Analysis

A very new technology that Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) has recently begun using within the last year has been tablets. Tablets have been a very efficient and mobile technology for the company to use because it is very helpful for management, servers, and hosts within the restaurant and also increases guest satisfaction. By using the tablets the company has been able to improve in many areas.

For example, the company has been able to improve:

·         Guest satisfaction

·         Customer wait time

·         Server, hosts, and management efficiency

·         Television and music accessibility

·         Keeping guests aware of when their table is ready 

Guest satisfaction

Guest satisfaction is the number one goal of Buffalo Wild Wings. The tablet that is available for the customers to use helps the business increase the guests’ satisfaction daily. The tablets are available free of charge for anyone who would like to use them. They are adult and kid friendly depending on what you would like to play or use them for. Theses tablets let the customers play a various amount of games including poker, trivia and children’ games. By using these tablets the guest are occupied with the game they are playing and unaware by the amount of time they are waiting for their food or drinks. The tablets also help parents keep their children entertained while at dinner.

Customer Wait Time

Tablets are used to help provide quicker experiences for customers. The tablets provide you with the ability to order your food, re-order any drinks you may need, pay your bill, or request a television change. Giving the customer the power to order their food and re-order their drinks is a very big step for the company and a special experience for the customer. For example, restaurants’ are a very fast paced environment and sometimes their server may not be available as fast as they would like. If this becomes an issue, the guests’ can easily grab their tablet and begin to order their food or re-order their drinks. Their orders automatically go to the kitchen or the bar without ever having to mention it to their server. Then the light on top of the tablet will turn blue to let the server/ bartender aware of the order that has been made.

Server, Hosts, and Management Efficiency

Since every table is provided with a tablet it makes it easier for servers to take orders for their tables. Most of the time, servers carry a pad around in order for them to right down what the table would like to order. Now with the tablet available at the table, the servers can put in the tables order while standing at the table so the accuracy of every order is very high. The tablets are also available for the customers to pay their bill by card. There is a button on the tablet that states "Pay my bill" and by clicking this, the customer will be forwarded to their bill where they are allowed to swipe their card, leave a tip and print a receipt. After the guests have paid their bill the light on the top of the tablet will turn red so the server is now aware of the payment made. The hosts also use a tablet for their responsibility. They are provided with a tablet that lets them take down names, notify a server about a new table, and notify guests about their table being ready. The management also has this tablet available for them so they can change the televisions and control the music within the restaurant.

Television and Music Accessibility

Management uses the tablets in order to change every television within the restaurant. BWW is known for being able to see sports from wall to wall and known of having 50+ televisions in every restaurant. Having 50+ televisions can be a lot to handle and by using the tablets it makes the changing of a channel very easy for management to do. Basically, the tablet is a form of a remote control that allows you to change each televisions channel and control the volume of the television. The tablet also allows the management to control the music that is being played in the restaurant, they are able to change the music channel and control the volume of the music in each room. Having the tablets available for management to change channels and control the volume is a huge step in the technological world in restaurants. 

Table Readiness Alert System

Since the hosts have the ability to take down the name and number of every person who walks into the restaurant, it also gives them the ability to notify the guests on when their table is ready. When the hosts take down the guests’ number and name, the guest will then receive a text message letting them know that they are now enrolled and awaiting a table. Once their table is ready the hosts will then send the text message out to the guests to let them know that their table is now ready.

Buffalo Wild Wings uses three different software programs and two different hardware equipment. The two different hardware equipment available at the restaurant is actual Apple iPads’ which are the tablets that the hosts and the managers use for all their needs. As well as a Samsung Galaxy Slate, which is available on the table for the servers and the customers.

The three different software programs that Buffalo Wild Wings uses are called: Buzztime, Table’s Ready, and Cinemar.  

 

(Actual Images)

Buzztime

This program is available on the Samsung Galaxy Slate and provides games for the customers to play and the ability to order their food and pay their bill.

·       Menu items

·       Games

·       Checks available

·       Payments can be processed

“Buzztime’s tabletop restaurant tablets incorporate a seamless digital menu and payment experience that puts your customers in control and allows for faster table turn rates, simple and secure checkouts and payment, and most importantly, increased customer satisfaction.”

 (www.buzztime.com)

(As trusted and used by theses various restaurants)

Table’s Ready

This program is used on the Apple iPad’s that are used by the hosts and used to take down guests’ names and numbers and to notify them when their table is ready.

·       Asks guests for their name and number

·       Once a table has opened up, you push a button and it sends a text messaged to that guest to let them their know their table is ready.

·       Web-based application

  “Table's Ready is designed from start to finish to allow for incredible functionality with almost zero learning curve. Simply ask guests for their name and phone number when they call ahead or walk up, and manage your wait list in Table's Ready. Once the guest has arrived, a timer begins with the push of a button to monitor the wait in real time. When a table opens up, push a button and an automated text or phone call (your choice) is sent to the guest. Yes, it's that easy. Table's Ready is a web-based application, which means that it can be run on anything that has access to the Internet, including a desktop, laptop, or iPad. Anything with a modern browser (other than Internet Explorer) should be fine.”

