From the moment White Castle opened its doors over a century ago, the fast-food industry has endured wave after wave of challenges in its customer support initiatives. What started as just a need for quality customer service and order accuracy has now become as imperative as a side of fries. Today, everyone from the likes of McDonald’s to Mrs. Fields is feeling the impact of inflation, labor issues, health scrutiny, and the demand for digital options. Combined, these factors push up contact center volume significantly, making efficient, high-quality customer support as critical as keeping the drive-thru line moving at Chick-Fil-A.
Delivering top-notch customer support in the fast-food world? Now that’s a tall order! With customers craving speed, accuracy, and convenience all at once, it’s no surprise that the industry faces some unique challenges. Arise offers a unique customer support platform that ensures fast-food restaurants can navigate these waves of challenges with ease. With best-in-class technology, unmatched operational efficiency, and exceptional service quality, the world’s most recognized brands tap into the Arise® Platform to not only ride the waves, but generate results.
It wouldn’t be called “fast food” without speed and accuracy, yet balancing the two can be difficult, particularly during peak mealtimes. In a recent experiment, some restaurants had order error rates as high at 75% (Food Chain Magazine). Fast-food employees work under tight time pressures, often handling complex orders with frequent customizations. High turnover and the potential for miscommunication further complicate this balance, which can lead to errors that ultimately impact customer loyalty. Contact center agents need thorough training on managing guest feedback, common order issues, quick access to resolution protocols, and tools for efficient communication to handle high contact volumes resulting from frequent order errors effectively.
In today’s social media-driven world, one small incident with health and safety can go viral. It is essential for brands to address concerns quickly and transparently. Meeting these high expectations isn’t easy, especially when 42% of customers expect a response on social media within 60 minutes (Convince & Convert); a level of responsiveness that old-school approaches often can’t keep up with. Fast-food brands need to be ready to respond in real time, ensuring every interaction builds trust and reinforces commitment to safety. To combat these waves of challenges contact centers should implement real-time monitoring tools and empower agents with clear protocols for addressing health and safety inquiries swiftly. Investing in quick-response training and transparent communication channels ensures that every interaction reinforces the brand’s commitment to customer well-being and trust.
Mobile ordering, delivery apps, and self-service kiosks have transformed the way we satisfy cravings, quickly growing to a $466B market by 2026 (Statista). But with technology comes its own set of challenges. Issues such as app malfunctions, payment processing errors, and loyalty program glitches require immediate troubleshooting and tech support, which can be difficult for fast-paced environments with limited technical resources. With some restaurants reporting up to 11.3M weekly mobile app users (SensorTower), contact center leaders not only need to equip agents with the technical skills needed to resolve app and system-related issues, they also need to enhance real-time support channels, strengthen collaboration with IT Teams, and utilize real-time data analytics to track common issues and predict demand surges to optimize agent availability.
For all of these timely customer service needs that require speed and accuracy, the Arise® Platform offers a skilled network of GigCX agents who are certified to handle customer inquiries precisely and efficiently. At an average age of 38, global agents on the Arise® Platform have a wealth of experience in providing customer support, reducing errors and enhancing overall satisfaction. Additionally, with omnichannel support, state-of-the art analytics, and easily accessible knowledge management tools, the Arise® Platform enables seamless troubleshooting for digital experiences like mobile ordering, apps, and self-service kiosks, allowing agents to resolve technical issues quickly, keeping customers engaged and satisfied.
With a staggering turnover rate of 83.7% (DailyPay), and each front-line team member departure costing an average of $5,864 (Cornell University), this constant churn not only strains budgets but also disrupts service quality, as new hires require time and resources for training before they can effectively handle customer inquiries. To combat this, contact center leaders need to invest in robust learning and development programs, and retention initiatives that foster engagement and reduce turnover. By prioritizing these areas, restaurants can minimize costly disruptions, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain a more stable, skilled team.
To address these challenges, Arise offers a flexible solution that allows Service Partners to schedule service time that meets their needs while an award-winning learning program, agent assist tools (backed by generative AI), and a plethora of support resources keep agents feeling well-prepared, engaged, and motivated.
In the restaurant industry the contact volume increase during rush hours and product launches may be expected but can still feel like a tidal wave. Agents and systems are pushed to handle each interaction smoothly, but high volume can lead to longer waits and frustrated customers. The real balancing act? Staffing the right number of agents during peak times to manage the flow without overloading budgets. Where every 7-second reduction in service time increases sales by 1% (M&SOM), contact centers need centralized customer care support with agile workforce planning and flexible staffing solutions to scale up during peak hours and ease off during slower times. Investing in real-time analytics and predictive tools can also help by anticipating surges, while continuous agent education ensures staff are prepared to handle high volumes efficiently without compromising on quality.
During high-volume and peak times, the platform’s scalability enables restaurants to adjust their contact center resources in real time, delivering up to 200% intraday flex to meet demand without incurring excessive costs. For health and safety inquiries, which are increasingly important in today’s social media-driven landscape, Arise provides real-time communication channels that allow restaurants to respond transparently and swiftly, building and maintaining customer trust.
By integrating the Arise® Platform to ride the waves of customer support, fast-food restaurants gain a comprehensive, agile solution to deliver reliable, high-quality customer experiences that turn every meal into a happy meal.
Discover how partnering with the Arise® Platform can take your customer service from good to gourmet. Reach out today to discover how Arise® can help make your brand the go-to choice for fast-food fans everywhere.
©Arise Virtual Solutions Inc., 2024
