillment.
By providing insights into the root causes of bottlenecks, Hawktivity empowers restaurants to:
- Implement targeted solutions: Addressing the specific reasons behind bottlenecks allows for more effective corrective actions compared to generic approaches.
- Optimise staff allocation: Real-time data on staff activity within the kitchen enables managers to strategically deploy personnel to areas experiencing the most significant workload.
- Minimise stock shortages: Identifying under-attended kitchen stations helps prevent stock depletion and ensures a seamless order fulfillment process.
Real-Time Alerts for Proactive Intervention
Another key differentiator of the Hawktivity solution is its ability to deliver real-time alerts to managers. These alerts flag potential issues like excessive queuing times or prolonged collection times, enabling proactive intervention before they escalate and negatively impact the customer experience. Managers can then take swift action, such as deploying additional staff to expedite order processing, or adjusting kitchen operations to improve order fulfillment speed.
This real-time visibility empowers managers to:
- Minimise customer abandonment: By addressing long queues proactively, managers can ensure a smoother flow of customers and minimise the risk of walk-outs.
- Maintain customer satisfaction: Faster order fulfillment keeps customers happy and reduces the chances of negative perceptions due to extended waits.
- Optimise resource allocation: Real-time insights allow for better staff scheduling and resource allocation to address bottlenecks efficiently.
In conclusion, the Hawktivity solution goes beyond simply measuring efficiency. By providing a comprehensive view of both front-of-house and back-of-house operations, along with real-time alerts, it empowers restaurants to identify and address sales-impacting bottlenecks, ultimately leading to a more positive customer experience and increased long-term profitability.
Pilot Results That Speak Volumes
Over the pilot period from February to April, the Hawktivity solution delivered impressive results in the 50 Hungry Lion stores:
Queuing Time Cut in Half: The average customer queuing time was dramatically reduced by 50%, enhancing the customer experience and reducing walk-outs.
Sales Soared: Hungry Lion witnessed a significant 25% year-over-year increase in sales across the pilot stores. We conservatively estimate that the Hawktivity solution contributed directly to at least 30% of this sales increase, highlighting its positive impact on customer experience and operational efficiency.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: The granular data and insights generated by the integrated system empowered Hungry Lion to make informed, targeted adjustments to staffing levels, store layouts, promotional strategies, and operational processes.
Proactive Management: Real-time alerts enabled managers to quickly address potential issues, ensuring a smooth and efficient customer experience.
Illustrative ROI Example
To illustrate the potential return on investment (ROI) of the Hawktivity solution, let's consider a conservative scenario for a typical QSR store in the UK:
Assumptions
* Average Monthly Turnover per Store: GBP 150,000
* Hawktivity Solution Cost per Month: GBP 150 (Software and support SLA)
* Hardware & Installation Cost (One-Time): GBP 2,000
* Turnover Increase Attributed to Hawktivity : 10% (total turnover increase = GBP 15,000)
* GP margin: 40%
Increase in Profit and ROI
* Increase in Turnover due to Solution: GBP 15,000
* Increase in GP: GBP 6,000
* Net profit increase per month: GBP 5,850
* ROI: 3900%
* Hardware Cost Recovery Time: Approximately 1 week and 2 days
The Hawktivity Advantage for QSRs
Holistic Approach: The integrated solution combines the power of computer vision with advanced analytics, providing a comprehensive view of QSR operations.
Real-Time Visibility & Alerts: Managers and staff gain instant access to actionable data and proactive alerts, enabling swift decision-making.
Scalable & Customisable: The solution is designed for seamless integration and customisation across diverse QSR environments.
High ROI Potential: As demonstrated in the example above, the Hawktivity solution can deliver significant returns on investment by driving sales growth, optimising operations, and enhancing the customer experience.
The Future of QSR Store Management
The QSR industry is rapidly evolving, with technology playing an increasingly critical role in driving efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. The success of the Hawktivity pilot program at Hungry Lion highlights the transformative potential of integrated computer vision and analytics solutions. By harnessing the power of data and real-time insights, QSR brands can optimise their operations, streamline processes, and deliver exceptional experiences to their customers, ultimately driving significant business growth.
Interested in transforming your QSR operations with the Hawktivity integrated solution? Contact us today for a free consultation and demo: info@hawktivity.com
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