Commentary

Technology in the time of COVID-19

If someone had told me in February this year that in a month’s time I would be leading a department that supports technology in 2,500+ stores and multiple offices across three regions (ANZ, Europe and Japan), as well as building and evolving a multi-billion dollar digital platform all from my home while the world was in lockdown, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Technology in the time of COVID-19

If someone had told me in February this year that in a month’s time I would be leading a department that supports technology in 2,500+ stores and multiple offices across three regions (ANZ, Europe and Japan), as well as building and evolving a multi-billion dollar digital platform all from my home while the world was in lockdown, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Six marketing tips to save your quick service restaurant brand post-COVID-19

With store reopenings imminent, most QSR brands will prepare for operational readiness, including adjusting processes to expected government requirements relating to customer and staff safety and hygiene.

QSR focus: quick marketing hacks to grow your restaurant at pace

Quick service restaurants are growing rapidly and competition can often feel like a feeding frenzy.

Bust the queue: why payments are the key to keeping QSR customers happy

(Editor's Note: This contributed piece has been lightly edited for clarity.)

Retail leasing - the past and future decade

As the dust settles on the end of the “teens” decade, the contrast between the start and the end for retail leasing in shopping centres could not be more pronounced.

Supersizing transactions with the power of payments data

The days of “drive-through or counter?” are long gone. True to a market where convenience reigns supreme, the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector has been marked by a widespread adoption of new ordering options including self-service kiosks and order-ahead mobile apps, all of which are designed to reduce wait times and drive customer convenience.

What are your distinctive brand assets?

Speaking of a great food experience, I was reminded the other day how much I enjoyed the distinctive salty and flowery taste of month old Play-Doh during my formative years. What jogged my memory was reading how Hasbro had successfully trademarked the smell of their popular brand.

The five most common dietary requests in 2019

Working in an industry where the customer is pivotal to your success, it’s important to acknowledge and understand their needs and requests. We used to roll our eyes at the ‘difficult’ customer with an allergy or demand. But in 2019, it’s time to embrace their needs and preferences – and if you don’t, they’ll simply go next door to the store that will. Working as a consultant in product development and nutritional communications, I’ve always got my finger on the pulse of dietary trends – here are the top five requests we’ve seen so far in 2019:

The golden opportunity for emerging franchise systems

Make no mistake, one of the main reasons people invest in a franchise system is to follow a track record of success.

What's PC in the food industry?

You might think that PC stands for Personal Computer, maybe Politically Correct or even Police Constable. In foodservice, it refers to Portion Control.

What Just Eat's merger with Takeaway.com means for Australia's restaurant sector

Just Eat and Dutch rival Takeaway.com in Europe have agreed to proceed with consolidation, creating one of the largest delivery companies in the world outside China.

Taking back control: what food and beverage providers can learn from the hotel industry

Fiona Southam, Sales Director of Food & Beverage ANZ at Oracle, advocates for a data-driven approach in fostering customer relationships.

Technology: death to being hospitable?

Just because technology makes it possible doesn’t mean we must use it, especially if it reduces and not enhance the customer experience.

How brands can stop wasting time on waste

CHEP offers a solution that would reduce eliminate bulk waste from the restaurant.

How to systematically win customers back

If you’re a franchisee, then you have one of the toughest jobs there is.

The business impact of a new global accounting standard on Franchisor held leases in Australia

Accredited retail specialist valuer Simon Fonteyn explains the changes to leasing requirements.