Odysii Enables Coffeehouse Chain to Increase Average  

Ticket per Customer While Enhancing Public Image

Challenge:

A downwardly spiraling economy and an increasingly health conscious public means that many QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants) are currently facing intense challenges that may have extreme repercussions on their future ability to remain competitive. A slowing economy means that fewer consumers are going out to eat – and that even when they do so they are often ordering fewer menu items than in the past. In addition, growing health food trends and a number of film releases on the health of QSR food have spawned a health conscious public that wants to know what is in their food and that the restaurants they patronize care about the health value of their offerings.

A chain of coffeehouses approached Odysii and requested help in boosting sales and improving their customers’ perception of the restaurant’s approach to healthy food.

Solution:

The coffeehouse integrated Odysii’s Match N’ Go Restaurant solution on customer-facing LCD screens at select store locations to enable targeted advertising based on customer menu orders.

Odysii and the coffeehouse established a set of predefined marketing rules that were programmed into Odysii’s Match N’ Go Restaurant solution. Marketing rules triggered by customer orders defined which advertisement would be displayed on the LCD screens while customers placed their orders. Other factors like holidays and the weather were also programmed into the rules set to trigger advertisements that compel customers to upgrade their orders.

In addition, Odysii worked with the coffeehouse to integrate a number of infomercials heralding the restaurant’s revitalized, health conscious menu. These infomercials promoted the revamped, low-calorie versions of older, popular menu items as well as new, healthy menu items like salads and low-fat/carb foods. These infomercials were displayed to customers as they waited in line to order and as they placed their orders.

Odysii placed customer-facing LCD screens programmed with the newly established rules set at each of the cash registers of the participating stores. While customers were exposed to visually enticing advertisements of menu items that complement their original order, they were also informed of special discounts, health information about the food on offer, and upcoming events.

Result:

Following a 3-month trial period, the coffeehouse compared sales at participating stores with sales from the same period in the last 2 years, as well as to control groups consisting of stores not participating in the trial. Results showed that even when taking a slowing economy into account, Odysii helped the coffeehouse increase its sales by 4.8%. Increased sales mostly derived from larger customer orders and boosted customer traffic during traditionally slow hours.

Studies showed that prior to the trial, at least 50% of the customers surveyed listed the health value of the coffeehouse’s food as a major concern when deciding what to order. Following the trial, studies showed that this number dropped to 28%.

The study went on to show that the customers were very happy with the restaurant’s efforts to make their menu healthier and that they perceived the restaurant’s food to be much healthier than that of competitors in the area. Furthermore, many customers indicated that they were return visitors who enjoyed the restaurant’s sleek, modern look and feel.