 (WWW.tablesready.com)

Cinemar

This program is used on the Apple iPad’s as well which is used by only the managers who are trained to use this program.

·       In wall docks

·       Tablet or smartphone

·       DirecTV receiver

·       With a touch of a button you can change the channel or control the volume.

“Our automated solutions are centered around a touch screen command center, smart phone or tablet that bartenders and managers can interact with to select which TV broadcasts any of the available sources such as HD satellites, karaoke, DirecTV and even gaming systems. Throw out your old RF modulation setup that requires staff to change the channel on the TV just to select a DirecTV receiver...that's too confusing, as you already know. Our solutions select the DirecTV receiver for you. We've partnered with select manufacturers to deliver a completely out-of-the-box working solution so you can focus on your core business. Optionally, you can control your entire sports bar from an iPad. In-wall docks are also available for your iPad.”

 (www.cinemarsolutions.com)

Critical Procedure

Some critical procedures that need to be done with these tablets are basically keeping them up to date and in great condition at all times. Software updates need to be done often in order for the tablets to work properly. If they do not get software updates often they could possibly not be up to date with the new menu changes or price changes, they also could become slower when using them. Another critical procedure is they need to be kept in great condition. These tablets need to be wiped down and repaired every single day. Bearing in mind the amount of people that are constantly touching the tablets, you know that they need to be sanitized every day. They also need to be prepared immediately if they are ever broken in any form. Having just one broken tablet can cause a shortage in tablets, which could possibly result in one table not having a tablet to use.       

Essential Skills

In order for the servers, hosts, and managers to use these tablets, they need to make sure that they are fully trained and up to speed on how to use this different software. When someone new is hired at the restaurant they are to have a full overview of how to use this different hardware. Managers have even more extensive training when using the Cinemar program. Cinemar is very tedious and difficult to wrap your head around so it takes extra time to learn how to use this software. However, in all, everyone seems to adapt to the hardware and software very easily and become equip to it quickly.

Problem with the Existing System

Although the tablets are a very accessible and efficient technology at Buffalo Wild Wings, there are some down falls from using them. For example:

·       Software updates

·       Wi-Fi issues 

·       Liability issues

Software Updates

Another issue that seems to happen often updates on the tablets. This becomes an issue because sometimes updates can take up to an hour of time. If you are in the middle of store hours and the tablets are in the middle of an update then you will result in some disappointed customers. Also, if the music and television tablet is in the middle of an update this could become an issue with someone requesting channel changes or adjusting the volume of the music.

Wi-Fi Issues

After speaking with Manager John Radamski, we have found that a big issue that has recently begun to disrupt the restaurant is the Wi-Fi. Since the Wi-Fi in the restaurant is free to whoever comes into the restaurant and there are so many guests and workers within the restaurant using the same Wi-Fi that could cause some issues like having slow service. This becomes an issue because this leads to unhappy guests and our iPad’s to work slower than we would like them to, the restaurant needs fast moving Wi-Fi at all times.

Liability Issues

A very big issue that could potentially become expensive is liability issues with the customers. The restaurant is basically handing over hundreds to thousands of dollars of technology at no expense to the customer. Customers could possibly break the screen or accidentally spill something on these tablets and they could break. If this is to happen, Buffalo Wild Wings will need to put forth the money to replace these tablets.

Case Studies

Catalina Restaurant Group Delivers Faster Service, Enhanced Guest Experience with Samsung GALAXY Tab

Key Points:

●    The Customer

●    Customer Need

●    The Samsung Solution

●    The Results

This case study was very informative and interesting for us readers because it talked about bringing a new technology into their restaurant, which was tablets. They used their tablets for ordering and processing payments instead of using notepads and pens. Throughout the case study, they talk about the process of bringing the tablets in and getting their employees used to it. In all, they state that it was a very beneficial thing to do to for their company because it helped with order accuracy, upselling and speedier delivery.

How Wings, Beer, Sports & a Tablet are Paying Off for Buffalo Wild Wings

Key points:

●    Background on the decision on overhaul the tablet experience

●    Requirements for the solution

●    Impact on the in-store networks

●    Insights on the rollout of the new devices

●    Crossover between marketing and technology teams

●    BYOD (Bring your own device)

This case study was very interesting and relatable to our research because it was based on an actual Buffalo Wild Wings who was the first to bring the tablets in. The case study is a question and answer between the interviewer and the interviewee Karen Bird, who is the Vice President of information technology at Buffalo Wild Wings. This case study basically explains the implementation of the new products, how it was set up, how the roll-out process went if their employees adapted well and basically what they see in the future. This case study is actually where we got the idea of BYOD. We read about it in this case study and agreed with their idea 100%. In all, this case study was very relatable and very interesting to read.